Festival Associate Manager, Theater Operations

Sundance Institute; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave and Institute holidays

Employee assistance program

Employee Wellness Initiatives

Festival passes and benefits

Job summary

Sundance Institute in Boulder, CO, is seeking a Festival Associate Manager, Theater Operations to drive pre-Festival planning and ensure smooth daily operations and audience experiences. The role is full-time, based in Boulder with hybrid onsite work, and multiple positions are available.

Responsibilities include coordinating theater setup, volunteer training, staffing, and on-site hospitality, while maintaining strong communications with theater owners and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Valid driver’s license and successful completion of MVR background check preferred.
• 3 years operational planning and implementation experience or related.
• Ability to mitigate conflict and facilitate positive customer relations.
• Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills to work with a variety of people.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Ability to carry items up to 50 lbs as needed.
• Working knowledge of databases along with proficiency in Airtable, Slack, and Google Products preferred.
• Experience facilitating training for large groups is preferred.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Oversee theater setup and configuration to meet Festival standards.
• Coordinate onsite film team hospitality and press line operations.
• Develop/maintain relationships with theater owners and stakeholders.
• Train volunteers and create schedules; ensure evaluations are completed.
• Manage load-in/load-out for theater volunteers and staff.
• Ensure theaters run screenings on time and optimize waitlist seating.
• Address logistical, personnel, or audience issues and escalate as needed.
• Document theater configurations with photos/diagrams.
• Log post-festival inventory and restore setup after the Festival.
• Support volunteer teams and communicate effectively with diverse teams.

Skills

Operational planning

Communication

Organizational skills

Customer relations

Confidentiality

Training large groups

Driver's license

MVR background check

Legal work authorization

Tools

Airtable

Slack

Google Workspace

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.

Festival Associate Manager, Theater Operations

The Festival Associate Manager, Theater Operations is charged with driving 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 Institute Senior Manager, Production and Theater Operations and the Festival Manager, Theater Operations, the Festival Associate Manager 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 from Wednesday, October 7, 2026 through Wednesday, February 24, 2027, or from Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Friday, February 19, 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 location in order to work onsite in a hybrid capacity throughout its employment. Multiple positions are available.

Top priorities include but are not limited to…

• Updating/Developing site plans for signage, equipment needs, volunteer staffing, sponsor activation, etc for assigned theater.
• Developing and maintaining relationships, and providing timely communications, with theater owners.
• Organizing, developing, and delivering training for volunteers at designated theaters.
• Overseeing the setup and configuration of assigned theater to meet Festival operational standards.
• Tracking pre-festival inventory of all Theater Operations equipment, and performing venue walkthroughs, to ensure each theater is ready for their public opening.
• Providing supervision, creating schedules, and ensuring evaluations are completed for assigned volunteers.
• Supporting theater volunteer teams with the load-in and load-out of assigned theaters.
• Ensuring assigned theaters conduct on-time screenings, and optimize waitlist sales and seating, to ensure excellent customer service.
• Coordinating all onsite film team hospitality and press line operations at theaters.
• Addressing any logistical, personnel, or audience issues at theaters immediately, and escalating issues to the Manager(s) as needed.
• Documenting theater configurations with photos and diagrams.
• Logging post-festival inventory of all Theater Operations equipment, and performing venue walkthroughs, to ensure each theater is returned to their original set-up after the Festival.

You have the following direct or transferable skill sets:

• Valid driver’s license and successful completion of MVR background check preferred.
• 3 years operational planning and implementation experience or related.
• Ability to mitigate conflict and facilitate positive customer relations.
• Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills to work with a variety of people.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Ability to carry items up to 50 lbs as needed.
• Working knowledge of databases along with proficiency in Airtable, Slack, and Google Products preferred.
• Experience facilitating training for large groups is preferred.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

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

• Exude operational excellence and problem-solve within your work and the work of your team so change can happen quickly.
• Manage and motivate volunteers you are leading and rally the team 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.
• Use project management tools and strong organizational skills to keep yourself and the team accountable.

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 08/28/2026 and will be accepted for at least one week