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About the Role

The Managing Director, Live Experiences is a senior leader responsible for translating the gardens’ institutional identity into elevated, memorable, and emotionally resonant experiences that strengthen the brand and drive business results. This is a general management role responsible for leading the design, planning, and execution of marquee experiences on a civic scale.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive programs and events experience strategy aligned with the organization’s brand and business objectives.
• Own full-cycle delivery of 60+ programs and 120+ events annually, including marquee, civic scale experiences.
• Lead a team responsible for experience pipeline cultivation, experience design, modeling, placemaking, vendor management, and on-site execution.
• Steward partnership with the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department for the delivery of strategic programs.
• Collaborate with the Advancement team to identify, cultivate, and manage corporate sponsors and major institutional collaborations.
• Design and deliver experiences with a solutions ethic, from large-scale events serving broad, diverse populations to bespoke, high-touch experiences for VIP audiences.
• Activate the Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and San Francisco Botanical Garden through dedicated programming and after-house experiences.
• Set and uphold visual and experiential quality standards for all programs and events across three garden sites.
• Promote plant-focused programming that deepens connections between people, plants, and the planet.
• Own program and events budgets with direct accountability for margin and profitability across the $7M+ portfolio.
• Negotiate and manage relationships with vendors, agencies, contracted partners, and operating personnel for mega ticketed events.
• Define and uphold KPIs for programs and events and evaluate success through qualitative and quantitative metrics.
• Report performance against strategic and financial objectives as needed to the Executive Team, Board, strategic partners and key stakeholders.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive leadership in live events, live entertainment, theme parks, immersive experiences, and/or large-scale civic programming.
• Demonstrated track record delivering high-impact live experiences with direct accountability for operational quality and financial performance.
• Strong leadership and project management skills—organized and analytical, with the ability to manage multiple direct and third-party relationships simultaneously, and skilled at building collaborative teams through training and communication.
• Exceptional creative vision with strong attention to detail and a hospitality and customer service ethic.
• Experience building or stewarding major civic, entertainment, or institutional partnerships.
• Sound judgment and initiative under pressure.
• Demonstrates a passion for advancing organizational Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) objectives and influencing others to approach work with an equity lens.
• High level of professionalism and a collaborative work style, with a genuine and unwavering commitment to great visitor experience and to the Gardens’ mission.
• Must be able to engage in a range of physical motions including standing or sitting at a desk or computer, walking on uneven surfaces, crouching, bending, squatting, kneeling, digging, climbing stairs and a ladder, working with arms outstretched or overhead.
• Lift and/or move up to 10 pounds regularly and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to use and maintain necessary tools and equipment safely and effectively.
• Ability to manage risk, adhering to the Gardens’ safety and emergency protocols.
• Submit a resume and a cover letter describing a live experience, program, or event you are most proud of.

Skills

• Financial discipline
• Profitability focus
• Decisive and timely execution
• Team alignment
• Operational excellence
• Visitor experience
• Ethics
• Transparency
• Solutions ethic
• Hospitality
• Customer service ethic
• Risk management

Location

• Onsite

Work Type

• Full-time
• Regular

Experience Level

• Senior leader
• 5+ years of progressive leadership

Salary/Compensations

• $120,000 - $125,000

Benefits

• Benefits

About the Company

• The Gardens of Golden Gate Park unite three historic gardens—the landmark Conservatory of Flowers (1879), the Japanese Tea Garden (1894), and the 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden (1940)—featuring more than 10,000 different kinds of plants from around the world.
• Our pioneering public-private partnership between the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department and San Francisco Botanical Garden Society combines the city's expertise in horticulture and facilities with the nonprofit’s strengths in visitor experience, education, philanthropy, membership, marketing, curatorial services, interpretation, and community engagement.
• Together, we connect people to plants, the planet, and each other, cultivating an internationally renowned destination where conservation, natural beauty, and community flourish.

Equal Opportunity

• Gardens of Golden Gate Park is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.
• We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national original, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by law.