Thank you for your interest. We have closed the position at the moment to work through interviews with our current candidates and we will send out notice if we decide to reopen the search.

Key Responsibilities

Stakeholder & City Relationship Management

• Support and coordinate with the Executive Director and/or designated staff (such as the Heart of the Town Events) for outdoor event-related city relationships (e.g., street closures, permits).
• Maintain relationships with other key production stakeholders, including operations venues, as directed.

Venue Procurement and Management

• In coordination with the Executive Director and Managing Director, identify, secure, and maintain relationships with venues for indoor/outdoor literary sessions across all nine counties of the Bay Area throughout the year. 
• All venue contacts need to be collected in a centralized spreadsheet for easy team access.
• Assist in developing venue contract provisions to ensure all festival requirements are met; facilitate contract negotiations, but do not serve as the contract signatory (all contracts are signed by the Executive Director).
• Ensure venue contracts and payment schedules are handed off to the Managing Director in preparation for signing by the Executive Director.
• Recruit and manage labor for venue preparation and event management. This includes existing in-house venue staff in some instances.
• While most of our programming is now free and open to the public, we do ticket a few of our events, including festival headliners. Oversee the collection of tickets at the doors, including the digital scanning of tickets upon entry and/or assisting audience members in the purchasing of tickets on their mobile devices to ensure all audience members have the smoothest, most positive experience possible.

Operations and Technical Production

• Develop and execute detailed  operations/production  plans for the main festival and year-round events and programs, working with the Executive Director, Managing Director, Heart of the Town Events, and other key festival staff as needed. 
• Direct or oversee technical production for the main festival and year-round events and programs including but not limited to audio visual, lighting, staging, stage/backstage management, crowd flow/management, signage, safety measures, etc.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Managing Director, Heart of the Town Events, Deputy Director of Programs, photo/video coordinators, and production vendors to ensure all production needs are met and high production values are maintained.

Sponsor Support

• As directed, coordinate with the Executive Director and Marketing Director to fulfill sponsorship deliverables that intersect with event operations.

Insurance and Compliance

• As directed, support the Managing Director in the process of securing all necessary insurance for the organization, in collaboration with the Heart of the Town Events and Managing Director.

Registration Coordination

• Lists: Act as the central coordinator for event and registration lists, including author party attendees, donors/VIPS, staff/board, and various speakers.
• Festival Badge Coordination: Making sure that speakers (and their guests), staff, volunteers, press, board members, and other partners/donors have the appropriate credentials to get into festival events, green rooms, parties, and so on. 

Signage and Event Logistics

• Work closely with Heart of the Town Events to coordinate the needs and installation of all operational signage (e.g., directional signs, street closures, crowd management, indoor venues, survey collection sites, etc.)
• Provide content for operational signage to Managing Director who will procure printing
• Be responsible for pick up and delivery of all printed signs from the printers

Merchandise Operations

• Set up and manage festival merchandise sales areas in collaboration with the Executive Director, Managing Director, and Heart of the Town Events focusing on making it as easy as possible for supporters to purchase our merchandise
• Support the Executive Director and Managing Director in picking up merchandise, as requested

Staffing and Volunteer Coordination

• Recruit, hire, and manage 300+ volunteers for all event operations. Hire and oversee a volunteer coordinator.
• As needed, assist in writing job descriptions and recruiting university/college students and interns for event support.
• Develop and implement a detailed, written volunteer recruitment and training plan, tapping into businesses, colleges, and community organizations. Ideally this will be a manual by the end of the first year.

General Administration

• Contribute to the annual festival timeline as it relates to operational items and ensure all operational deadlines are met
• Send event operations invoices to Managing Director post-festival, where applicable

Structure and Reporting  

• Reports to: Executive Director and Managing Director  
• Works closely with: the above + Deputy Director of Programs, Heart of the Town Events, Managing Director, and volunteers

Qualifications

• Proven Event Operations Experience: Demonstrated success in managing large-scale, multi-venue events or festivals, including venue procurement, contract negotiation, and on-site logistics.
• Strong Stakeholder Relationship Skills: Experience building and maintaining positive relationships with city officials, venue partners, sponsors, donors, and other key stakeholders at various levels.
• Collaborative Leadership and Team Empowerment: Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, supervise, and motivate staff, contractors, and large volunteer teams—while actively decentering oneself, uplifting others, and fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment where all team members are empowered to contribute and succeed.
• Excellent Organizational & Project Management Abilities: Exceptional skills in planning, coordinating, and executing complex projects on deadline, with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Effective Communication and Problem-Solving: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to troubleshoot issues in real time, provide clear direction, and ensure smooth operations under pressure.

Work Environment

This position is a mix of remote (meetings) and in-person (events).

Compensation and Terms  

• Annual pay: $30,000 (independent contractor; hours as needed to fulfill responsibilities, with intensive work required during the festival period). This assumes 750 hours of work per year at $40/hour.

• • Estimated hourly breakdown per month:
    • Oct–Jan: 40 hours per month
    • Feb: 60 hours
    • March: 90 hours
    • April–May: 160 hours per month
    • June–September: 30 hours per month
• Contract term: October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026, with potential for renewal.
• Reimbursement: Project-related expenses (e.g., printing, mailing) reimbursed with prior written approval.

Important Notes  

• The Operations Manager does not have authority to sign contracts on behalf of the organization.
• All work product is considered “work for hire” and is the property of the organization. Whenever possible, all of us that work for the organization should have seven-generation planning in mind—what can I leave for the next people who might fill this role to ensure the work can continue as seamlessly as possible?
• The role is structured as an independent contractor, not an employee, and is not eligible for employee benefits.

Application Process

Thank you for your interest. We have closed the position at the moment to work through interviews with our current candidates and we will send out notice if we decide to reopen the search.