Director of Events Sales and Operations (Culver City)

About Blackbird Collective Blackbird Collective PBC is a

Visionary Membership Society + Storytelling Studio.

We are an early-growth stage startup with a bold vision, big heart, and small, dynamic team.

Designed for the advancement of women of color along with the kindred allies and co-conspirators who are aligned by an ethos of social impact, financial acumen and mutual benefit. We believe in sharing stories from diverse perspectives engaged in civil discourse on pivotal matters to dream of a world where humanity thrives.

Our myriad offerings encourage productivity, promote wellbeing, celebrate creativity and inspire advocacy—taking a balanced-life approach to nourish minds, bolster access to equity, advocate for political decency, engender hope, and respect the planet.

About the Role This is an on-site full-time role for a Director of Events Sales and Operations at Blackbird Flagship in Culver City, CA. As the Director you will work with the VP of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives to manage the prospecting and sell-in of premium events to accelerate the overall revenue growth of Blackbird Collective.

You will own the full sales cycle/sell-in process from pitch to close: inbound lead qualification, outbound prospecting, pipeline building, contract negotiations, handle budgeting and opportunity identification for onsite and offsite Blackbird produced events with a sales goal to be determined within the first 90 days of employment.

Manage the active inbound private event inquiries and bookings. Build and maintain a robust outbound pipeline and regularly generate aligned leads. Proactively prospect new clients and private events through outbound outreach, networking, and attending industry events with a relational approach intentionally investing in long term engagement. Craft tailored proposals and creative event concepts that align with Blackbird’s aesthetic, mission, and the client’s goals helping them make selections from rooms to programming to menus and all logistics needed to curate and execute the details of their event. Conduct venue tours, host open houses, tastings, and previews to position the brand as the premium creative event partner. Maintain detailed CRM documentation, sales activity reporting, analytics/key metrics, and post-event reconciliation of financial transactions (budgets vs actuals), as well as client feedback for continuous improvement. Act as a brand steward - staying current on programming, co-working & hospitality trends, and client engagement strategies. Stay agile—ideating new sales approaches and testing innovative ways to grow both new and repeat private event business. Spearhead the planning, leading and management of the day-of event logistics with strong emphasis placed on the communication of event information to key stakeholders – both internal and external. Focus on clearly communicating event specs pre-event to the Event Planning team to ensure that day-of production is seamless. With the utmost hospitality, interact with clients, members, and guests during events to build long-term connections and partnership pipelines. Maintain positive attentiveness to service, responding with professionalism to guests needs, exceeding service expectations while ensuring timely resolution to issues should they arise. Take an ownership and accountability approach that ensures the success of each event from conception to completion.

Requirements Event Sales 6+ years of experience in event sales, private event management, or luxury hospitality, with outbound sales focus and ability to manage a robust inbound inquiry pipeline. Demonstrated success managing a book of business generating $75k/month or more across a spectrum of events for individuals, small groups, as well as, small to mid-sized businesses - e.g. large offsites, workshops, receptions, luncheons/dinners, screenings, book signings, panels, fireside chats, and tastemaker events. Experience identifying and pursuing new market segments with minimal direction. Team managerial experience and training of a small sales force.

General Excellent presentation, communication, and storytelling skills, both written and verbal. Strong background in prospecting, cold outreach, pipeline management, and closing. Experience using CRM tools such as PerfectVenue, PeopleVine, Hubspot or similar platforms. High attention to detail, organizational discipline, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. High EQ and relationship building ethos Tech-savvy, with proficiency in Google Workspace (MS Office and Mac OS a plus). Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience preferred.

Qualifications Strong analytical Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-motivated, driven, and able to work independently to deliver results. Excels at navigating ambiguity, problem solving and complex matrix. Existing network within entertainment, fashion, agency, business or creative industries. Experience with catering sales, cultural partnerships, or nontraditional venue activations. Familiarity with marketing tactics and creative sales campaigns. Must be able to lift and or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and /or move up to 50 pounds

Traits We Value Aligned with Blackbird’s mission and values Warm, authentic, and people-centered with a hospitality-forward mindset Attention to detail, adaptive and organized multitasking Creative thinker and visual storyteller High integrity, accountable and discretion with sensitive information

Compensation Compensation range estimated (full-time role): $90,000 – $120,000* annually.

*Final compensation within stated range to be commensurate with experience. This is a full-time, in-person role based at Blackbird’s Flagship in Culver City

Benefits Full-time employees are eligible for comprehensive benefits after 60 days: ⚕️Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (75% employer contribution) 401K (option provided, no-employer contribution at this time) PTO, Sick Time, and Paid Holidays

Your unique experiences are valuable. Any additional skills you have that aren’t on our qualifications list could make you a top candidate and supersede our pre-written qualifications. We encourage you to apply!

At Blackbird, we don’t just accept people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences — we welcome, celebrate, support, and thrive on it for the benefit of our employees and our community. Blackbird is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment.