Event Operations Manager

National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Washington, DC, is currently seeking an Event Operations Manager.

Company Description

The National Cherry Blossom Festival produces and promotes the nation's greatest springtime celebration and is dedicated to promoting the beauty of nature and international friendship through year-round programs, events, and educational and entertainment initiatives that enhance our environment, showcase arts and culture, and build community spirit.

Position Description

The Event Operations Manager is responsible for leading the operational planning and onsite logistics for National Cherry Blossom Festival events. This role owns site operations, permitting, infrastructure, health and safety, transportation, traffic management, load-in/load-out, equipment and supply management, and onsite operational execution.

The Event Operations Manager works in close partnership with the Senior Event Manager, Festival Production & Programming Delivery, who leads event production execution, programming delivery, run-of-show development, event pods, and production contractor coordination. Together, these roles ensure Festival events are both production-ready and operationally sound.

This is an operations-forward role focused on making sure Festival events can be executed safely, legally, efficiently, and professionally across public spaces, venues, parks, streets, and partner locations.

Reports to: Vice President

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Event operations and site logistics
* Develop and manage operations-specific plans and timelines for Festival events.
* Own official site plans, site layouts, and asset management documents.
* Manage venue and site logistics for indoor, outdoor, public-space, park, street, and partner-hosted events.
* Coordinate infrastructure needs including tents, tables, chairs, fencing, barricades, sanitation, radios, waste management, power distribution, parking, transportation, and traffic-related needs.
* Manage the operational elements of food and beverage logistics, including load-in, placement, service access, waste, and site coordination.
* Maintain inventory of Festival equipment, supplies, and materials in storage.
* Manage the collection, distribution, return, and storage of event materials and supplies.
* Lead load-in and load-out planning and execution for assigned events.
* Coordinate operational signage needs, including parking, directional, health and safety, vendor access, and required permit signage.
* Establish and manage the Event Operations Center in cooperation with Festival staff, contractors, volunteers, and public safety partners.
* Monitor and resolve onsite operational and logistical issues during events.
* Conduct operations closeout after events, including inventory checks, vendor follow-up, issue logs, and recommendations for future improvement.

Permitting, agency coordination, and public-space compliance
* Acquire documentation, approvals, permits, and applications required by District of Columbia agencies, National Park Service, venues, public-space authorities, and other relevant entities.
* Build and maintain a permit and agency coordination tracker.
* Track permit deadlines, submission requirements, approval conditions, onsite posting requirements, and agency follow-up.
* Serve as a primary operational liaison with permitting agencies, venue representatives, public-space partners, and site authorities.
* Maintain copies of required permits and ensure proper permits and required signage are posted onsite.
* Coordinate operational requirements with the National Park Service, including events and programs presented in partnership with NPS.
* Advise internal teams on public-space, site, access, traffic, and operational constraints that may affect event plans.
* Escalate agency, permit, or compliance concerns to the VP and relevant internal leads in a timely manner.

Health, safety, transportation, and traffic management
* Develop, coordinate, and implement health and safety plans for Festival events in partnership with safety vendors, public safety partners, agency representatives, and Festival leadership.
* Develop and implement transportation and traffic management plans in coordination with appropriate vendors and agencies.
* Coordinate plans related to street closures, vehicle access, parking, pedestrian flow, vendor access, emergency access, crowd flow, and site circulation.
* Support weather monitoring, severe weather planning, and operational contingency planning.
* Coordinate accessibility planning in partnership with the Accessibility Coordinator and relevant Festival staff, including accessible routes, viewing areas, seating, restrooms, signage, guest communications, and onsite support.
* Identify and escalate safety, site, traffic, weather, crowd management, infrastructure, or public-space concerns that may affect event execution.
* Ensure operational plans support safe guest, vendor, performer, sponsor, volunteer, media, and staff movement throughout event sites.
* Participate in event-day go/no-go or modification discussions when site, weather, safety, or operational issues arise.

