Senior Manager, Experiential Activations & Partnerships

Sundance Institute; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Paid leave

Wellness programs

401(k) plan

Festival passes

Job summary

Sundance Institute in Boulder, CO is seeking a Senior Manager, Activations and Partnerships to lead sponsorship activations and experiential initiatives across Festival programs and year-round activities. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality activation experiences that align with the Institute’s mission.

The role combines operational leadership with strategic planning, requiring 5+ years in activations or related fields, strong relationship skills, and a

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in experiential marketing, partnership activations, festival operations, event management, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience working within arts, culture, entertainment, media, or mission-driven organizations.
• Experience leading complex activation initiatives and partnerships.
• Demonstrated people management including coaching and mentoring.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with major brands.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning, coordination, and execution of sponsor activations and experiential initiatives across Sundance Institute events and programs.
• Manage activation timelines, budgets, resource allocation, and operational workflows.
• Develop scalable activation systems, frameworks, and implementation processes.
• Monitor activation performance and implement improvements for partner satisfaction.
• Lead cross-functional planning with internal teams for integrated activations.
• Mentor and develop team members to support year-round and seasonal operations.
• Serve as senior operational representative to sponsors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.

Skills

Experiential marketing

Partnership activations

Festival operations

Event management

Community engagement

Venue management

Relationship management

Job description

Sundance Institute in Boulder, CO is seeking a Senior Manager, Activations and Partnerships to lead sponsorship activations and experiential initiatives across Festival programs and year-round activities. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality activation experiences that align with the Institute’s mission.

The role combines operational leadership with strategic planning, requiring 5+ years in activations or related fields, strong relationship skills, and a