Associate Director Events

This is a Full Time Job

Associate Director Events - Careers At Sundance Institute

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Associate Director, Events is the head of the events team, charged with overseeing the strategic planning, design, production, execution of all official Institute events, and managing the Events team, directly overseeing 1 year-round employee and providing guidance to a seasonal team of direct and indirect reports.

Working closely under the direction of the Director of Partnerships, the Associate Director, Events develops and oversees the creative vision, program concepts, venue logistics, menus, inventory controls, schedules, time-lines, and entertainment for all Institute events. This role will also work closely with other advancement departments to manage specific donor events, experiential events, and select digital activations (including private screenings, etc.).

This full-time position may work remotely from within a state of operation until the Festival relocates for its 2027 iteration, at which point the role will be based within a commutable distance to Boulder CO. This full time role requires extended hours, including evenings and weekends, with ample opportunities to work from home. Travel to other Institute events, including Park City, UT will be required.

Top priorities include but are not limited to?
• Producing an annual strategic plan for the department, ensuring it aligns with Institutional priorities, including an annual events plan that is mission-centric and has clear objectives, including implementing effective events to meet or exceed the Advancement Department's revenue goals, as well as non-revenue goals such as mission focused events, stewardship, and press.
• Working in collaboration with Corporate Partnerships to enhance and implement experiential marketing events and activities.
• Setting and managing event and venue specific budgets, ensuring all events are successfully executed within set budgets.
• Managing employees and volunteers, including selecting and training highly effective individuals, delegating appropriate and meaningful work while providing direction, feedback, and support to ensure employees understand responsibilities and are effective in their roles.
• Recommending cost-saving improvements, efficiencies, and best practices to ensure efficient workflows in relation to events across various departments.
• Overseeing the Events Department operational functions, work-flow, and communications. Continually assessing current practices and recommending and implementing changes
• Working with the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Revenue Officer, and Senior Development staff to develop and set fundraising goals, donor expectations, cultivation, and stewardship plans.
• Collaborating cross-departmentally throughout the Institute on strategic, budget, and operational planning including all Advancement teams, Production and Operations, Artist Relations, Programming, Marketing, Web, Tech, and more
• Representing the Events department in Institute and Festival planning meetings - sharing information effectively and ensuring department-wide concerns or questions are addressed
• Supporting other year-round Institute programs like Community and Public Programming as needed
• Overseeing the implementation and activation of onsite events, and supporting operations as necessary.
• Negotiating event contracts and liquor licenses, ensuring approval and compliance with local and state regulations and laws.
• Hiring contractors and vendors to support the successful execution of official events.
• Building and developing relationships with Institute donors including volunteer leadership on special events such as the Board of Trustees and event host committees.
• Building and developing good working relationships with venue owners, vendors, city officials, and community members while keeping up-to-date on venue happenings and availability throughout the year.

You have the following direct or transferable skill sets:
• 8 years experience in developing and implementing events, preferably large scale and fundraising events.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-collaborative operations for a large scale event or multi-facility.
• Strong knowledge of event planning logistics, including contract negotiations, registration, and other meeting support systems.
• Knowledge of invite and registration tools, meeting logistics, and other databases.
• Strong leadership skills with a background that includes demonstrated excellence in managing employees.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, understanding the implications their actions will have on the organization.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and affect change by applying best practices.
• Strong problem solving and conflict management skills.
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and externally while working across the organization in order to drive results.
• Ability to support live event execution including preparation, setup, breakdown, and onsite staffing.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

You will be successful in this role if you...
• Lead the events strategy, creation, and execution of all Institute events to help drive donations, stewardship, and press as prioritized by each event proactively and autonomously.
• Identify and cultivate new event models and opportunities, helping the Institute expand its approach to events to modernize and meet the needs of the market (including. live, digital, hybrid activations).
• Creatively identify how best to integrate events and event best practices as an extension of live and digital experiential activities (including partner events, panels, private screenings, etc.) to expand beyond standalone events and into a true experiential marketing activation arm.
• Lead a positive and effective team?year-round and seasonally.

In addition to an annual salary of $80,000.00 to $100,000.00*, this position is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package, highlights include:
• Health, vision, and dental insurance
• 25 paid Institute holidays plus accrued vacation time
• Paid sick, family, and medical leave
• Employee Wellness initiatives
• 401(k) with automatic 3% employer contribution after one year of employment
• Sundance Film Festival passes and benefits (varies each year)

*Final rate of pay is determined based on the applicant's geographic location, relevant experience and skills, and internal equity among similar positions within our organization.