Operations vendors, equipment, and inventory
* Manage operations vendors, supplies, equipment, storage, asset movement, and onsite logistics.
* Coordinate infrastructure vendors, including tenting, fencing, barricades, sanitation, radios, transportation, waste management, power, parking, traffic, and related operations vendors.
* Develop operational vendor timelines, arrival windows, site access plans, credentialing needs, and load-in/load-out schedules.
* Ensure operations vendors understand site rules, permit requirements, access points, safety expectations, and event-day procedures.
* Coordinate with Finance and Business Operations on vendor paperwork, purchase orders, invoices, contracts, certificates of insurance, and payment timing.
* Maintain inventory before and after Festival events.
* Track equipment and supplies issued to staff, contractors, volunteers, partners, and event sites.
* Identify equipment gaps, storage needs, replacement needs, and procurement recommendations.

Load-in, load-out, and onsite operations command
* Own the load-in and load-out plan for Festival events.
* Coordinate site access, vehicle routes, vendor movement, equipment placement, storage areas, staff access, and strike procedures.
* Incorporate production, sponsor, performer, vendor, volunteer, media, and guest experience needs into the operational load-in/load-out plan.
* Oversee operations crews to ensure operational plans are implemented accurately.
* Establish onsite communication protocols for operations staff, vendors, contractors, volunteers, and relevant internal teams.
* Manage onsite operational issue resolution and escalate major concerns to the VP, Senior Event Manager, safety partners, or public agencies as appropriate.
* Maintain daily operating checklists for multi-day programs or events.
* Support the daily operational coordination of programs presented with National Park Service or other site partners.

Cross-functional coordination with the full scope of NCBF staff and departments, contractors and interns, as well as the National Park Service and other civic partners.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
* Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
* Minimum of 3-5 years of demonstrated experience in event operations, festival operations, public events, site logistics, civic events, venue operations, or related work.
* Demonstrated experience with permit acquisition and agency coordination in Washington, DC or a comparable public-event environment.
* Strong understanding of site logistics, public-space operations, vendor coordination, load-in/load-out, infrastructure, traffic, transportation, and safety planning.
* Excellent project coordination, time management, and organizational skills.
* Ability to manage multiple events, deadlines, vendors, and operational details simultaneously.
* Strong communication and writing skills.
* High attention to detail and concern for accuracy, safety, and operational excellence.
* Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
* Ability to exercise professionalism, discretion, and good judgment with staff, board members, vendors, agencies, volunteers, partners, and stakeholders.
* Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
* Experience with project management or collaboration tools such as Monday.com, Slack, or similar platforms.
* Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and extended hours during peak Festival periods.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
* Experience with large outdoor festivals, parades, public-space events, parks, street closures, waterfront events, or multi-day public programs.
* Experience working with District of Columbia agencies, National Park Service, public safety partners, transportation vendors, or permitting entities.
* Experience managing operations crews or onsite logistics teams.
* Experience supporting accessibility planning, severe weather planning, emergency action planning, or crowd management.
* Experience with nonprofit events or mission-driven cultural organizations.
* Familiarity with Washington, DC event production environments.

CORE COMPETENCIES
* Site operations leadership
* Permit and agency coordination
* Public-space logistics
* Vendor management
* Safety and risk awareness
* Transportation, traffic, and load-in/load-out planning
* Inventory and asset management
* Cross-functional collaboration and problem solving under pressure
* Clear communication and detail orientation
* Professional judgment with calm onsite leadership
* Adaptability and flexibility
* Commitment to public-facing service and community impact

As an integral part of the NCBF team, this full-time salaried exempt position participates fully in and leads the production and execution of all Festival events. This requires flexibility to be available evenings and weekends, and to work additional hours during peak periods. Must be comfortable working onsite at outdoor events and able to move through event sites, stand for extended periods, and work in changing and challenging weather conditions.

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS

Salary range: $60,000 - $65,000/year. Benefits package includes health insurance with prescription drug, dental, and eye plans (substantially underwritten by NCBF); annual and sick leave; short-term and long-term disability; life insurance; flexible spending account; 401K plan with safe harbor contributions eligible 6 months after hire; parking/transit subsidy, office location in Downtown Washington, DC.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).