Festival Associate Manager, Belonging

Sundance Institute; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Festival passes

Employee Wellness Initiatives

Employee assistance program

Institute holidays

Job summary

Sundance Institute seeks a Festival Associate Manager, Belonging to lead inclusivity initiatives for the Sundance community. The role is temporary, full-time (40 hours/week), with remote work allowed from any operating state and a January in-person gathering in Boulder, CO.

The position runs Oct 14, 2026–Feb 12, 2027, with on-call needs and evenings/weekends as necessary. You will build partnerships, oversee incident reporting, develop training materials, and coordinate with internal teams to

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a role related to DEI/AB or people operations.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and external agencies to implement inclusive programs.
• Familiarity with mental health support resources and strategies for addressing triggering content or experiences.
• Strong project management abilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills for diverse stakeholders.
• Effective problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Preferred knowledge of incident reporting systems and safety compliance.
• Preferred experience in training development and facilitation on inclusivity topics.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain partnerships with outside agencies to support resources during the Festival.
• Revise equitable review procedures to promote inclusivity across participants.
• Oversee internal incident reporting with proper escalation and training.
• Support internal stakeholders in identifying onsite resources and coordinating with partners.
• Provide pre-Festival training on belonging policies with Festival Theater and Operations.
• Design and facilitate training materials on Institute standards for employees and partners.
• Create guides on local/remote mental health resources and reporting processes.
• Manage Wellness Hub resources and spaces during the Festival.
• Process and store incident reports with timely communications to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Accessibility to support patron accommodations during the Festival.
• Investigate work-related injuries and provide follow-up communications.

Skills

DEI/People Ops

Cross-functional

Mental health resources

Project management

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Training development

Discretion & professionalism

Legal work authorization

Job description

Career Opportunities with Sundance Institute

A great place to work.

Careers At Sundance Institute

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

Our employees are distributed across four main hubs: Los Angeles, California, Boulder, Colorado, New York, New York, & Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Festival Associate Manager, Belonging will manage a range of Festival-specific initiatives to promote inclusivity and belonging among the entire Sundance community, including employees, volunteers, artists, and patrons. This key role supports the cross-departmental Community & Belonging team implementing the Festival Community Agreement, and managing programmatic safety and inclusivity elements.

This temporary position works full time (40 hours per week) from Wednesday, October 14, 2026 to Friday, February 12, 2027 and requires extended hours, including evenings and weekends to meet key deadlines and respond to on-call needs as assigned. The majority of this position’s work can be conducted remotely out of any of our operating states, until the department comes together in Boulder, CO in January to support the in-person elements of the Festival.

Top priorities include but are not limited to…

Building and maintaining partnerships with outside agencies, including the third-party Ombuds, mental health organizations, and government agencies, to cultivate support resources during the Festival.

Revising equitable review procedures to promote a welcoming, respectful environment, enhancing inclusivity across internal and external community members.

Overseeing the internal incident reporting process, including collaborating with partners and internal teams to ensure the system functions properly, appropriate escalation occurs, and all stakeholders are trained in their roles.

Supporting internal stakeholders to identify content, panels, and events which may require onsite support resources in place, tracking sheets, and coordinating with external partners.

Partnering with Festival Theater and Operation teams to provide pre-Festival training and guidance on belonging policies, practices, and procedures to follow.

Designing and facilitating training content and other materials for employees, volunteers, and external partners on Institute standards and available resources.

Creating guides detailing local and remote mental health resources (internally and externally), how to report Community Agreement violations, and where to request support.

Managing a Wellness Hub during the Festival in partnership with several internal teams, by programming resources, activities, and furnishing a designated area for support and reprieve.

Managing the collection, processing, and record-keeping of all submitted incident reports, including workplace injuries and onsite patron and artist injuries, ensuring relevant stakeholders are informed and appropriate actions are taken.

Collaborating with the Accessibility team to review, process, and support the implementation of patron accommodation requests during the Festival, which may include onsite theater support as needed.

Conducting investigations of work-related injuries involving employees and volunteers, ensuring detailed reports are captured, appropriate mitigation efforts are implemented, and injured individuals receive follow-up care and communications.

Work with relevant departments to draft and complete a comprehensive wrap report summarizing key takeaways, outcomes, and recommendations related to community and belonging during the Festival.

Assist with Community and Belonging-related projects as directed and provide general support to the HR and cross-departmental teams.

You have the following direct or transferable skill sets:

Minimum of 3 years of experience in a role related to DEIAB or people operations with a specific focus on fostering inclusive and respectful environments.

Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and external agencies to implement inclusive programs.

Familiarity with mental health support resources and strategies for addressing triggering content or experiences.

Strong project management abilities, with the capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Excellent interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to engage with diverse community members and external partners.

Effective problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, with experience handling sensitive issues discreetly and professionally.

Preferred knowledge of incident reporting systems, legal requirements for managing workplace injuries, and safety compliance protocols.

Preferred experience in training development and facilitation, particularly on topics related to inclusivity, belonging, and a code of conduct.

Legal authorization to work in the United States.

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

Successfully manage and implement Festival-specific belonging initiatives that foster an inclusive environment for the full Sundance Institute community.

Oversee the internal incident reporting system and process, ensuring timely and thorough handling of all reports, proper escalation and resolution of issues. Key indicators of success include accurate, detailed record-keeping and stakeholder satisfaction with how incidents are handled.

Deliver relevant training and resource materials to internal and external partners, ensuring all team members are equipped with the knowledge and resources to promote belonging and address community agreement violations.

In addition to an hourly pay of $24.50, 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 09/11/2026 and will be accepted for at least one week