Festival Coordinator, Headquarters

Sundance Institute; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Institute holidays

Employee assistance program

Employee Wellness Initiatives

Festival passes and benefits

Job summary

Sundance Institute is seeking a full-time temporary Venue Operations Assistant to support the Festival hub operations across multiple cities and days. The role requires coordinating setup, inventory management, and on-site support to ensure seamless events from Nov 4, 2026 to Feb 19, 2027.

You will communicate with stakeholders, assist with volunteer training, and help maintain HQ decor and logistics, including snow removal and daily venue opening/closing tasks.

Qualifications

• 2 years experience in venue, event operations, or related.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Ability to lift and carry items up to 50 lbs.
• Working knowledge of databases along with proficiency in Google Products preferred.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate set-up, teardown, and equipment needs by set deadlines.
• Plan and communicate venue needs to ensure the venue is ready by deadlines.
• Update HQ Visio diagrams and spreadsheets (maps, equipment timelines).
• Schedule meetings with internal departments to review office needs.
• Review HQ decor and select linens, lamps and flowers.
• Inventory HQ stored warehouse items and equipment pre-, mid-, and post-event.
• Update Headquarters guides and reference materials.
• Create pre- and post-Festival reports documenting venue status and changes.
• Provide daily operational support to the HQ Venue Manager, including walkthroughs, snow removal, cleaning, and opening/closing the venue daily.
• Assist the Manager with volunteer training packets and on-site volunteers.
• Conduct regular check-ins with departments to resolve issues promptly.
• Assist vendors and movers with equipment deliveries and pickups.

Skills

Venue operations

Communication

Organization

Confidentiality

Physical strength

Work authorization

Tools

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.

This temporary position works full-time (40 hours per week) from Wednesday, November 4, 2026 to 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 may be based within a commutable distance to Boulder, CO, Salt Lake City, UT, Los Angeles, CA, or New York, NY, 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…

• Coordinating set-up, teardown, ordering equipment, furniture needs, signage installation, etc. by set deadlines.
• Planning and communicating venue needs with internal stakeholders to have the venue up and running by deadline.
• Updating Headquarters (HQ) Visio’s and spreadsheets, including maps, diagrams, equipment needs, timelines, etc.
• Scheduling meetings with internal departments to review and update their office needs, including furniture, linens, signage, equipment, etc.
• Reviewing and providing feedback on HQ decor (choosing linens, lamps, flowers, etc.).
• Inventorying HQ stored warehouse items and equipment pre-, mid-, and post-event.
• Updating the Headquarters “How-to” documents and reference guides.
• Creating a report both pre- and post-Festival to document existing and new damage to the venue.
• Providing daily operational support to the HQ Venue Manager to ensure successful operations, including performing walkthroughs, removing snow, cleaning, organizing, and opening and closing the venue daily.
• Assisting the Manager with creating volunteer training packets and directing onsite volunteers.
• Performing regular check-ins with each department working out of HQ to ensure prompt resolution to issues.
• Assisting vendors and movers with equipment and furniture deliveries and pickups as necessary.

You have the following direct or transferable skill sets:

• 2 years experience in venue, event operations, or related.
• Valid driver’s license and successful completion of MVR background check.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills to work effectively with a variety of people.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Ability to lift and carry items up to 50 lbs.
• Working knowledge of databases along with proficiency in Google Products preferred.
• 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 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.
• Remain organized to keep yourself accountable for meeting deadlines.

In addition to an hourly pay of $22.25, 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 10/06/2026 and will be accepted for at least one week