Executive Festival Director

Job Description

Job Description

At Danny Wimmer Presents, we don’t just put on festivals—we create unforgettable experiences where music, fans, and brands come together in epic ways! We are currently looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-energy environment, can meet urgent deadlines, and shines under pressure. Passion for music is essential, as we offer long-term growth opportunities for individuals willing to learn from the ground up.

We are seeking a Festival Producer to take a leading role in the end-to-end production of our large-scale festivals. This individual will oversee the guest journey from start to finish, ensuring operational excellence, financial discipline, and an exceptional fan experience. The Festival Producer will lead and mentor a team of Associate Producers, collaborate across departments, and serve as a key partner to executive leadership in driving strategic growth and continuous improvement.

Primary Responsibilities

Financial & Operational Accountability :

Lead the development and management of each festival’s Project Charter and secure stakeholder approval of each new version.

Collaborate with festival teams to control costs and manage department budgets to the show’s P&L.

Approve all Purchase Orders and Change Orders, ensuring special attention is paid to high-spend areas.

Serve as the key partner to the C-Suite, presenting and championing strategic creative and operational changes to grow the festival. This involves preparing compelling visualizations and comprehensive budgets to gain executive approval and stakeholder buy-in.

Ensure all project management processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are followed and upheld by the festival team.

Report accurate project-level financial forecasts to the Executive Finance Committee.

• Strategic Leadership & Management :

Serve as the point of contact for strategic alignment with C-level executive leadership to ensure assigned projects support company-wide business goals.

Lead and mentor a team of Associate Producers who oversee various festival programs, areas, and activations (e.g., VIP, Food & Beverage, Retail).

Oversee the Creative Producer, who is tasked with bringing the creative vision for the festival to life.

Lead cross-departmental teams in advance and on-site to move work forward on a daily basis.

Facilitate streamlined communication throughout the organization by redirecting matters to the appropriate departments or individuals.

Guest Experience & Site Development :

Lead the key stakeholders to develop floor plans and renderings for the event.

Deliver an incredible "guest journey," ensuring a seamless and positive experience.

Ensure all guest and patron communications, such as "Know Before You Go" guides, are accurate, comprehensive, and clear.

Risk Management & Continuous Improvement :

Pay special attention to sensitive areas like accessibility, permitting, risk management, and emergency planning.

Be accountable for addressing issues and action items from the previous year's event as documented in the After Action Report.

Serve as an advocate for improvements and changes that drive the future growth of their assigned festivals.

Qualifications :

Bachelor’s degree preferred.

10+ years of experience as a producer for large-scale live events; camping festival experience is highly preferred.

Excellent financial acumen and experience building budgets from the bottom-up.

High sense of accountability for oneself and one’s team.

Natural relationship builder and strong communicator.

Excellent interpersonal and de-escalation skills; ability to mediate conflict.

Demonstrated leadership abilities to drive results and coach teams with a continuous improvement mindset.

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities.

Adept at planning, prioritizing, organizing, and following through.

Competency in Airtable, Asana, Google Workspace.

Highly-collaborative and team-oriented approach.

Ability to travel and / or be on-site up to 30% of the time.

Project Management Professional certification preferred.

This position is based in Los Angeles, CA or Nashville, TN. Hybrid working schedule, 1-2 days in office.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits, including medical / dental / vision / 401k benefits. Salary starts at $175k.