Festival Manager & Promoter

Job description

Festival Manager & Promoter Company: By Landmark Location: On-Site | Plainfield, NJ (with travel to Hudson Valley, NY; Asbury Park, NJ; Jersey City, NJ and additional markets as the Division expands) Job Type: Full-Time Reports To: Executive Leadership About By Landmark By Landmark owns and operates a portfolio of distinct venues, boutique hotels, award-winning restaurants, and lounges throughout the tristate area. We are launching a new Festival Division, an experience-driven initiative built around culinary artistry, craft beverages, and community gathering. We're starting with the 1st Annual Food, Wine & Spirits Festival in New Hope, PA, and expanding into additional markets and formats, including music festivals, car shows, and other cultural events. About the Role By Landmark is seeking an experienced Festival Manager & Promoter to build and lead our Festival Division from the ground up. This is both a brand-building and event management role. You will shape the Division's identity, formats, and markets; build and scale the team behind it; and serve as the primary driver of a growing, multi-city festival program. You will work in close partnership with the By Landmark executive team and our creative/strategic partner, Pie Lab, to bring each festival to life, from initial concept through execution and post-event reporting. A background or working knowledge of food and beverage, culinary events, and hospitality is important to this role, given the Division's focus on culinary artistry, craft beverages, and guest experience. Key Responsibilities Brand & Strategic Vision • Lead the creative and strategic development of By Landmark's Festival Division, establishing brand identity, positioning, and voice across all markets • Identify and develop new festival formats, markets, and partnership opportunities • Ensure each festival market has its own distinct positioning and audience strategy • Partner with the executive team and Pie Lab to align festival initiatives with broader company strategy and brand standards Team Building & Leadership • Build, hire, and develop the Festival Division team from the ground up • Establish operational infrastructure, processes, and standards that support growth without sacrificing quality • Recruit, train, and manage event staff, volunteers, and contracted vendors across all markets Festival Planning & Operations • Develop and manage comprehensive master plans for each festival, including timelines, budgets, logistics, and staffing schedules • Source, negotiate, and secure vendor agreements with food artisans, wineries, distilleries, breweries, specialty spirits producers, musicians, and experiential partners • Coordinate venue layout, permitting, licensing, insurance, and local authority requirements across multiple markets • Oversee setup, execution, and breakdown logistics for all festival days and locations • Develop contingency plans for weather, crowd flow, and other operational challenges Sponsorship & Brand Partnerships • Identify, pursue, and secure sponsorship partnerships (tourism boards, culinary associations, spirit and wine guilds, lifestyle media, automotive brands, music platforms, and similar organizations) that align with the festival's identity • Build a sponsorship strategy and package offerings that grow year over year • Develop activation concepts that deliver value to partners and enhance the guest experience • Leverage sponsorship relationships to drive attendance, media coverage, and brand awareness Promotion & Marketing • Design and execute multi-channel promotional strategies (social media, email, PR, print, digital advertising) alongside the Pie Lab team • Manage festival brand identity, website content, and consumer-facing communications for each market • Cultivate relationships with local media, food and lifestyle influencers, and regional press • Drive ticket sales through targeted campaigns and community/sponsorship partnerships • Build relationships with local businesses and tourism boards in each market Financial Performance & Reporting • Own the Festival Division P&L; build budgets, track expenditures, and report financial performance to leadership • Analyze ticket sales, attendance, sponsorship performance, and attendee feedback • Deliver post-event reports with KPIs, lessons learned, and recommendations for future events Required Qualifications • 3–5 years of direct experience planning and executing festivals, concerts, or large-scale experiential events in a leadership capacity • Background or demonstrated knowledge of food and beverage, culinary events, and/or hospitality • Demonstrated experience building and scaling a team • Proven track record in event promotion, marketing, and driving measurable growth in ticket sales and audience development • Experience securing and activating brand sponsorships • Strong vendor negotiation and contract management skills across diverse vendor categories • Experience with permitting, licensing, and regulatory compliance for public events, including liquor compliance • Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams across multiple markets • Proficiency with event management software, social media platforms, and email marketing tools • Availability for significant evening and weekend hours around festival dates Preferred Qualifications • Experience growing a festival or event brand from its inaugural edition into an established, multi-year platform • Genuine passion for food, wine, craft spirits, music, and culinary culture • Experience launching events in multiple distinct markets with differentiated positioning for each • Established relationships within regional food & beverage, music, and experiential communities • Knowledge of liquor licensing laws and liquor service regulations across markets Compensation & Benefits • Competitive salary, commensurate with experience (named at offer) • Health insurance, 401(k), employee discounts, and additional benefits (full-time eligibility) • Direct creative, strategic, and operational support from the executive team and Pie Lab • Full access to festival programming, including staff tastings, chef events, music, and car shows • Ground-floor opportunity to build and shape a new Division, team, and brand How to Apply Submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing your most impactful event. Portfolio links (past festivals, campaigns, sponsorship wins, earned press) are welcome. By Landmark is an Equal Opportunity Employer.