About the role

  • Festival Director responsible for planning and executing Breakaway's large-scale festivals across the U.S. Leading operational teams and ensuring guest experience excellence.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the senior operational and production owner for assigned Breakaway festivals, accountable for end-to-end execution, quality, safety, and financial performance.
  • Own festival site strategy from concept through CAD development and final execution, including infrastructure planning, layouts, crowd flow, and load-in/load-out strategy.
  • Drive on-site cross-functional execution and issue resolution with senior leadership across all functional teams and external partners to ensure smooth show flow and brand consistency.
  • Partner with venue leadership and local stakeholders to navigate site constraints, permitting requirements, and operational opportunities across markets.
  • Establish and oversee all permitting, inspections, and regulatory compliance, maintaining the highest standards of safety, accessibility, and risk management.
  • Serve as a core member of the on-site festival operations leadership team, executing Emergency Action Plans (EAP) and coordinating in real time with security, police, fire, and medical partners to ensure rapid response and guest safety.
  • Collaborate closely with Finance and executive leadership to manage operational budget tracking, forecasting, risk visibility, and post-event reconciliation.
  • Drive operational efficiency and cost optimization while maintaining guest experience and production quality.
  • Own the end-to-end guest experience from arrival through exit, ensuring clear guest communications, seamless VIP programs, food & beverage execution, retail operations, and premium experiences.
  • Lead and empower on-site operations and production teams through clear expectations, active coaching, and strong accountability.
  • Lead on-site stakeholder meetings and real-time decision-making during event execution.
  • Drive continuous improvement through post-event reporting, performance metrics, and operational innovation across the festival portfolio.
  • Serve as the central on-site communication lead for operations and production teams, ensuring consistent messaging, coordination, and execution across all event staff.
  • Oversee and collaborate with Festival Operations and on-site teams to ensure load-in and load-out timelines are met, resources are coordinated effectively, and operational standards are maintained.

Requirements

  • 5-8 years of experience producing and/or directing large-scale live events or festivals
  • Proven track record leading multi-day, multi-market festivals
  • Strong budgeting, financial forecasting, and vendor management experience
  • Deep knowledge of site operations, permitting, safety planning, and emergency response
  • Exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills
  • Ability to manage complex projects, multiple stakeholders, and competing priorities
  • Comfortable having tough conversations and making decisions under pressure
  • Proficiency in Google Workspace and similar tools is a plus
  • Ability to travel extensively and work non-traditional hours during event periods

Benefits

  • Flexible work environment
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) plan with employer matching
  • Paid Vacation Plans

Job title

Festival Director

Job type

Experience level

Lead

Salary

Not specified

Degree requirement

No Education Requirement

Location requirements

Report this job

See something inaccurate? Let us know and we'll update the listing.

Report job