Festival Director
Breakaway Music Festival
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Charlotte • North Carolina • Tennessee • United States
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Job Level
About the role
- 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
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Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
event productionbudgetingfinancial forecastingvendor managementsite operationspermittingsafety planningemergency responseproject managementoperational efficiency
Soft Skills
leadershipcommunicationrelationship-buildingdecision-makingproblem-solvingcoachingaccountabilitycollaborationadaptabilitytime management