Marketing Event Calendar Intern

Marketing Event Calendar Intern
Apply for Marketing Calendar of Events Internship 
Applications close at 11:59 PM on Wednesday October 16
Reports to:          Vice President of Marketing, Marketing Partnership Manager
Time-Period:      Mid November 2024 - December 2025 with possibility to extend

About the Company: 

Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR) is the destination marketing organization for Kent County and Grand Rapids, Michigan. As such, the organization promotes the fun attributes that make the area an exciting place to visit like craft beverages, arts & culture, outdoor recreation, food and more. Since EXGR is a promoter of awesome things to do, the company culture is diverse and inclusive, relaxed and friendly, while passionate and hard-working to reach the goal of filling the hotels and attractions with visitors and convention attendees.

About the Role: 

Experience Grand Rapids is seeking a Marketing Event Calendar Intern to assist with populating the community calendar of events on ExperienceGR.com. As the most viewed area of our website, the calendar is a crucial component of our tourism marketing strategy, providing visitors and residents with up-to-date information on area events and reasons to visit the Grand Rapids area. The ideal candidate will be responsible for maintaining the accuracy and appeal of the calendar and integrating across ExperienceGR.com, ensuring it remains a valuable resource for our audience.  The person in this unique role will have the opportunity to be in-the-know about all the exciting happenings taking place in the Grand Rapids area and gain experience in a CRM system.

Responsibilities:

Include but are not limited to the following:

• Event Collection and Publishing:
  • Collect, review, and curate event submissions from various sources to populate the community calendar utilizing the organization’s CRM system.
  • Approve calendar of event entries submitted to our partner portal by the community through a database system, in accordance with Experience Grand Rapids publishing guidelines.
  • Follow guidelines for cross-publishing events to Michigan.org
  • Utilize the Content Management System (CMS) to connect events to key areas of Experience GR.com, ensuring event content is displayed across the site.
• CRM Data Management:
  • Maintain and update the CRM system with accurate event information and community submissions.
  • Utilize the CRM to track relationships with community partners and event organizers.
  • Perform routine data clean-up to ensure data integrity and consistency within the CRM system.
• Collaboration:
  • Work with the Marketing Partnership Manager, event organizers and other partner entities to gather  necessary details and updates to ensure satisfaction of event calendar listings.
  • Collaborate with various departments, including Marketing, and Engagement/Inclusion to align with overall organizational goals and tourism trends.
  • Work closely with our Social Media publishing team regarding the social posting of key upcoming events.
  • Assist with Social Media monitoring efforts on a rotating basis (approximately one week per month).
  • Serve as an informational liaison to educate the marketing team on upcoming events.
• Quality Assurance:
  • Conduct regular checkpoints to verify the accuracy of event details and ensure content is displaying well.
  • Resize and optimize event images for consistency and aesthetic appeal on the website.
  • Work closely with the marketing team to ensure visual coherence with overall branding guidelines.
  • Follow organizational protocol to ensure full permissions are obtained regarding published assets.
  • Write and edit event copy to ensure quality event descriptions that inspire visitation to the destination.
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Stay informed about local events and tourism trends to identify opportunities for calendar improvement. This can be accomplished by following partner accounts on social media to stay up to date, attending internal marketing and staff meetings to learn about events, and researching events online.

Position Requirements:

• Ability to work 20 hours per week, flexible hybrid schedule.
• Hybrid position: remote + downtown Grand Rapids office (fully remote is not offered as an option).
• Possible evening/weekend on-call dates for some events and possible social media monitoring.
• If the applicant is a student, degree completion December 2025 or later desired.

Benefits:

• Paid internship, including paid downtown parking provided for duration of internship.
• Work environment conducive to learning, great experience!

Desired Skill Set:

• Detail driven - Goes beyond surface level to thoroughly complete tasks and projects
• Passionate Grand Rapidian -Knowledgeable of the Grand Rapids area and what makes it a desirable destination
• Impressive communicator- Above average written and verbal communication skills
• Creative thinker - Provide creative input and positive approach to projects
• Independent worker – Able to complete tasks with minimal supervision
• Marketing maven- Understanding of marketing, social media, branding, tourism, website & social analytics
• Task juggler- Take initiative and capable of managing multiple projects at once by being organized
• Fast learner- Ability to quickly understand position-specific programs

Supervisor Description:

The intern will work under a supervisor that has been with Experience Grand Rapids in a variety of roles for nearly twelve years, is highly involved in community boards and committees, and holds a Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in marketing. This intern will work closely day-to-day with a manager who has been with EXGR for over 2-years. The manager develops, promotes and manages marketing partnerships with local hotels, restaurants, breweries, attractions, service providers, event planners and other related businesses. She holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from Grand Valley State University and is highly involved in her community. Additionally, the intern will work with a variety of experienced professionals on the Experience GR team.

Apply for Marketing Calendar of Events Internship 

Experience Grand Rapids is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.