Accepting Applications for Maine Fishermen’s Forum Event Assistant

Position Summary:

The Maine Fishermen’s Forum is looking for a well-organized, detail oriented and resourceful Event Assistant for a recurring annual project spanning the months of December through March. The event assistant will be customer service focused and experienced with Maine’s fishing communities and will be at ease in their public-facing role at the event, while also providing ongoing general support for the Executive Director.

Among the many hats worn in this position, the individual must capably create, and post social media content based on the organization’s media plan; learn new software platforms as required to use technology for administrative tasks; and manage multiple tasks while exhibiting a calm and friendly demeanor in public interactions.

Schedule and Location:

This is a recurring annual position December through March with an allocation of up to 400 hours, to be divided roughly as 60 hours Dec/ 120 hours Jan/ 120 hours Feb/ 100 hours Mar.

This hourly position requires working alongside the organization’s executive director, and at times interfacing with and supporting the 17-member Board of Directors. It also involves regular interaction with attendees and exhibitors both prior to and during the event.

This hybrid position may be accomplished from a remote office location, but you must have the capacity to work onsite in the Camden oﬃce occasionally, with a non-negotiable requirement to be onsite, at the Samoset Resort from March 3-7, 2026, and each subsequent annual event, which occurs the ﬁrst weekend in March.

About the Maine Fishermen’s Forum:

The Forum is a 51-year-old nonproﬁt whose purpose is to convene a family-friendly, three-day annual event for commercial ﬁshermen, sea farmers and marine-related businesses. The Forum takes place on the ﬁrst weekend in March at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine, welcoming approximately 2,000 attendees. It provides a neutral platform for ﬁshermen and sea farmers to meet with marine scientists, service and equipment providers, and regulators for collaboration, commerce, and to have fun.

Elements of the event include a trade show with over 120 exhibitors; a three-day series of educational seminars; a health clinic and safety training; children’s programs; an auction to fund student scholarships; and three evening social events.

Responsibilities:

Capably execute event-related posts based on the organization’s social media plan to promote awareness and generate excitement before, during, and after the event.
Respond to inquiries from lodging guests and evening event ticket purchasers.
Assist executive director in preparation of program content, proof-reading, and preparing ﬁles for designer.
Work with the scholarship committee to track auction donations, assist with acknowledgements, and organize the delivery and pickup of items.
Take the lead in administrative tasks that involve mail mergers, printing, and collating materials in preparation for onsite event.
Organize, pack, and distribute materials for onsite event.
Set up onsite front desk reception area, and onsite badging for attendees.
Serve as a welcoming, accessible, and relatable resource at the front desk throughout the event.
Other administrative and communication duties may be assigned, such as running errands, answering phones, and processing credit cards, among others.

Qualiﬁcations Required:

Experience with Maine’s ﬁshing communities.
Ability to multitask and perform under tight deadlines independently, and as part of a team.
Strong communication skills both verbal and written.
Strong organizational and record-keeping skills with a very strong emphasis on accuracy and efficiency.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 applications including Excel, Word, and Outlook; and Google Business Suite.
Familiarity with processing online credit card transactions, specifically utilizing Square.
Experience with customer service.
Positive, friendly attititude.

Additional Desirable Qualiﬁcations:

Professional event experience.
Interest in and capacity to ﬁll this role on an annual recurring basis.
A desire to support ﬁshermen and the industry in general.

Compensation:

This is an hourly position, on staﬀ, with compensation of $25/hour. Hours are ﬂexible but must meet demands of the position, generally aiming to work during business hours, with additional requirements onsite at the event. Lodging at the Samoset will be provided during event week.

How to apply:

Please email a resume and cover letter that explains how your skills and experience ﬁt this position to forum@maineﬁshermensforum.org by October 30. Interviews will be held in the first two weeks of November. References will be sought for candidates in ﬁnal interviews.