Director of Event Operations

About Us

Off the Grid is a placemaking platform that transforms event spaces into powerful community experiences through its products and services. Our experiences create moments of connection and discovery for our Guests and Hosts that are scalable, modular and authentic to their own visions. We set the stage for discovery, offering public markets in the Bay Area, as well as turn-key event production, catering, and scalable employee dining experiences.

Position Summary

Off the Grid is looking for a seasoned, strategic event operations director with a background in leadership of successful event production companies and/or event operations departments. This role will oversee the next phase of our public and private events business growth. The Head of Event Operations (HEO) is responsible for driving the operational success of Off the Grid’s entire event portfolio, which includes 500+ annual, public and private catering events hosting 100,000s of guests per year.

We’re looking for an experienced event professional with proven, customer-centric event production and large scale event execution experience who’s interested in reimagining how events are operationalized. The ideal candidate has a growth mindset to build systems and processes on behalf of our customers through amazing teamwork, individual empowerment, transparent communication and willingness to innovate. The HEO is a curious tinkerer, a communicator, and a world class customer service professional who is interested in understanding how our public markets and private catering businesses can be complementary to each other in new and interesting ways.

This is a full-time position which requires nights and weekends to regularly oversee, support and improve operational needs. This position is primarily based out of our San Francisco office, with travel to our events as needed throughout the Bay Area.

How This Role Relates To The Success Of Otg

The HEO is responsible for execution and iteration of all our event related products and services including our hospitality execution, client account management, event level financial measures, equipment use and development, event communication and client management. The HEO is a facilitator and designer who builds and manages systems, processes and mechanisms for execution of discovery moments for our Guests and Hosts within each of our experiences and has clear standards of excellence.

Key Responsibilities

This position will be responsible for, but not limited to the following:

Operations

• Execute world class Experience Design and service-oriented events with a diverse portfolio of stakeholders including large corporate entities, event professionals and municipal entities.
• Utilize strong systems oriented thinking for creating, documenting and refining processes to produce scalable experiences that can be sold or implemented with short notice.
• Manage the catering production and market operations teams. Mentor and train team in operational best practices.
• Own our customer experience in both our public events and private catered experiences including event production, event execution, client management and post event logistical needs.
• Tackle and solve challenging start-up and scalability issues that require resourcefulness, creative thinking, and collaboration.
• Champion Off the Grid values, working to instill them in all facets of operations, and fully embodying Off the Grid associated with our event production standards to create unique and creative experiences for our customers.
• Develop and maintain strong professional working relationships with OTG Creators, Vendors, Sponsors and Partners.
• Oversee and contribute to the development of hospitality and customer service programs, including training initiatives and implementation.
• Identify and implement cost reduction initiatives for optimal strategic use of resources.
• Manage staffing and labor models to ensure efficiencies and that the department stays within forecasted range(s).
• Build systems of transparency for ensuring health, safety and sanitation standards are met above and beyond local health code standards.
• Manage preventative and responsive equipment and vehicle maintenance for effective deployment into our experiences.
  
  

Financials

• Assist in creation of annual department budget, and recurring event pro-formas; manage monthly P&L reports for financial accountability.
• Develop financial key metrics and KPI’s and set monthly, quarterly and annual financial goals.
• Assist in creation of scalable financial models, and adjust as necessary depending on business needs.
  
  

Product

• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing teams to execute world class event standards on behalf of a diverse group of customers and stakeholders.
• Collaborate and develop new standards of event innovation that incorporates user feedback, analytical data and design iteration.
• Collaborate with Product teams for effective communication of systems that can be improved through technological innovation.
• Embody a culture of continuous innovation for your team and the company at large.
  
  

Employee Experience

• Support and execute the Performance Management process and initiatives for operations staff.
• Manage and mentor development of operations staff to grow the team as our business needs and their professional development requests allow.
• Assist and contribute to company culture programs, helping to foster a culture of learning, innovation, accountability, diversity of experience and discovery.
• Develop, maintain, and oversee employee accountability programs based on company initiatives, and Enforce company policies and procedures.
• Set and manage recruiting goals and hiring deliverables.
  
  

Years of Related Professional Experience: 8+ years of professional event production and/or related operations experience

Educational/Position Requirements: BA Business Administration or relevant experience

Management Experience: 3+ years of successful senior (manager) management experience

Relevant Computer/Software Applications: Salesforce, Google Workspace Apps

Certifications and Background: Six Sigma, Project Management (PMP), Design Thinking Frameworks

Travel Required(%): 30-40%

Communication Skills: 2+ Years customer service or Sales experience with excellent demonstrated written and verbal communication skills.

Other

• Vendor/third party management experience preferred
• Understanding of technical tools necessary for implementing and tracking processes and systems to measure and make continuous improvement to systems.
• Valid CA Driver’s License and Clean Driving Record
• Must be 25 years or older to drive a company vehicle
• Schedule Requirements: This is a full-time position which requires occasional nights and weekends as necessary to support the operational needs.
  
  

Work Environment

The worker is subject to normal environmental conditions. Activities frequently occur inside and occasionally outside.

Physical Demands

While performing the job duties, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear; sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required include visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned, close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading. In addition, the employee will be occasionally required to lift and/or move moderate (up to 20 pounds) and heavy (50 pounds or greater) weight.