Festival Operations Director - Smithsonian Folklife Festival

DUTIESManagerial (90%)Develops and maintains production schedules for operation-related activities such as public safety and security, waste management, and concessions. Assists in creating and executing plan. Meets with curators and program managers. Travels, if necessary, to research sites to help determine operational needs for eventprograms. Creates exhibit plans that convey necessary information to internal and external program partners.These plans include the production of site drawings in CAD. Designs may include, but are not limited to, the use of photographs, buildings, murals, signs, and living presenters and demonstrators.Assists in hiring and training of temporary personnel.Apprises directors and program managers of design, estimated costs, labor needs, construction requirements, and health and safety constraints. Works with staff to determine appropriate feasible, cost-effective plans.Coordinates operational aspects of plans with other non-SI agencies such as the National Park Service, D.C.public health services, and the D.C. fire and emergency agencies. Ensures timely submission of plans for presentations and permit acquisition to such agencies.Serves as the operations director for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, responsible for the physical plant and the health and safety of staff, volunteers, event participants, and the general public attending the event.Develops and implements plans to conserve, refurbish, and enhance operations-related materials and equipment during storage at the CFCH Warehouse and Garber Facility.Working with curatorial and design staff, designs the infrastructure for a variety of exhibits for events andpublic programs. Produces working drawings of exhibits. Working from approved plans, supervises the operations needs of exhibits to reflect programmatic goals of events.Develops staffing plan for operational crew for event exhibitions. Supervises operations staff, including the operations assistant(s).Supervises the work and provides oversight during the production phase of outside contractors providing services such as waste management, public health and safety, security, accessibility, and concessions. Labor (10%)Arranges procurement of and supervises use of all equipment and materials for site operations at the Festival, exhibition, or event through proper bidding process.Supervises and coordinates operations-related aspects of the Festival during load-in and strike.Other duties as assigned.KNOWLEDGE REQUIREDAbility to conceptualize operations elements and designs, interpret and translate curatorial concepts into a variety of operations functions (electric, plumbing, waste management, etc.) in order to create and constructevent site within the time limit imposed.Knowledge of drafting and construction in order to produce structural drawings and site plans. Ability to organize and manage a professional production staff.Knowledge and skill with various computer programs: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, project management, and CAD.SUPERVISORY CONTROLSWorks under the general supervision of the Festival Director at CFCH. Incumbent works with substantial freedom from plans approved by the Festival Director. Uses ingenuity and imagination in the design of Festivalexhibitions, selecting appropriate work methods and materials, and developing techniques for production.Independently carries out assignments within established policies and guidelines. Work is reviewed periodically to ensure compliance with plans.GUIDELINESGuidelines include previously approved plans and drawings, health and safety regulations, and SI and CFCHpolicies and procedures. Also, previously approved policies and regulations of other agencies such as the National Park Service and Public Health Service.The incumbent uses considerable independent judgement in developing guidelines for situations in which established guidelines do not exist.COMPLEXITYMust conceptualize exhibit elements and designs to interpret and translate curatorial concepts into physical exhibits of high technical and aesthetic quality. Must organize and coordinate a variety of production functions(electric, plumbing, carpentry, sound systems, erection of tents, stages, etc.) in order to create and construct event site within the time limit imposed, within a fixed budget and with limited staff.SCOPE AND EFFECT 3The purpose of the positon is to assist the CFCH Festival Director in the management of exhibition development of CFCH events. Work directly contributes to the quality and effectiveness of Festival exhibits and to the health and safety of the visiting public and other involved.PERSONAL CONTACTSContact with a wide variety of SI personnel, outside scholars, event participants from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, trade personnel, vendors, contractors, architects, and health and safety officials of the NationalPark Service. Contact with sound engineers, recording engineers, video production engineers, masteringengineers, production plants, and archivists.PURPOSE OF CONTACTSTo obtain and exchange information to enable site design to adequately meet program goals and site construction to flow in an orderly manner and to be completed by opening deadline.PHYSICAL DEMANDSWalking, standing, involving considerable physical exertion. Outdoor work in all weather.WORK ENVIRONMENTOffice activity as well as minimum of three months outdoors in all weather conditions, and in foreign climates.