Role Overview
Vision Nine is a leading entertainment business founded on a passion for live events. We use our extensive skills and expertise to bring people together, harnessing the power of shared experience to create unforgettable moments.
We are seeking to recruit a Senior Festival Manager of Boardmasters which is a dynamic management role responsible for overseeing the events management team, ensuring seamless execution of the event, and turning strategic visions into reality. Reporting into the Festival Director this role encompasses full responsibility for budget lines within the department, curatorial control, and delivering an exceptional festival experience across all touchpoints, including traders, concessions, customer experience, event dressing, and alternative content.
The Senior Festival Manager will play a pivotal role in driving revenue growth, optimizing resources, and elevating the Boardmasters brand through innovative and impactful festival experiences.
About you
The successful candidate will have a proven track record of festival management and be able to demonstrate multiple examples of robust commercial management on events of varying scales and sizes. In addition, they will be able to demonstrate past experience in delivering the creative vision of festivals from brief through to on the ground delivery.
You will be highly organised and have the ability to lead multiple projects and multi task efficiently whilst keeping all stakeholders informed and working XFN. You should be able to respond quickly and dynamically to the needs of projects, constantly assessing and prioritising work for yourself and your team and have an in-depth understanding of the holistic view of projects enabling strategical thinking and decision making.
You will be a clear and calm communicator, being able to remain calm under pressure and show strong leadership qualities in pressured decision making. You will be prepared to go above and beyond what is required and take pride in achieving outstanding results
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Implementation:
- Translate the strategic vision of the Senior Management Team (SMT) into actionable plans and ensure successful implementation across all festival operations.
- Collaborate with the SMT to refine strategies that align with the festival’s objectives, audience expectations, and market trends.
Team Leadership & Management:
- Lead, mentor, and manage the event management team, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and excellence.
- Support the fostering of a collaborative environment where all departments are working cohesively towards common goals.
Budgeting & Financial Control:
- Develop, manage, and control the budget lines that are owned by the event management team, ensuring cost-effective use of resources while maximizing profitability.
- Regularly review financial performance, identifying opportunities for cost savings and revenue enhancement.
Curation & Festival Experience:
- Hold overarching curatorial responsibility for the festival experience, ensuring that all elements (traders, concessions, customer experience, dressing, and alternative content) align with the Boardmasters brand, quality and audience expectations.
- Collaborate with content creators, artists, vendors, and partners to curate an engaging and memorable festival experience.
- Oversee the visual and thematic dressing of the festival site, ensuring it reflects the Boardmasters brand and delivers a captivating atmosphere.
Customer Experience & Engagement:
- Champion customer experience initiatives, ensuring that festival-goers have a seamless, enjoyable, and memorable experience from start to finish.
- Implement innovative engagement strategies to enhance audience interaction and satisfaction before, during, and after the event.
Revenue Generation & Optimization:
- Develop and oversee ticketing strategy and plans with SMT including forecasting and monitoring
- Identify and implement new revenue streams, including upgrades, premium experiences, and live-in options, with a focus on maximizing profitability.
- Work with the Partnerships team to develop and execute strategies for upselling and cross-selling to enhance customer spend and overall festival revenue.
- Work with the rights and partnerships team to ensure all event revenues are managed and collaboratively working to develop further show assets
Stakeholder & Partner Relations:
- Act as the primary day to day point of contact for key stakeholders, including sponsors, partners, and vendors, ensuring positive and productive relationships.
- Work collaboratively to foster functional alignment ensuring departments are engaged at correct stage of the festival life cycle.
- Work collaboratively with the Festival Director and Marketing to align on messaging, promotions, and customer outreach.
Essential Attributes
- Proven experience in festival or large-scale event management, with a strong track record of delivering successful events with a minimum of 5 years experience.
- Exceptional team management skills, with the ability to inspire and drive a diverse team.
- Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting, and revenue management.
- Creative vision with the ability to curate and oversee a cohesive festival experience.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, maintaining focus and delivering results.
- You will be a meticulous and detailed planner able to meet deadlines
- Happy to travel and work events away from home including some weekends.