The Northwest Washington Fair Overview - The Northwest Washington Fair is located in Lynden, WA, 100 miles north of Seattle, just three miles from the Canadian border in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We are in the shadow of majestic Mt. Baker to the East while the Pacific Ocean serves as our Western border. - Every August, approximately 200,000 adults and youth alike gather for six days to celebrate local agriculture and be entertained, educated, and involved in cultural activities. That is the Northwest Washington Fair, now 108 years old. - The other 11 months of the year are busy with nearly 300 events and rentals on the Fairgrounds. There are four different buildings frequently rented for everything from weddings and memorial services to craft, antique and dog shows. Our facility features one of the finest Equestrian Facility in the northwest, with a 180 stall horse barn, along with 2 indoor show arenas and two outdoor arenas. - The Fair is a private 501 c-3 non-profit organization with 100 members making up the Northwest Washington Fair Association. It is governed by a 12 person board of directors and has a 9 person full-time staff. - The Fair will be constructing a five million dollar multi-use facility that will house the Washington State Agriculture Education Center along with a Washington State University research facility, lab, distance learning facility and offices. Construction is scheduled to begin approximately September 1 and is scheduled to be completed in approximately one year. - This project opens up many opportunities for the community and the Fair. And most immediately, there is an opportunity for full time employment for an individual as a new position is being created: The Director of the Agriculture Education Center Position Description The Fair is seeking applications to fill a full time permanent position as the Director of the Agriculture Education Center. As the director of this facility your initial job will be to oversee construction. You will work with the contractor to help facilitate all aspects of the construction. In this position you will provide regular status reports to the CEO and, at the CEO's request, to the appropriate committee's and or boards of directors. Since this building is being constructed with community donations and government grants, you will be responsible for following up with pledges, grant applications and other details relating to the collection of funds for this project. You will work with the bookkeeper to provide information necessary to complete the financial requirements of the building project. During the construction phase you will research various types of exhibits and programs to be a part of the WSAEC. Research will include meeting with community committees, traveling to other similar facilities, meeting with consultants with experience in this field, and meeting with staff, committees and boards of directors. A pro forma must be completed to project revenues and expenses for the first five years of operation based on information that will be provided and new information and opportunities yet to be discovered. Developing the revenue stream for continued sustainable operation of the facility will be a key component of the position. Following the completion of construction this job will become more focused on ongoing operations and program development of the complex. The job will expand into other operational and management areas of the Northwest Washington Fair and Event Center. Additionally, as the Fair has continued to grow, both as an annual event and as an event center there will be ongoing opportunities for growth and advancement into other management positions. The person chosen for this position will report directly to the Fair Manager / CEO and will receive a salary commensurate with education and experience in the range of $60,000 to $75,000. Qualifications - Organizational abilities are a must including the ability to track details and prioritize projects. - A Proven Track Record will be a consideration in the evaluation of candidates, especially in the area of event organization, working with a group of people and an understanding of general business principles. - The required skills for this position are generally acquired through both education and experience. While a college degree is helpful, applicable work experience will be considered a substitute for formal education. Knowledge of and comfort in working with spreadsheets, word documents, and Outlook is important. - Experience. Some knowledge of Fairs and an interest in and understanding of Agriculture is essential. Actual experience at Fairs or other events is not required but will be a consideration in evaluating candidates. A good understanding of financial statements and budgeting is a prerequisite. - The person in this position must exhibit good communication skills and understand that the most important element in communication is listening. - The ability to maintain and develop new relationships is a prerequisite to success in this position. - A person in this position must be a leader who views problems as opportunities with a positive outlook on life. - Given the significant opportunity for advancement in this position, demonstrable management skills are important. Application Process - Please submit a resume and cover letter to susan@nwwafair.com prior to June 30, 2018. All responses will be held in strict confidence. - Those meeting our qualifications will be contacted for a telephone interview. - Finalist will be interviewed in person.