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Summary

Reporting to the Director of Operations, the Special Events Manager acts will lead the production, project management, and execution of all San Francisco International Film Festival parties and receptions, including any events leading up to the Festival. This role will oversee a Special Events Assistant Manager and any Events volunteers and staff. They will work closely with the Programming, Executive, and Development departments on the goals and execution of events such as the Opening Night and Closing Night Parties, Industry Days, and other parties and receptions during the festival. This role also works closely with the Development and Communications teams on sponsorship procurement, fulfillment, and the invitation process.

This position is required to be based in the Bay Area leading up to and during the 2025 SFFILM Festival (April 17 – 27), 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 February 24, 2025 and the end date is May 9, 2025. This position is salaried at the rate of $1320 per week and is not eligible for overtime.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for lead producing and project managing all Festival parties and receptions, bringing events from conception to execution within budget.
• Parties range from large-scale events (Opening Night) to smaller receptions.
• Project manage cross-departmental workflows on all event-related tasks, including facilitating conversations with other relevant decision makers on event look and feel, and reconciling priorities for different constituent groups.
• Provide timely and clear information to SFFILM staff on event status during the process, and share out runs of show for all events.
• Brainstorm and manage booking venues, entertainment, catering, bar service, and activities, including surrounding logistics such as securing permits, executing contracts, and issuing COIs.
• Manage venue and vendor relationships, including all rentals.
• Work closely with Festival Lounge Manager on parties held in the Festival Lounge space.
• Work closely with the Development team on execution of sponsor obligations and in-kind partnerships.
• Manage the Special Events Assistant Manager, as well as all Special Event volunteers and staff, including the creation of the volunteer schedule.
• Support Office and Production Manager and Makers team with events at FilmHouse, including project managing of certain FilmHouse events, schedule dependent.
• Work closely with the Tech and Media Manager on all technical aspects of event production.
• Work with the Director of Operations and Production Manager on planning and executing load-ins and load-outs for all events.
• Create safe events that are aligned with COVID-19 safety protocols.
• Work closely with 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.
• Work with the Communication team to design event spaces in alignment with Festival creative.
• Draft and update Festival Special Events budget, and track and submit all payments and expenses.
• Work with the Development and Communications Departments to support the invitation process for events, including providing copy, oversight of capacity, and pulling RSVP lists.
• Support and provide educational opportunities for the Operations intern, including working with interns on in-kind item procurement, and customer service training.
• Support other Operations team members and projects as needed.
• Create a written wrap-report and summary of all necessary timeline info.

Experience/Skills Required

• 2-5 years experience managing events of varying size, budget, and scope
• Experience producing live events and familiarity with the pressures and challenges of meeting the needs of high-touch constituents
• Experience liaising with high-touch constituents and balancing competing, and often urgent, needs
• Experience working in a non-profit professional environment
• Experience managing event and production staff and being the main point of contact for venues
• Experience with food and beverage logistics and permitting
• Experience creating accessible events for a variety of accommodations is a plus
• Experience with film festivals is a plus
• Possess great energy and efficiency and a cooperative spirit
• Be friendly, welcoming and comfortable interacting with people with vastly different backgrounds and roles
• Must be proactive, communicative, and able to work with minimal supervision and a limited budget
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, to prioritize effectively, and to respond to last-minute requests
• Comfortable with the heavy lifting and labor inherent in loading in and out festival sites
• Comfort in Google Drive, FileMaker, Eventbrite and Basecamp a plus
• Familiarity with Bay Area event venues, artists, and performers a plus

Supervision

This position reports to the Director of Operations.

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.

Due to a high volume of applicants, we are currently not reviewing new candidates for this position (1/30/25).

Summary

SFFILM’s 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 will work closely with the Theater Operations Manager on the scheduling, training venue managers to supervise volunteers, and on day to day volunteer oversight during the Festival. 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.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong communication and organization skills, who is good at galvanizing a team, and is interested in learning about the work of multiple departments throughout the Festival.

This position is required to be based in the Bay Area leading up to and during the 2025 SFFILM Festival (April 17 – 27), 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 February 24, 2025 and the end date is May 9, 2025. This position is salaried at the rate of $1320 per week and is not eligible for overtime.

Responsibilities

• Works closely with all SFFILM departments to understand and meet festival volunteer needs.
• Create schedule for all volunteer shifts across venues and departments, and once shifts are posted, work with volunteers to ensure strong coverage across venues, taking anticipated high impact and heavily trafficked events and shows into account.
• Update and maintain the SFFILM Shiftboard site, including working with Shiftboard customer support to troubleshoot issues.
• Update volunteer training materials and resource guides, including Info Sheets, website, and other reference materials for 2025.
• Act as the primary point of contact for all volunteers, including sending out regular mass communications and responding one on one to volunteer inquiries or questions via email in a thorough and timely manner, both pre-festival and during the festival.
• 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.
• 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.
• Support and provide educational opportunities for the Operations intern, including bringing them into orientation preparation, and giving them experience to understand different volunteer roles.
• 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.

Experience/Skills Required

• Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills.
• Experience with high-volume customer service, especially email communication.
• Ability to work within predetermined budgetary goals.
• Understanding of the larger scope of festival staffing, how various departments operate and utilize volunteers.
• Friendly, welcoming, and at ease interacting with people with vastly different backgrounds and roles.
• 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 is a plus.

Supervision

This position reports to the Director of Operations.

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.