(S) Seasonal Comedy Fest Operations Associate

SXSW Seasonal Comedy Festival Operations Associate

Job Purpose

SXSW seeks a Seasonal Comedy Festival Operations Associate to join the programming team and produce and execute a robust program for the SXSW Comedy Festival. They support efforts across all elements, including live comedy shows and podcasts. This position plays a crucial role in program execution, supporting production logistics and talent advancement pre-event and on-site.

Duties & Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Support overall event and show advancement, including coordinating assets, sourcing & ordering props, furniture, and liaising with venues
• Communicate with organizers, producers, and artists in support of production logistics
• Liaise with artists, representatives, and internal teams to confirm talent travel, housing, and registration arrangements.
• Manage and organize various resources in preparation for the event using internal systems (Airtable, Google Workspace, FileMaker)
• Attend weekly meetings and venue walk-throughs as needed
• Work closely with the Comedy Associate Programmer to manage & track invoices
  
  
  

On-Site Event Responsibilities

• Support the overall production of the event, including troubleshooting any on-site issues with programming, and helping registrants, artists, and industry executives with customer service needs
• Support multiple on-site events, including coordinating food and beverage, signage, Comedy Industry Lounge needs, and collating guest lists
• Additional event support duties fulfilled as needed throughout SXSW
  
  
  

Qualifications & Skills

Qualifications include:

• Experience in large-scale event planning & execution
• Highly organized with keen attention to detail
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Communicate comfortably with external parties, including VIP-level talent teams
• Proficiency with Airtable, FileMaker Pro, and Google Workspace
• Working knowledge of the Comedy, Podcast, and Film & TV Industry is a plus
  
  
  

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully:

• Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.
• It is frequently required to stand or sit for long periods and travel multiple miles a day between venues during the event.
• Ability to occasionally lift 20+ pounds, as needed.
• May require occasional bending, reaching, kneeling, or climbing stairs.
• Ability to work outdoors, including exposure to varying temperatures or noise levels.
  
  
  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Location & Schedule

This seasonal position is an in-office role and is located in Austin, Texas. The role is part-time starting January 18th and transitions to full-time on February 15th. Must be available to work additional hours, including evenings and weekends, particularly as the festival approaches.