Festival Event Ops Manager: Permits, Logistics, Safety

National Cherry Blossom Festival; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental plan

Eye plan

401K plan with safe harbor

Parking/subsidy

Job summary

National Cherry Blossom Festival seeks an Event Operations Manager to lead planning, permitting, and onsite readiness for festival events. You will serve as the primary owner of events, translating program needs into executable operations while coordinating with production teams, civic agencies, and sponsors.

You will manage budgets, timelines, and staffing, ensuring safety and compliance across sites. The role requires strong project management, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 3–5 years of demonstrated experience in event operations or related fields.
• Experience with permit acquisition and agency coordination in public-event environments.
• Strong understanding of site logistics, traffic, safety planning, and vendor coordination.
• Excellent project coordination, time management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple events and operational details simultaneously.
• Strong communication and writing skills.
• Attention to detail, safety, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational planning, permitting, and onsite readiness for events.
• Serve as Event Owner, coordinating cross-functional pods and budgets.
• Translate program needs into practical operational plans with leads.
• Oversee site operations, logistics, and contractor partnerships.
• Manage permits, agency coordination, and compliance with authorities.
• Establish incident protocols, go/no-go decisions, and readiness assessments.
• Direct operations teams and ensure accountability from planning to closeout.

Skills

Operational ownership

Agency coordination

Site and traffic planning

Contractor management

Safety and accessibility

Cross-functional accountability

Calm onsite decision-making

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Google Workspace

Monday.com

Asana

Slack

Job description

National Cherry Blossom Festival seeks an Event Operations Manager to lead planning, permitting, and onsite readiness for festival events. You will serve as the primary owner of events, translating program needs into executable operations while coordinating with production teams, civic agencies, and sponsors.

You will manage budgets, timelines, and staffing, ensuring safety and compliance across sites. The role requires strong project management, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability