Job Description

About Us

We are one of New England's premier independent bookstores, family-owned and locally run since 1961. We offer an extensive selection of diverse new, used, and bargain books and host multiple award-winning events series. Annually, we host over 250 in-house events and partner with others to offer another 75. We are also Boston’s finest gift-shopping destination, well known for our curated selection of unique, beautiful, and fun gifts for all. Our staff is inquisitive, resilient, eclectic, creative, good-humored, and some of the best in the business. If you would like to be part of a fantastic team at a place beloved by the community, and have the experience we are looking for, please submit your application to Brookline Booksmith today!

Brief Description of Role

Brookline Booksmith’s author event series features hundreds of author and community events per year, as well as partnerships with third-party organizations. Our series features prestigious authors from many genres and backgrounds, and we strive to have our events reflect our mission and the values, variety, and diversity of our store and customers. We are looking for an events director to partner with our current events director to co-lead and drive the event series, from selecting and scheduling the best possible events to providing an experience that brings joy to readers, authors, and publishers. Roles will be divided based on genre or other organizing principles that make sense given the market opportunity and experience of the co-director team.

Qualifications:

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, plan, and execute author events, community events, and offsite book sales from initial request to execution

• Oversee all events series operations

• Host events in-store, offsite, and virtually, including author hospitality, introductions, and moderation

• On-site management of logistics, set-up, seating, ticket taking, staffing, crowd control, signing lines/meet & greets and breakdown for in-person events of all sizes (from 15 to 2000 attendees)

• Maintain timely communication and foster relationships with publishers, authors, venues, community partners and the public

• Make event requests using Edelweiss+ and select/reject events via email

• Respond in a timely and professional manner to event pitches from the wider community

• Create event landing pages using Eventbrite

• Use social media and the store website to promote events

• Maintain master calendar, sales/attendance reports, and other documentation

• Supervise and provide direction for Assistant Events Director and other events staff/hosts, including training

• Collaborate with Transnational Literature Series and Third Thursday Poetry Series coordinators

• Coordinate large-scale stock signings

• Communicate with non-events staff to keep everyone aligned

• Occasional use of zoom webinars for virtual events

Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of the book industry and independent bookstores is ideal, and events experience extremely helpful

• Organization, attention to detail and effective project management are a must

• Ability to provide excellent hospitality and customer service to authors, guests, and large numbers of people

• Comfort with public speaking

• Effective and professional communicator, especially in stressful situations
• Passion for and the ability to project enthusiasm for a wide range of books

• Ability to flex between solitary work and the hubbub of a crowd

• Physical ability required to move furniture and heavy boxes of books

• Dependable and punctual

• Previous experience in bookstores or publishing preferred

Special Considerations

• Looking for long-term, 30-40hr/wk in-person employee

• Roughly five eight-hour shifts Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm or 10am-7pm, with occasional later shifts and Saturdays. Most events start at 6 or 7pm.

• Compensation is hourly, with potential for overtime and a year-end bonus for exceptional performance

• Long-term employees with 20 or more hours per week are eligible for benefits, including medical, dental and vision care, health reimbursement account, life insurance, short and long-term disability, employee discount, and paid time off

Supervisor

Peter Win, Head of Operations

Physical Demands and Work Environmental Factors

The physical demands described here represent those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. While performing this role, the employee is regularly required to lift boxes weighing at least 20 lbs., sit for extended periods, and use repetitive wrist and hand motions for sorting and handling documents. The employee is also required to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities include close vision and color perception. The employee will have frequent visual contact with a computer monitor.

Equal Employment Opportunities Statement

Brookline Booksmith is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on any protected characteristic or status. We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the employment process. If you require an accommodation to perform the essential functions of this position, please let us know. We will engage in an interactive process to determine a reasonable accommodation, barring undue hardship.

How To Apply:

Brookline Booksmith is dedicated to offering books, events, gifts, and employment that reflect and honor the lives of all and encourage individuals of all backgrounds and identities to apply. Please email your resume and cover letter to workwithus@brooklinebooksmith.com.

Apply by:

March 01, 2026

Salary:

$47,000 - $50,000 /

About this Organization:

We are one of New England’s premier independent bookstores. Every day, we strive to foster community through the written word, represent a diverse range of voices and histories, and inspire conversations that enrich our lives. | 617-566-6660 | brooklinebooksmith.com | @brooklinebooksmith

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Full time, Temporary work, Monday to Friday, Flexible hours, Shift work, Afternoon shift,

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