Event Lead (Venue Rentals, Full-Time)

Application Deadline: 12 April 2026 and/or until a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. We reserve the right to close the posting early if a well-qualified candidate pool has been established. Early submission is encouraged.

Please ensure that your application highlights your experience and qualifications as they relate to the responsibilities of this role.

Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens seeks a customer-focused Event Lead (Full-Time) who excels in event sales, client relationship management, and full-cycle event planning. Step into a role where you’ll convert inquiries into bookings, lead client consultations, execute seamless events, and build lasting partnerships. Our venue team helps bring meaningful moments to life in a one-of-a-kind setting.

With the recent opening of three new venues along our Manatee River, you’ll play a key role in highlighting and selling these distinctive spaces. You might begin your day by leading a client tour through VyStar Skyscape, where innovative technology meets sweeping views ideal for large-scale events. Later, you may collaborate with corporate or community partners to design an experience in our elegant Banquet Space or prepare the Executive Boardroom for a polished and productive gathering overlooking the water.

If you’re an experienced Event Coordinator, Venue Sales Specialist or Hospitality Professional who thrives in a fast-paced, guest-facing environment, this is your opportunity to design, sell, and deliver unforgettable experiences. What sets you apart is what happens in between, the unseen moments. You anticipate needs, navigate last-minute changes, and build trusted relationships with clients, vendors, and internal teams. Your attention to detail and strong communication skills ensure each event is seamless, personalized, and memorable.

Equally important, you lead with a commitment to safety and accountability. You ensure event setups, guest flow, and vendor activities are executed responsibly, protecting guests, staff, and the animals and habitats that make this environment so special.

Here, creativity meets purpose. Every event you support helps advance our mission:

“Connecting our community with wildlife and wild places.”

What You Bring...
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and willingness to learn other software programs.
• 2 years+ of experience in a similar role, with proven expertise in customer service and/or event planning.
• Willingness to adapt to fluctuating weekend event schedules, which make up approximately 75% of the workload, showcasing commitment to the demands of the position.
• Ability to demonstrate strong organizational and multitasking skills with keen attention to detail.
• Capacity to maintain professionalism and enthusiasm during extended hours and busy weekend periods, fostering positive client relationships and enhancing the overall guest experience.
• Ability to work autonomously as well as collaboratively within a team environment.

A Plus…
• One (1) year of experience in event services within a venue rentals framework.
• One (1) year of experience providing administrative support.
• Demonstrated ability to identify upselling opportunities and effectively close sales.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Ability to consistently speak (enunciate) clearly in conversation and communications.
• Manual dexterity for standing, reaching, flexibility, and body movement for bending, crouching, walking, kneeling, stoop, bend, lift, kneel, and prolonged sitting/standing.
• Auditory ability for verbal communication/conversation/responses via telephone, telephone systems, two-way radio, and face-to-face interactions.
• Ability to work outdoors and indoors under all environmental conditions and temperatures.
• Ability to transport and move items at least 25 pounds occasionally for short distances without difficulty.
• Ability to ascend/ descend ladders, steps, and uneven terrain, while maintaining body equilibrium while performing various jobs.
• Ability to access the organization on foot, including any construction sites.
• Visual and auditory acuity appropriate for safety and discern differences in documents.
• Exceptional visual acuity is required, along with the ability to communicate, comprehend and decipher/hear information accurately, using a two-way radio.
• Inclusion, diversity, and equality as a value
• Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens embraces diversity in a meaningful way and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, age, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, weight, or height.

#EventLead #JacksonvilleZoo #JobOpportunity #EventPlanning #CustomerService

Physical Requirements
• Ability to remain standing for extended periods.
• Requires hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills for tasks such as grasping, turning, and manipulating objects of varying size and weight.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move objects up to 25 pounds for short distances.
• Ability to walk, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, and reach.
• Requires visual acuity for reading, writing, and observing surroundings, and auditory acuity for communication.
• Ability to operate motorized carts, trucks, and power tools.

WORK CONDITIONS
• Exposure to various weather conditions, including extreme heat, sunlight, cold, rain, snow, and wind.
• Irregular work hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays are required.
• Exposure to hazards such as wildlife, waste, equipment, loud noises, chemicals, and heights.

We are an equal opportunity employer and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment regulations

EOE / DRUG FREE WORKPLACE