Festival Associate Manager, Belonging

The Festival Associate Manager, Belonging will manage a range of Festival-specific initiatives to promote inclusivity and belonging among the entire Sundance community, including employees, volunteers, artists, and patrons. This key role supports the cross-departmental Community & Belonging team implementing the Festival Community Agreement, and managing programmatic safety and inclusivity elements.

• Building and maintaining partnerships with outside agencies, including the third-party Ombuds, mental health organizations, and government agencies, to cultivate support resources during the Festival.

• Revising equitable review procedures to promote a welcoming, respectful environment, enhancing inclusivity across internal and external community members.

• Overseeing the internal incident reporting process, including collaborating with partners and internal teams to ensure the system functions properly, appropriate escalation occurs, and all stakeholders are trained in their roles.

• Supporting internal stakeholders to identify content, panels, and events which may require onsite support resources in place, tracking sheets, and coordinating with external partners.

• Partnering with Festival Theater and Operation teams to provide pre-Festival training and guidance on belonging policies, practices, and procedures to follow.

• Designing and facilitating training content and other materials for employees, volunteers, and external partners on Institute standards and available resources.

• Creating guides detailing local and remote mental health resources (internally and externally), how to report Community Agreement violations, and where to request support.

• Managing a Wellness Hub during the Festival in partnership with several internal teams, by programming resources, activities, and furnishing a designated area for support and reprieve.

• Managing the collection, processing, and record-keeping of all submitted incident reports, including workplace injuries and onsite patron and artist injuries, ensuring relevant stakeholders are informed and appropriate actions are taken.

• Collaborating with the Accessibility team to review, process, and support the implementation of patron accommodation requests during the Festival, which may include onsite theater support as needed.

• Conducting investigations of work-related injuries involving employees and volunteers, ensuring detailed reports are captured, appropriate mitigation efforts are implemented, and injured individuals receive follow-up care and communications.

• Work with relevant departments to draft and complete a comprehensive wrap report summarizing key takeaways, outcomes, and recommendations related to community and belonging during the Festival.

• Assist with Community and Belonging-related projects as directed and provide general support to the HR and cross-departmental teams.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a role related to DEIAB or people operations with a specific focus on fostering inclusive and respectful environments.

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and external agencies to implement inclusive programs.

• Familiarity with mental health support resources and strategies for addressing triggering content or experiences.

• Strong project management abilities, with the capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to engage with diverse community members and external partners.

• Effective problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, with experience handling sensitive issues discreetly and professionally.

• Preferred knowledge of incident reporting systems, legal requirements for managing workplace injuries, and safety compliance protocols.

• Preferred experience in training development and facilitation, particularly on topics related to inclusivity, belonging, and a code of conduct.

• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

• Successfully manage and implement Festival-specific belonging initiatives that foster an inclusive environment for the full Sundance Institute community.

• Oversee the internal incident reporting system and process, ensuring timely and thorough handling of all reports, proper escalation, and resolution of issues. Key indicators of success include accurate, detailed record-keeping and stakeholder satisfaction with how incidents are handled.

• Deliver relevant training and resource materials to internal and external partners, ensuring all team members are equipped with the knowledge and resources to promote belonging and address community agreement violations.