Catering - Event Associate

SSA Group at the Los Angeles Zoo

Now Hiring Seasonal Staff for Fall 2026

Events Associate

Who are we:

For more than 50 years, SSA has partnered with cultural attractions to design the hospitality experience journey, freeing our partners to remain mission-focused.

We bring together admissions, culinary, and retail with innovation and human connection to shape a seamless guest journey.

Our focus is on people, innovation, and operational intelligence as a means to create special moments with lasting impact. We call it 452 Hospitality, the foundation of how we serve our partners and their communities.

Position Title: Events Set Up Associate

Reports to: Director, Catering & Events Operations

Key Responsibilities & Duties 

• Live out 452 Hospitality by delivering warm, welcoming, and memorable experiences for every guest and client.
• Assists with implementing various public, private and GLAZA events. Duties may include set-up and breakdown of event supplies (tables, chairs, centerpieces, etc.), coordinating with various divisions, volunteers, vendors, and hired entertainment.

• Meet expectations of proper setup, breakdown, and cleanup of each event.

• Be the point of contact for rental deliveries and/or events when needed.
• Assist with maintaining carts and events vehicles when needed.
• Assist with organization or clean-up of event spaces/yard as needed
• Coordinates check-in/registration for events and assists with ticketing distribution and line-management.
• Assists with the organization’s largest annual events, the Beastly Ball, Boo at the L.A. Zoo, and L.A. Zoo Lights (and a variety of public, donor, and private events) providing overall administrative, set-up/break down, and logistical support.
• Helps coordinate with Marketing & PR and Sponsorship events, including press events and sponsorship activations.
• Assists with facilitating and maintaining a master list of rentals, delivery, set-up, and tear-down schedules for events.
• Assists Department staff as necessary with implementing the entertainment program for events. Helps coordinate staging and audio-visual requirements.
• Assists Department staff with checking proper certification and permits upon vendor arrivals.
• Assist Event managers when needed with creating any last-minute paperwork for events such as timeline, updating vendor contacts, creating to-do lists, rental requests, etc

• Always display a sense of urgency. 
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures. 
• Always follow health and safety practices. 
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work environment. 
• Uphold and demonstrate a complete understanding of company policies and procedures. 
• Perform other tasks as deemed necessary. 

 Under the direction of the Events Management Team, the Events Associates assist the full-time Events staff in coordinating various events as required by performing different tasks to prepare, set up and tear down for events as well as periodically perform related administrative and clerical duties for Department staff as assigned. The role of the Events Associate is to fully support other Department members who are leading events.

Job Requirements 

• Physically able to lift heavy objects and move them from one location to another.
• Ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed. 
• An ideal candidate is a team player, personable, professional, upbeat and energetic, and takes initiative.  

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with this job description. SSA Group reserves the right to revise the job description or to require that other or different tasks are performed when circumstances change (i.e. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technological developments) 

 Compensation and Benefits 

• Eligible for overtime pay.
• On-Demand Pay Program: Get access to a portion of earned wages before payday.
• Meal Plan & Employee Discounts at applicable locations.
• Participation in a 401(k) program with a 15% company match (must be 21 years or older, eligible after one year of employment with 1,000 hours worked, available to enroll during Open Enrollment Periods).

• Tuition Discount through Partnership College.
• Up to 8 hours of Bereavement Leave
• Holiday pay of 1.5× the regular rate is provided for hours worked on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day.
• Paid sick leave is provided in accordance with applicable state and local laws. Accrual rates, caps, and usage rules vary by location. 

Locations include: Arizona, California, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C..  Colorado: Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year, under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA).  Maryland: Employees accrue at least 1 hour of paid sick and safe leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year, as required under the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act.  Washington: Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, in accordance with the Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time.

SSA Holdings and its affiliated companies, including SSA Group, A&F Souvenir, Cinchio Solutions, and Behavioral Essentials, are equal opportunity employers. We are committed to diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. A diverse team strengthens our collective impact.

All California Residents: By submitting your job application, you agree you have reviewed the SSA Group California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Candidate and Employee Privacy Notice ("Notice").  

San Francisco Residents: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Please see the "Fair Chance Ordinance - Know Your Rights" document for more information. By submitting your job application, you agree you have reviewed the "Fair Chance Ordinance - Know Your Rights" document. 

We accept applications for this position on a rolling basis. Apply anytime at thessagroup.com. Applications are reviewed as received, and the position remains open until filled.