Festival Assistant, Theater Operations

Sundance Institute; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 22,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Institute holidays

Employee assistance program

Employee Wellness Initiatives

Sundance Film Festival passes

Job summary

Sundance Institute seeks a Festival Assistant, Theater Operations in Boulder, CO, to support pre-Festival planning and daily theater operations. The role runs 40 hours/week as a temporary position from December 2, 2026 to February 5, 2027, with extended hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Hybrid onsite work from the Boulder office is required. Responsibilities include handling orders, load-in/out, scheduling runners, coordinating with volunteers, and assisting with signage,

Qualifications

• 1 year of relevant work experience.
• Valid driver’s license and successful completion of MVR background check.
• Outstanding verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to work effectively with a variety of people.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to transport items up to 50 lbs.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Fulfill supply and equipment orders and deliveries to theaters as directed.
• Support load-in and load-out of Festival theaters.
• Oversee daily runner schedule and logs for equipment and deliveries.
• Coordinate with Volunteer Resources to adjust and track daily volunteer runner schedules.
• Order inventory and distribute theater signage as directed.
• Assist in setting up the temporary Theater Operations Festival Office and related spaces.
• Distribute Festival posters to assigned theaters as directed.
• Track and maintain team contact information, schedules, and locations.
• Collect theater keys from volunteers and departments.
• Distribute Festival cell phones to the team as directed.
• Support fleet logistics for Theater Operations vehicles.
• Update and prepare training materials for the Theater Operations team.
• Assist with timelines, inventory, ordering, and special screenings as directed.

Skills

1 year experience

Driver's license

Excellent communication

Organizational skills

Able to lift 50 lbs

US work authorization

Job description

The Festival Assistant, Theater Operations is charged with assisting with the pre-Festival planning and implementation to ensure successful daily operations and positive audience experiences within assigned theaters.

Working closely under the direction of the Festival Manager, Theater Operations and with the support of the Festival Coordinator, Theater Operations, the Festival Assistant supports Sundance Institute’s commitment to fulfilling the vision of a successful and positive in-person Festival experience for all artists and patrons.

This temporary position works full-time (40 hours per week) from Wednesday, December 2, 2026 to Friday, February 5, 2027 and will be required to work extended hours, including some evenings, weekends, and holidays to meet key deadlines and respond to on-call needs as assigned. This position is based out of our Boulder, CO office in order to work onsite in a hybrid capacity throughout its employment.

Top priorities include but are not limited to…

Fulfilling supply and equipment orders and deliveries to theaters as directed.

Supporting with the load-in and out of Festival theaters.

Along with the Festival Coordinator, Theater Operations, overseeing the daily runner schedule and logs for equipment and supply deliveries for Festival theaters.

Working closely with the Volunteer Resources team to adjust, communicate, and track daily volunteer runner schedules.

Working with the Festival Coordinator, Theater Operations to order the inventory, and distribute theater signage as directed.

Supporting in the set-up of the temporary Theater Operations Festival Office, and additional spaces as needed.

Distributing film posters to assigned theaters as directed by the Press Office.

Tracking and maintaining team contact information, including phone numbers, schedules, and locations.

Collecting theater keys from volunteers and departments.

Programming and distributing Festival cell phones to the team as directed.

Assisting with the Theater Operations Department rental vehicle fleet logistics

Supporting the Theater Operations Department with updating and preparing training materials.

Assisting team with timelines, inventorying, ordering, special screenings, etc. as directed.

You have the following direct or transferable skill sets:

1 year of relevant work experience.

Valid driver’s license and successful completion of MVR background check.

Outstanding verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to work effectively with a variety of people.

Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Ability to transport items up to 50 lbs.

Legal authorization to work in the United States.

You will be successful in this role if you...

Problem-solve within your work so change can happen quickly and efficiently.

Help motivate your teammates and bring the team together around common goals.

Communicate clearly with internal and external stakeholders of varying levels and positions.

Provide stakeholders with turnkey spaces that facilitate their event vision.

Effectively use strong organizational skills to keep yourself accountable for meeting deadlines.

In addition to an hourly pay of $19.29, this position* is eligible for benefits & perks, highlights include:

Paid sick leave and Institute holidays

Employee assistance program

Employee Wellness Initiatives

Sundance Film Festival passes and benefits (varies each year)

*Applications open 11/02/2026 and will be accepted for at least one week