Festival Producer

Want to join the leadership team of one of Chicago’s most anticipated summer events?

The Hyde Park Summer Fest team needs a strong Event Director for the 2024 and, possibly, 2025 festival season.

The director will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the Fest and will work to strategize around and integrate the artistic vision of the Fest with the audience-facing and stakeholder group elements of the event; ensuring that the upcoming festival stays true to its origins while continuing to elevate and grow in the market.

Our ideal candidate will have large-scale event production experience, preferably in the entertainment industry. Candidates should be up to date with industry and festival trends, and be prepared to bring a level of entrepreneurship, innovation, and initiative to the role while understanding the necessity to elevate the festival’s position in the marketplace. The candidate also understands what it means to be a part of a growing movement. As a leader on this team, this person will embody the mission and be a part of bringing the greater vision to life, this may mean taking on other tasks that are not necessarily listed in the job description. But knowing that this will lead to making the event a true success.

This role will start as a 1-year full-time, temp position and will require extended work hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends. This schedule will vary and pick up as the event approaches. There may be out-of-state travel to meet with potential talent and partners but that will be disclosed before scheduled. (Note: This role will be extended for the next season, following a review of the 2024 event. )

Top priorities include but are not limited to…

The Fest:

• Working closely and collaboratively with cross-functional teams within the organization to ensure efficiencies and lead a successful Fest program.
• Working with the CEO to translate the vision into a strategy with actionable goals
• Serving as the leader for all major festival collaborators: Marketing and Communications, Sponsorships, Technology, Ticketing, Digital, Talent Management, and Fest Operations to ensure all activities are consistent and aligned with the mission.
• Stepping in as a key liaison, when needed, when dealing with press and other external partner
• Leading Fest Programming meetings and participating as a key member of leadership in strategic vision and decision-making on Hyde Park Summer Fest.
• Maintaining and building trusted relationships with key internal and external partners for consistency, collaboration, and unified goals.

The Concert:

• Overseeing all aspects of the live event, from the initial planning stages to the final execution
• Giving high-level updates to the CEO regarding talent and concert specifics; keeping them abreast of all major decisions
• Participating in contract negotiations with artists and vendors
• Managing entire concert budget
• Participating in the hiring of key event production staff and contractors
• Coordinating technical and logistical details of the event
• Ensuring the smooth operation of the concert portion of the festival

The Event Director is the mastermind behind the scenes of Hyde Park Summer Fest. Every decision that this candidate makes will ensure that everything runs seamlessly to create a memorable experience for the attendees and community.

The required direct and transferrable skills:

• Legal authorization to work in the United States.
• Min 5 years’ experience in large-scale event/concert/festival production with a preference for entertainment industry experience.
• Experience or proficient understanding of ticketing strategy
• Experience and demonstrated ability to flourish in a hands-on, highly collaborative, team-driven, growth-centric environment.
• Strong project management skills with demonstrated ability to strategize, set, and meet goals.
• Experience in event ticketing and sponsorship is a plus.
• Experience managing large-scale budgeting processes and ability to bring productions in at or under budget.
• Monitoring multiple projects against the overall planning
• A passion for creating an event that puts Chicago on a global map for music and entertainment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to convey a strategic plan that is clear and inspiring to all.
• Ability to work respectfully and collaboratively across the leadership team and various departments.
• An accessible work style dedicated to teamwork and transparency.
• Highest levels of integrity and ethics.

Hyde Park Summer Fest