Theater Operations Manager

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