Overview
The Theater Operations team is responsible for the management of on-site staff and customer service for the festival’s four in-person exhibition spaces. The Theater Operations Manager prepares logistical operation plans for each of these festival venues, which includes mapping and organizing equipment needed, 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, volunteers, and coordinate with Venue contacts on-site to ensure smooth operational flow.

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 upholding health and safety plans, which the TOPS Manager will work closely on crafting and implementing with the Health & Safety Coordinator. This also includes 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 make sure Venue Managers are empowered with the information necessary to execute a smooth and safe experience.

This is a full-time temporary role from February 14 – May 13, paid at an hourly rate. While not much overtime will be expected pre-festival, this role has the expectation of a high volume of overtime hours, especially in the immediate lead up to and duration of 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
Work with the Director of Operations and the Festival Operations Manager on the hiring of all Venue Managers
Schedule, train, and manage all Venue Managers, House Managers, Line Managers, and Lead Volunteers across the Festival, ensuring adequate coverage and breaks
Manage Theater Operations budget lines, including staffing equipment costs
Schedule all Theater Operations volunteers and work with the Volunteer Manager to 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 accordingly, including updating the Theater Operations Manual and training presentation to reflect venue policy changes in 2022 along with all of the additional COVID-19 safety procedures
Work closely with the festival Health and Safety Coordinator to ensure not only the proper protective equipment and resources are prepared for and available on-site at each venue, but also integrate the most up to date policy and procedure into the customer service plan, which will be an critical part of venue staff training materials
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
Work with Operations Leadership to ensure all rules and policies for the venues being utilized in 2022 are adhered to on-site
Manage resources on Basecamp, including updating and uploading documents daily during the festival
Organize all TOPS equipment, managing supply orders and working with Production 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
Work with the Special Events Manager to ensure smooth show and talent flow for all big nights, subsequently marking and communicating plans for high impact shows to all staff
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 Tech and Media Manager and Festival Operations Manager to manage daily flow of technical and program information each day of the festival
Work with the Special Events Manager & Production Manager to set-up green rooms, anticipate and actualize Step and Repeats or other press line set-ups, and conduct onstage furniture movement
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 Theater Operations 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
Create a written wrap-report and summary of all necessary timeline and budget info
Qualifications
Must have experience with film festival theater operations
Must be comfortable working in Excel
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
Ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines across several Festival spaces while maintaining high quality of work
Comfort navigating events in a Covid landscape, flexibly pivoting operational plans and logistics
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, Visio, PowerPoint/Keynote 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.

APPLY: www.sffilm.org