Public Spaces Manager

pittsburghculturaltrust; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust seeks a Manager of Public Spaces to assist in delivering vibrant, safe, and welcoming public spaces. The role focuses on Arts Landing and other district spaces, partnering with staff, vendors, and community stakeholders to plan events, rentals, and daily activations.

Applicants should have 3–5 years in related fields, strong communication, and experience coordinating multi-party programs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of professional experience overall, with 2+ years in event management or venue operations.
• Supervisory or coordination experience with part-time staff, contractors, or volunteers preferred.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills; familiarity with venue/event software is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning and daily operations of Trust public spaces, focusing on events, rentals, and visitor experience.
• Coordinate programming, rentals, and activations with internal teams and external partners.
• Track activity, outcomes, and feedback to support planning and continuous improvement.

Tools

Momentus Elite

Ungerboeck

Social Tables

OnePlan

Job description

Position Summary

The Manager of Public Spaces ('Manager') assists in the management of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's public spaces as vibrant, welcoming, safe, and culturally resonant places. Reporting to and working closely with the Director of Public Spaces, this role supports the planning and daily operations of Trust public spaces, with a focus on events, rentals, daily activity, visitor experience, and partner coordination.

A key focus is Arts Landing, the Trust's new four-acre, multi-use civic space located in downtown Pittsburgh; the space includes a one-acre great lawn, playground, permanent stage, public art program, pickleball courts, and other amenities. This role works closely with Trust staff, contractors, vendors, community partners, and other stakeholders to make sure public space activities in Arts Landing and throughout the Cultural District are well coordinated and successfully carried out.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required

Work Experience: Minimum 3-5 years of professional experience overall, with a minimum of 2 years of experience in event management, venue operations, placemaking, arts management, public space management, or related field.

Supervisory Experience: Prior experience supervising or coordinating part-time staff, seasonal staff, contractors, volunteers, or event support personnel preferred.

Technical Skills: Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office required. Familiarity with venue/event management software (Momentus Elite, Ungerboeck) and event layout or site planning software (Social Tables, OnePlan) preferred.

Skills & Attributes:

• Experience coordinating complex event logistics and operational planning.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities.
• Comfort working outdoors in varying conditions, interacting with the general public
• Superior communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively communicate and work with a diverse group of staff, partners, vendors, clients, and stakeholders.
• Positive attitude with a collaborative approach to problem-solving.
• Commitment to creating welcoming, safe, and engaging public spaces.

Essential Functions

Public Space Operations and Visitor Experience

• Serve as deputy to the Director of Public Spaces by helping to implement public space strategy, manage daily priorities, coordinate cross-functional work, and provide operational continuity.
• Manage and monitor the day-to-day operations and activation of Arts Landing and other Trust public spaces as assigned.
• Support implementation of public space policies, operating procedures, event protocols, emergency and weather procedures, and partner guidelines; recommend updates based on operational needs and visitor experience.

Programs, Rentals, and Activations

• Coordinate the planning and execution of programming, rentals, special events, and other activities in Trust public spaces, including event logistics, layouts, schedules, site operations, staffing plans, and onsite execution.
• Manage third-party rental inquiries and coordinate the rental process from initial inquiry through event execution, including internal approvals, site requirements, partner communications, and post-event follow-up.

Coordination, Partnerships, and Staff Support

• Serve as a primary day-to-day point of contact for internal Trust departments as well as vendors, contractors, event partners, community organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Coordinate part-time staff, seasonal staff, contractors, volunteers, and event support personnel as assigned, including onsite direction, scheduling support, and communication of expectations.

Administration, Reporting, and Policy Support

• Track key public space activity, visitor experience observations, event outcomes, operational issues, and partner feedback to support reporting, planning, and continuous improvement.
• Support the administration and financial management of public space activities, including permits, contracts, certificates of insurance, invoices, budget tracking, and event reconciliation.
• Prepare reports, project updates, partner materials, and other communications as requested and perform other job-relevant duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility This position may coordinate, direct, and supervise part-time staff, seasonal staff, contractors, volunteers, and event support personnel. The role may also provide day-to-day guidance to internal project teams or support staff when acting on behalf of the Director of Public Spaces.

Decision-Making Responsibility The Manager has discretion over routine day-to-day operational decisions related to public space operations, event execution, vendor coordination, visitor experience, and issue resolution, under the strategic direction of the Director of Public Spaces. The Manager is expected to identify risks, recommend corrective actions, and elevate significant matters appropriately.

Budgetary Responsibility This position will assist the Director of Public Spaces with tracking event and operational expenses, monitoring budgets, coordinating routine financial processes with the Finance Department, and preparing information needed for budget planning and reconciliation.

Physical Demands This position will involve frequent and regular outdoor activity. Evening and weekend work will be required based on programming and event schedules. Occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs. may be required.

Salary: $50,000

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Employees are expected to be able to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position, with or without job modification/reasonable accommodation. If an employee believes a job modification/reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Human Resources so that a review can be conducted. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust strives to comply with the accommodation provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and other related federal, state, and local laws.