Needs From: MC Serves!

We are looking for an energetic, "hands-on" volunteer Treasurer with accounting experience to support the annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival and the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors. RECRUITING ORGANIZATION: F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc. was founded in 1996 to celebrate the American author and his connections to Rockville and Montgomery County, Maryland. Through an annual fall Literary Festival and related activities, the organization has for 25 years worked to foster understanding and appreciation of the literary arts in the Washington Metropolitan area, to recognize and encourage the works of adult and student writers, to honor an outstanding established American author, and to partner with other cultural organizations to advance public and private support for the literary arts. More information about the Festival can be found at www.fscottfestival.org. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: *Serves on a four-person volunteer Board and attends monthly 90-minute conference planning meetings *Oversees and presents the planning committee's budgets, accounts, and financial statements *Deposits or causes to be deposited all funds of the organization *Records all incoming and outgoing funds; currently we use Quicken software, but we are open to the use of other bookkeeping methods *Receives and approves all requests for payments *Acts as the primary signer of checks under $500; larger amounts require the signature of another Corporation officer *Prepares and presents a brief financial report for each monthly committee meeting and a detailed report for the Annual Meeting. *Prepares and submits tax documents as required by law: Federal IRS 990, MD Personal Property Tax, MD State Income Tax. *Provides advice on workable budgets *Helps proposal writers by providing financial charts for the grant proposals 

The F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival seeks a  Committee Publicity/Public Affairs Specialist manages its public image and ensures it gains and maintains a positive reputation with the public. One of the essential duties is designing, developing, and preparing press kits to distribute to media outlets. These press kits include a press release, a biography and photo of the FSF honoree, and supporting information about the committee, its history, and past events.

This individual must maintain strong relationships with the media to find ways to get the committee’s message to the public. The person is also expected to find methods to get designated committee members in front of the public by arranging press conferences, special event appearances, and interviews.

Public Affairs Specialist Skills and Qualifications

The candidate must have several prerequisite skills and qualifications. Communication and writing skills are arguably the essential qualifications for the position. The applicant must also know the current social media market (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) and how best to use it.

Other important skills and qualifications for a Public Relations Specialist include:

Organizational skills

The ability to work under pressure

The ability to always represent the committee professionally

Exceptional writing, editing, and public speaking skills

Familiarity with the latest PR trends and best practices