Sr. Director of Event Services

This is a Full Time Job

Join Our Team as the Senior Director of Event Services!
The Senior Director of Event Services provides leadership and clear direction to guide the booking, planning, and advance production of all events within Knoxville's Historic Tennessee Theatre and the adjoining facility at 612 Gay Street, including all food and beverage activities. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Senior Director of Event Services plays a critical role within the leadership team, working collectively to achieve the strategic and visionary goals of the Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation (HTTF), a nonprofit organization.
This pivotal leadership role demands seamless collaboration across all departments to ensure both daily event operations and long-term initiatives are executed effectively. The Senior Director of Event Services serves as the primary representative of the Theatre in interactions with its exclusive booking partner, Live Nation (LN), and is a key representative with performers, rental clients, and other stakeholders. Professionalism and a service-oriented approach, aligned with the mission of the Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation, are essential to achieving organizational goals while maintaining a focus on financial sustainability. This is a full-time, exempt salaried position.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
-Primary Liaison with Live Nation
-Reviews, analyzes, and makes recommendations to the Executive Director on offers prepared/events booked by LN; represents the Theatre's interest in booking meetings and ongoing discussions (written and verbal) with LN representatives; advises ED on high-risk offers or other instances meriting deliberation (show content in conflict with Theatre mission, date conflicts, etc.)
-Informs ED on overall performance of Live Nation representatives with the goal of facilitating communication and clarifying expectations, resolving conflicts, and addressing systemic or repetitive issues that detract from the partnership with the Theatre and/or the financial viability of touring events.
-Initiates and coordinates quarterly strategic meetings with the Executive Director and LN leadership to ensure excellent communication, collaboration, and a mutually beneficial relationship.
-Event Preparation and Coordination
-Oversees the Theatre's booking calendar, ensuring that overall booking priorities align with the Theatre's programmatic, financial, and mission-driven objectives, and minimizing and resolving scheduling conflicts. Advises ED on decisions that involve significant compromises and/or denials of booking confirmations.
-Ensures exceptional event preparation and execution by leading a team of independent and highly efficient full-time and part-time staff directly responsible for:
--calendar entry and maintenance; reviewing offers, contracts/lease agreements, and riders; completing settlements; and documenting payables/receivables for all events; coordinating advance logistics/preparation of all events; coordinating advance theatrical and technical needs for all events; and serving as production/promoter-presenter reps or technical staff during events.
-Develops and oversees strong, positive relationships with third-party vendors and service providers that contribute to successful events and general Theatre operations.
-Fosters and maintains strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including executive leadership of the Symphony, Opera, Jazz Orchestra, and Big Ears Festival; neighboring property owners; municipal representatives, civic & community leaders; and other influential members of the community, all to enhance the Theatre's presence and influence within the city and region.

Food & Beverage
-Provides oversight and strategic direction to the Food & Beverage Manager, ensuring comprehensive and compliant execution of F&B services for all Theatre and 612 events and activities, including but not limited to:
--Event concessions service.
--Backstage catering services, including meals as required by contract riders.
--Catering service for all Theatre private or internal events, including advancement events, donor receptions, sponsor engagements, and staff or board meetings.
--F&B inventory, cost, and quality control; PT staff management; and safety and compliance.
--Facilitates collaboration between the F&B Manager and other departments to ensure seamless integration of F&B services within the broader scope of Theatre event production and execution.

Cross-Departmental Leadership & Collaboration
Employee Development
Budgeting
Stakeholder Engagement

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
-Industry Expertise
-Leadership
-Decision-Making
-Communication
-Risk Management
-Team Development
-Market Insight

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
-Hours: Ability to work flexible, potentially extended non-traditional schedule. Frequent evening and weekend work required. Occasional work on some holidays is likely.
-Standing and Walking: Ability to manage extended periods of standing and walking.
-Lifting and Carrying: Ability to lift and carry equipment or other materials.
-Physical Endurance: Ability to withstand long events, especially during setup, execution, and teardown. Stamina is essential to handle the demands of extended work hours. Ability to lift 50 lbs.
-Mobility and Dexterity: Employee is regularly required to stand; walk, use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
-Ability to enter text or data into a computer or other machine by means of a traditional keyboard.
-Hearing: Ability to hear clearly in different environments, including in person, by phone, and over other sounds to understand, and distinguish speech and/or other sounds.
-Vision: Clarity of vision at approximately 20 inches or less, including use of computers.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
-Associate's degree or bachelor's degree in business administration, technical fields, or management preferred. High School Diploma or GED required.
-Minimum of 6 - 8 years' experience, specifically with booking touring events and/or in live performance venue management, and related responsibilities.
-A minimum of 2 - 4 years of successful supervisory experience preferred.