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Summary

The Festival Lounge Manager is responsible for the design, build out, and management of the 2026 SFFILM Festival Lounge, a hospitality space that is open to all badge holders (including filmmakers, press, board, staff, donors, etc). Along with serving as the central gathering space during the festival, the Festival Lounge is also the location of Filmmaker Check-In, Press Check-In, and the default location for press lines during the Festival. Other staff workspace may also be part of the Lounge depending on location. 

This role will oversee the Festival Lounge Assistant Manager and any other Lounge volunteers and staff. They will work closely with the Programming and Development departments on the goals and execution of Lounge events such as panels, mixers, and other parties. They will also work closely with the Development team on executing sponsor obligations and in-kind donations. The SFFILM Festival often creates partnerships with new hospitality venues each festival, so the Festival Lounge Manager is expected to be flexible and nimble in shifting priorities and plans, and may be part of the process of procuring the 2026 Festival Lounge venue. 

This position is a great fit for someone who is interested in both events and production work, as it can involve heavy production work, and also involves a high level of guest interaction. 

This position is required to be based in the Bay Area leading up to and during the 2026 SFFILM Festival (April 24 – May 4), as well as to be available for several pre-fest launch events, and will need to work in accordance with in-office requirements as determined by organization-wide and department policies. Some night and weekend availability is required. The start date for this position is March 9, 2026 and the end date is May 15, 2026. This position is salaried at the rate of $1355 per week and is not eligible for overtime.

Principal Duties

• Work closely with the Director of Operations on all pre-Festival planning, scheduling, and contracts for the external Festival Lounge, including securing any necessary licenses and permits. 
• Manage all venue and vendor relationships, including all rentals 
• Create and execute the design of the Festival Lounge, including:
  • Working closely with the Development team to ensure Lounge design is aligned with any sponsor obligations; 
  • Working closely with the Communications team on any design elements, such as signage, to ensure Lounge design is aligned with festival creative.
• Plan and execute all programming at the Festival Lounge, including working with the Programming team and Festival Special Events Manager to understand the calendar of events, and work closely with the project manager of those events on execution. 
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Festival Lounge, including:
  • Scheduling and managing staff and volunteers; 
  • Acting as host for festival guests, maintaining clean, well-stocked 
  • hospitality spaces and engaging with guests in a warm and welcoming manner; 
  • Managing the Festival Lounge bar, including tracking inventory and staffing volunteer bartenders; 
  • Working with the Development department to procure food and beverage donations, and to fulfill sponsorship contracts in those spaces, including managing deliveries, leading activations, and programming sponsored events; 
  • Working with venue on security, technology, and janitorial needs; 
  • Securing permits and issuing COIs. 
• Manage physical set-up and breakdown of these spaces, including delivery, return, and payment of all rented furniture and equipment. 
• Manage the Festival Lounge Assistant Manager, as well as all Festival Lounge volunteers and staff, including the creation of the volunteer schedule. 
• As needed, source vendors for entertainment, catering, bar service, etc.
• Work interdepartmentally to balance the needs of various constituencies at events, including sponsors, filmmakers, guests, and Board. 
• Work with all departments to ensure office functions are being met, including incorporating spaces for Filmmaker Check-In, Press Check-In, Press Lines, Interview Space, and potential other needs into planning layouts. 
• Work closely with the Tech and Operations Manager on AV equipment needs, load in, and load out, including tech staffing when necessary. 
• Work with the Director of Operations and Production Manager on planning and executing load-ins and load-outs. 
• Work with the Production Manager to project manage the movement of furniture, product, equipment, and supplies to temporary venues throughout the Festival, and to schedule Production Assistant support in the Lounge. 
• Work closely with the Director of Operations to prioritize accessibility at all events, and make sure accessibility information is properly communicated across departments and to all necessary public touchpoints. 
• Draft and update Festival Lounge budget, and track and submit all payments and expenses. 
• Provide timely and clear information to SFFILM staff on event status during the process, and create shareable materials including Lounge calendar, flyers for events, and runs of shows as needed. 
• Support and provide educational opportunities for the Operations intern, including working with interns on in-kind item procurement, and customer service training.
• Create a written wrap-report and summary of all necessary timeline info.

Experience/Skill Required

• Excellent communication and customer service skills 
• Experience managing a team, with strong ability to delegate 
• Experience designing, physically producing, and managing functional and welcoming public spaces on a tight budget, including the programming and planning of events
• Experience with project management, scheduling, and organizational systems like Excel
• Excellent decision-making and creative problem-solving skills 
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines across several Festival spaces while maintaining high quality of work and a positive attitude 
• At ease interacting with people with vastly different backgrounds and roles
• Comfort with the heavy lifting and labor inherent in loading in and out festival sites
• Comfort in Photoshop, PowerPoint/Keynote a plus 
• Familiarity with Bay Area event venues, artists, and performers a plus
• Familiarity with permitting and licenses in the Bay Area a plus

Supervision

This position reports to the Director of Operations

SFFILM’s Theater Operations Manager is responsible for the management of on-site staff and customer service for the SFFILM Festival’s in-person exhibition spaces. The Theater Operations Manager prepares logistical operation plans for each of these festival venues, which includes mapping and organizing equipment needs, determining staffing needs for each venue and a variety of event presentation styles, and building a thorough collection of resources to be the foundation of standard practice at each venue. They will manage the hiring and training of all Venue, House, and Line Management staff, transitioning into a supervisory role during the festival where they will manage these staff, and coordinate with Venue contacts on-site to ensure smooth operational flow. This role will also support the Tech Manager with the stage management of certain enhanced onstage programs. 

