Special Projects Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

Your responsibilities will evolve, but your first order of business is clear: build the foundation. That means three things happening simultaneously.

Execute Special Projects

• Lead special projects from scoping through completion — events, campaigns, community initiatives, and new business development

• When a project stalls or a resource isn’t available locally, bring three alternate paths forward, not a report on what didn’t work

• Crunch the numbers before wading in — model the labor, the timeline, and the outcome before committing the organization’s resources

• Manage multiple active projects in various stages simultaneously without losing detail or momentum on any of them

• Pivot when leadership redirects — and bring the same energy to the new direction as you brought to the last one

• Train and support the team in an occasional House Management backup role

Build and Carry the Message

• Develop a clear, compelling, community-facing case for why The State Theatre matters — and why now is the moment to invest in its future

• Occasionally working alongside our Development DIrector to leverage already existing strengths/knowledge/connections to build a stronger and deeper reservoir of diverse support as needed.

• Create consistent, mission-driven communications across email, social media, and in-person channels that build donor identity and community pride

• Write donor and sponsor-facing materials including appeals, partnership decks, and stewardship communications

• Represent the theatre with polish in professional settings and with authenticity in community ones — business professional in public, film nerd backstage

Grow the Network

• Identify, map, and strategically pursue new relationships with donors, sponsors, partners, and community connectors — with particular focus on newer residents and the mid-range philanthropic community of Traverse City

• Recruit and lead a corps of community volunteers who serve as ambassadors and early-stage fundraising partners

• Build relationships with intention and discipline — strategic connection-building, not casual socializing

• Use political and social intelligence to warm up cold relationships, earn trust with high-capacity contacts, and move people through a cultivation pipeline

• Create VIP experiences, sponsor reward packages, and partner giveaways that make the theatre’s relationships stickier and more valuable on both sides

Who You Are

We are going to be direct. We have a theatre to save and a community to serve and we do not have time for a slow ramp or a personality hire. We have thrived for XYZ year Here is what we are looking for:

The Non-Negotiables

• You are a self-starter who does not need the roadmap drawn up before you begin moving — you identify the destination and build the route yourself

• You are a planner — you do the math, model the work, and understand what a project actually requires before you commit to delivering it

• You have grit — you understand that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, and that understanding pushes you forward rather than making you reckless

• You have a service mentality paired with a fixer’s instinct — “I don’t know but I will find out” is a complete sentence, and you back it up

• You are organized and disciplined with your time — you manage your own pipeline and hit your own deadlines.

• You can operate in a high-paced entertainment environment with short turnarounds and shifting priorities without burning out or shutting down

The Kind of Person You Are

• You are genuinely aligned with this theatre’s mission — you believe in the civic power of film, in free expression, and in the idea that a community should control its own cultural story

• You are a connector with range — you can build trust with a retired philanthropist, a young professional, a seasonal resident, and a school principal in the same week

• You know the difference between being everyone’s friend and strategically growing the right relationships — and you choose the latter

• You are emotionally resilient about your work — when a project gets set aside or a priority shifts, you adapt without feeling that your effort was wasted

• You have 2–5 years of experience in community organizing, sales, communications, non-profit development, entertainment, or a related field — the industry matters less than what you built and how you think

• Familiarity with Traverse City’s community and philanthropic landscape is a genuine advantage

What We Offer

Compensation: Starting at $20/hr with meaningful upside for the right candidate. We will pay more for a high performer and we will say so plainly.

A real career trajectory: Leadership is actively looking for someone who grows into a peer, not a permanent report. The table has room. Earn your seat.

A mission worth the effort: 110 years of history, a first amendment conviction, and a working relationship with one of American cinema’s most recognized independent voices.

A fast-moving environment: If you are energized by variety, ownership, and a culture that moves quickly and expects you to move with it, this is the right room.

A community that cares: Traverse City is one of the most engaged, culturally curious small cities in the Midwest. The relationships you build here are real and lasting.

How to Apply

Send a resume and cover letter to [application email]. Your cover letter should answer two questions:

• Why does the State Theatre’s mission matter to you personally?

Why do you feel this is a good fit for you & tell us why you are the best fit

We are not looking for polished corporate language. We are looking for your actual voice and a clear signal that you understand what this role is. Applications without a cover letter will not be reviewed.

The State Theatre is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who share our belief that film — and the community spaces that show it — belong to everyone.