Overview
The Volunteer Manager recruits, schedules, orients, and manages all SFFILM volunteers, and creates a welcoming and supportive environment that encourages volunteerism at SFFILM. The Volunteer Manager is the sole point of contact for SFFILM volunteers during Festival season, acting as a cheerleader and advocate for volunteers, and is responsible for constant communication to volunteers, as well as recruitment of new volunteers. The Volunteer Manager works with the Director of Operations to establish volunteer benefits and is solely responsible for executing those benefits, including a post-festival Volunteer Appreciation Party. The Volunteer Manager will work closely with the Health and Safety Coordinator on COVID-19 safety policies for all volunteers.
This is a full-time temporary role from February 7 – May 13, paid at a rate of $21 per hour. This role has the expectation of some overtime and nights and weekends required pre-festival, as well as overtime during the SFFILM Festival (April 21 – May 1).
Covid-19 Safety: Seasonal staff at the 2022 SFFILM Festival may be required to engage in public-facing roles and thus are required to provide proof of vaccination for employment.
Remote Work Accommodation: Seasonal staff are expected to be based in the Bay Area, however if your contract begins before March 1, 2022, SFFILM may be able to accommodate fully remote work prior to that date. Remote work policies are subject to change based on city and state recommendations around COVID-19 safety.
Responsibilities
- Works closely with all SFFILM departments to understand and meet festival volunteer needs
- Update and maintain the SFFILM Shiftboard site, including working with Shiftboard customer support to troubleshoot issues
- Update the Volunteer Handbook, Info Sheet, website, and other reference materials for 2022, with an emphasis on Health and Safety Protocols
- Collaborate closely with the Health and Safety Coordinator to ensure the wellbeing of SFFILM volunteers is prioritized, creating a clear plan for vaccination requirements, establishing PPE contingencies, and facilitating a system of testing/health checks if necessary
- Act as the primary point of contact for all volunteers, including sending out blast communications and responding one on one to volunteer inquiries or questions via email in a thorough and timely manner
- Manage volunteer benefits, working with Box Office, Membership, Communications, and other teams to uphold existing benefits and clearly define volunteer benefits to all
- Manage Lead Volunteer program, including screening, interviewing, training, and providing onsite support in tandem with the Theater Operations Manager
- Plan and conduct the Volunteer Orientation(s), and additional pre-fest Office Hours, as needed
- Participate in Theater Operations Venue Manager training to impart knowledge of how to manage and interact with volunteers on-site to create a positive, welcoming, and effective environment
- Maintain social media presence for the SFFILM Volunteer Program
- Actively recruit new volunteers, working with community partners to engage new volunteer bases
- Work onsite at all exhibition venues with the Theater Operation team to check in and orient all volunteers
- During the festival, act as a highly visible resource for volunteers, floating to different venues and events to oversee volunteer activity, answer questions, and support volunteer management as needed
- Make sure volunteer coverage is sufficient at all venues and events during the festival, reassigning volunteers and engaging with last minute recruitment as necessary
- Maintain office hours during the festival as necessary, potentially in multiple locations, to ensure high touch communication with volunteers
- Manage the Volunteer Evaluation process – Work with SFFILM staff to supervise volunteer behavior and performance during the festival and take the lead in providing feedback as needed
- Work with the Sponsorship team, Festival HQ & Lounge department, and Production Manager to secure and fulfill sponsor product or donations applicable to the volunteer department
- Work with the Special Events team to plan and execute the Volunteer Appreciation Party, with support from additional Operations staff
- Create a written wrap-report and summary of all necessary timeline and budget info, ensuring volunteer evaluations are on Shiftboard as part of this wrap process
Qualifications
- Demonstrate strong organizational, communication, and time management skills
- Work within predetermined budgetary goals
- Understanding of the larger scope of festival staffing, how various departments operate and utilize volunteers
- Comfortable using the MS office suite
- Friendly, welcoming, and at ease interacting with people with vastly different backgrounds and roles
- Experience navigating events in a COVID-19 landscape, adapting policies and practices flexibly based on evolving circumstances
- Comfortable with the heavy lifting and labor inherent in loading in and out festival sites
- Experience with volunteer recruitment
- Experience with film festivals or other events is a plus
- Experience with social media, such as managing a Facebook group, is a plus
- Experience with Shiftboard a plus
SFFILM is proud to be part of a wider film festival circuit and shares many seasonal staff with other festivals. We have been paying close attention to conversations and feedback from film festival staff directly and via social media. We have created policies and practices that address these concerns including increasing hourly rates and providing overtime, abiding by a Code of Conduct since 2018, and creating more flexible remote work policies to prioritize staff health and safety during COVID-19.
SFFILM is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) in both its internal management and external programming. Since 2018, the organization has actively been working in collaboration with two Advisory Boards focused on accessibility and inclusivity and officially began work with a DEI consultant in 2019 to further invest in and build on that work. Candidates are invited to discuss their interest and involvement in DEAI practices in their cover letter, and ask us more about our DEAI process in their interview.
SFFILM, in accordance with federal and state law, is an equal-opportunity employer. SFFILM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy/childbirth, medical condition, disability, age, ancestry, marital status, citizenship or veteran status. This nondiscrimination policy covers all candidates, staff members, interns, and volunteers.