This role sets the tone for the in-person patron experience, and is responsible for maintaining consistency and high standards in all customer interactions. This includes enforcing health and safety protocols, and ensuring Theater Operations procedures align with SFFILM’s commitment to accessibility in all forms, going beyond ADA compliance. This position will synthesize information and constituent needs across all festival departments to ensure that Venue Managers are empowered with the information necessary to execute a smooth and safe experience. 

This position is required to be based in the Bay Area leading up to and during the 2025 SFFILM Festival (April 24 – May 4), as well as to be available for several pre-fest launch events, and will need to work in accordance with in-office requirements as determined by organization-wide and department policies. Some night and weekend availability is required. The start date for this position is March 2, 2026 and the end date is May 15, 2026. This position is salaried at the rate of $1355 per week and is not eligible for overtime.

Principal Duties

• Work with the Director of Operations on the hiring of all Venue, House, and Line Managers. 
• Create the schedule for all Venue Managers, House Managers, and Line Managers, across the Festival, ensuring adequate coverage and breaks. 
• Implement in-depth training for all venue, house, and line managers, including creating materials and running training sessions. 
• Manage Theater Operations budget lines, including staffing and equipment costs.
• Support Volunteer Manager in creating the schedule for all Theater Operations volunteers and ensure strong coverage across venues, taking anticipated high impact and heavily trafficked events and shows into account. 
• Update and maintain all theater operations guides & documents for 2026.
• Work closely with the Director of Operations and others on accessibility at all venues, including working with the Tech and Media Manager on the installation and implementation of accessibility devices, and training venue staff on these devices. 
• Manage resources on Basecamp (SFFILM’s internal project management system) including updating and uploading documents daily during the festival. 
• Organize all TOPS equipment, managing supply orders and working with the Production team to share resources as necessary. 
• Work with the Production Manager on the movement of venue signage and furniture across each venue, along with all equipment needed for load in and load out.
• Create and distribute showflows for all enhanced onstage programs, working with all departments to ensure smooth show and talent flow for all big nights. 
• Work with the Director of Education and the Education team on understanding Schools at the Festival programming and supporting those screening needs. 
• Work with the Box Office to develop customer service best practices for all aspects of ticket sales, seating, rush, and refund scenarios, incorporating this into comprehensive training. 
• Work with the Tech and Media Manager on access times, load in and load out, tech checks. 
• Work with the Guest Office team and the Production team to set-up green rooms.
• Work with all departments as needed on reserve seating. 
• Support Venue Managers onsite with all front of house duties, frequently visiting all venues during the festival. 
• Manage the ordering and deployment of TOPS specific supplies and equipment.
• Monitor and submit final payable hours for all Venue Managers. 
• Complete a post-festival inventory and organization of all theater operations supplies & equipment. 
• Support and provide educational opportunities for the Operations intern, including working with them on equipment management and giving them the opportunity to understand front of house roles during the festival 
• Create a written wrap-report and summary of all necessary timeline and budget info. 

Experience/Skills Required

• Must have experience with film festival theater operations 
• Superior customer service, communication, and delegation skills 
• Experience hiring, managing and training staff; experience building large teams is a plus
• Experience working within predetermined budgetary goals 
• Experience in scheduling and managing staff across multiple venues
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines across several Festival spaces while maintaining high quality of work 
• Experience creating accessible events for a variety of accommodations is a plus
• Excellent decision-making and creative problem-solving skills 
• Comfortable with the heavy lifting and labor inherent in loading in and out of festival sites 
• Comfort with Google Drive and Filemaker a plus 
• Comfort in Photoshop, PowerPoint/Keynote a plus 

Supervision

This position reports to the Director of Operations

The SFFILM Operations Department is looking for a high-energy, dependable, organized team player to integrate into day-to-day activities leading up to and during our 2026 SFFILM Festival. This intern will work closely with the Operations Team on all aspects of festival and event production, assisting with preparation of our venues and events. The intern will leave the internship with a comprehensive overview of various elements of film festival event operations. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who would like to gain experience in event production, and who enjoys splitting time between in-office projects and on-site event execution. For the right candidate, internship projects could be structured for greater concentration in one of the below responsibility areas. This position reports to the Director of Operations.

Interns should be available for approximately 8 hours/week (1-2 days in-office) leading up to the San Francisco International Film Festival, and will be expected to have at least 5 days of open availability where one could work a 6-8 hour shift during the SFFILM Festival dates (April 24—May 4). There are some potential evening and weekend events leading up to the Festival, and significant evening and weekend hours during the Festival.

Application review begins January 12, 2026.

Operations interns have the opportunity to learn about and develop real-world experience in all aspects of Operations team work. Interns will have the opportunity for growth and mentorship in the below areas, and will leave the internship with work samples and on-the-ground event experience and training.

Examples of projects include: