Project Manager: 30th Anniversary Celebration

San Francisco Center for the Book (SFCB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the joy of books and bookmaking, with a focus on the history, artistry, and ongoing role of books in contemporary culture. SFCB serves as a hub for Bay Area book artists and a welcoming space for the broader community to explore book arts, supporting both experienced practitioners and beginners.

Reports to: Executive Director

Position type: Independent contractor (starting immediately, contract term through September 2027)

Location: San Francisco, CA (on-site for events and key moments, remote-flexible for administrative work)

Overview

SFCB is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a year-long season of celebration honoring three decades of advancing book arts in the Bay Area. We are seeking a Project Manager to plan and run this celebration from start to finish: three large flagship events and approximately ten smaller events over the course of the year, plus all the coordination in between.

This is a hands-on management role. The right candidate keeps a lot of moving parts organized, tracks tasks and deadlines without being asked, and has run events before. Experience in marketing or development is a strong plus, since these events double as opportunities to raise SFCB's visibility and support fundraising.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the master project plan for the anniversary year: timeline, task tracking, and budget across all events.
• Own and execute 3 large flagship events (parties), including venue selection, vendor management, guest logistics, and run-of-show.
• Help coordinate and execute 6-10 smaller events with SFCB staff, including logistics, staffing, and materials for each.
• Manage vendor and contractor relationships: caterers, venues, rental companies, printers, and others as needed.
• Coordinate with SFCB staff and volunteers to assign tasks and keep everyone on schedule.
• Track the anniversary budget, including event costs and vendor invoices, and flag issues early.
• Help promote events by coordinating invitations, social media, and press.
• Provide regular status updates to the Executive Director and, as needed, the Board and other stakeholders.
• Maintain a central tracking system in alignment with SFCB’s existing project- and task-management processes so anyone on the team can see event status at a glance.

Qualifications

• Proven project management experience, ideally managing multiple concurrent workstreams and deadlines.
• Event planning experience (nonprofit events, galas, or similar large gatherings preferred).
• Nonprofit or arts/education experience is a plus. Marketing or development/fundraising experience is also a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and comfort with budgets, timelines, and vendor contracts.
• Clear written and verbal communication; comfortable coordinating across staff, volunteers, and vendors.
• Available for on-site work in San Francisco for events and key planning meetings.