Position Overview
Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream is a locally loved brand, started by a Bethesda mom-daughter duo. We are seeking a creative, energetic, and organized team member who is eager to learn from and support our Events Manager in growing our presence and deepening our community connections.
We’re known for crafting small-batch ice cream with all-natural ingredients and fresh local dairy — but our impact goes far beyond the scoop. From school fundraisers, scoop donations, and behind-the-scenes tours, to private catering, hosting small business pop-ups, and local collaborations, we believe ice cream is a way to bring people together.
This role is both strategic and highly hands-on. In addition to supporting events and partnerships, this position requires consistent involvement in our scoop shops. Working in-shop is essential to understanding and upholding our service standards, modeling hospitality, and ensuring that all events and community initiatives are aligned with the in-store guest experience.
What You’ll Do
Position Summary
The Events, Partnerships, and Community Coordinator is the driving force behind Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream’s events, partnerships, and community presence. This person owns the lead role for all assigned events — from planning through execution — converts leads into booked business, sells directly to customers at festivals and markets, and builds lasting partnerships that grow our brand in the community. It’s a hands-on, customer-facing role for someone who is organized, entrepreneurial, personable, and passionate about great product and great experiences.
Key Responsibilities
- Event leadership: Own the lead role for all assigned events end-to-end — planning, logistics, setup, execution, and breakdown — serving as the primary point of contact for clients, guests, vendors, and staff.
- Sales generation: Convert company-provided leads into booked, paid events; cultivate self-originated leads; and sell product directly to attendees at festivals, farmers markets, fairs, and pop-ups.
- Partnerships & community: Develop and maintain relationships with local businesses, organizations, and community partners; represent the brand at community activities; and grow our presence, goodwill, and referral network.
- Product & food safety: Follow all food-safety, health-code, allergen, and cold-chain procedures; keep product properly stored and transported; and never allow product to spoil or become unsalable through improper handling.
- Equipment & inventory: Track, maintain, clean, secure, and transport events equipment and inventory; conduct pre- and post-event counts; and keep accurate records.
- Cash & reconciliation: Handle cash and point-of-sale transactions honestly; reconcile product issued against sold, sampled, and returned; and remit all proceeds accurately and on time.
- Sampling & authorization: Offer samples and comps only within company-authorized limits; never give away or discount product without approval.
- Brand representation: Represent Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream professionally in person and, where authorized, on social media; protect the brand and its reputation.
- Recordkeeping: Accurately track hours, sales, tips, partnership activity, and event records using company systems.
Required Qualifications
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer-service skills, with a friendly, professional presence.
- Strong organization and the ability to independently own events with minimal supervision.
- Sales-minded, self-motivated, and comfortable selling directly to the public.
- ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification and a Montgomery County, Maryland Food Service Manager license — required before the end of the probationary period and maintained thereafter.
- Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as events require.
- Valid driver’s license and required auto insurance; reliable transportation to event sites (with consent to a motor vehicle record check where applicable).
- Ability to satisfy background/reference checks and U.S. work eligibility (I-9).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in events, catering, hospitality, food service, or direct sales.
- Existing community or vendor relationships in the local area.
- Comfort with POS systems, inventory tracking, and basic social media.
Physical Requirements & Work Environment
- Ability to lift and carry up to ~50 lbs (equipment, coolers, product) and to load/unload and transport event gear.
- Prolonged standing, walking, bending, and working outdoors in varying weather at markets and festivals.
- Work around freezers, coolers, and cold product; fast-paced event settings.
Compensation & Growth
- Probationary (training) period: $20/hour plus tips; 4 weeks or 150 hours, whichever comes first; no commission.
- After probation: $22/hour plus tips, plus commission — 15% of net sales on self-originated and direct-sale (non-pre-booked) events, and 2% on pre-booked/company-assigned events.
- Tips: Event tips shared equally among event staff; in-shop tips pooled by hours worked.
- Growth path: Opportunity to be promoted into the salaried Events, Partnerships, and Community Manager role, which includes benefits such as PTO, medical, and dental insurance.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: $18.00 - $30.00 per hour
Expected hours: 10.0 – 40.0 per week
Application Question(s):
- Do you have a valid driver's license and reliable access to a car?
- We reach out to all professional references on your behalf. What do you think your past employers would say about you?
- Why do you want to work at Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream? Please elaborate in detail.
- What aspect of this position most excites you and why?
- Describe a time where you had to juggle multiple priorities at the same time. How did you handle it?
Work Location: In person
