Executive Director, Columbia Food & Wine Festival (Columbia)

Executive DirectorColumbia Food & Wine FestivalPOSITION DESCRIPTION: The Executive Director of the Columbia Food & Wine Festival is a staff position under The Post and Courier, whose events arm is the host of the annual festival. The Executive Director shall participate in and oversee all planning and preparation, sponsorship sales, marketing and execution of the annual Columbia Food & Wine Festival programming. The Executive Director has authority of the festival budget and staffing; and will manage a team of contracted event planners and marketing partners who will assist in the preparation and execution of various components of the festival. This position should display a continued focus on P&L management and achieving budgeted revenue and net income targets for the events they oversee. While this position's focus will be Columbia Food & Wine Festival, it will also organize Free Times' annual Best of Columbia party in Columbia Food & Wine's off-season.RESPONSIBILITIES:Serve as director of Columbia Food & Wine Festival, managing team of contractors, vendors, and internal staff resources to ensure all CFWF events are planned, marketed and executed.Create and manage to annual budget for Columbia Food & Wine Festival; with budgets outlined for each key vertical of the festival and each unique event under the CFWF umbrellaServe in top leadership position on Columbia Food & Wine's planning team; managing all contractors and marketing partners, leading planning team meetings, and ensuring all members achieve deliverables by established deadlinesDevelop and/or approve scopes of work and contracts for all contractors and other CFWF partnersServe as lead representative for CFWF, participating in networking events, media interviews and appearances, and conferencesBuild and maintain close relationships with all CFWF partners and participants, including but not limited to sponsors, food and beverage talent, farms, media partners, hoteliers, volunteer groups, and moreSecure sponsorships for Columbia Food & Wine Festival, both individually and in-partnership with Free Times' advertising sales teamServe as lead planner directly for select CFWF Signature EventsManage all government funding partnerships; including but not limited to submitting HTAX requests, providing HTAX reimbursement requests and reporting, and building strong partnerships with elected officialsCreate and manage to budgets for all CFWF events; displaying the ability to achieve revenue budgets and manage expenses to ensure profitability targets are achieved.Provide high level oversight of internal staff resources handling financial management for Columbia Food & Wine, ensuring sponsors and partners are invoiced, revenue is recognized, and all vendors, talent and other expenses are paid timely after the annual festival concludesPartner with advertising sales team and sales leadership to secure sponsorships for Columbia Food & Wine FestivalManage Free Times' ticket sales platform, creating CFWF event pages, monitoring ticket sales progress, and answering questions from event guestsEnsure all Columbia Food & Wine files are organized and processes are adhered to; training contractors and internal staff resources on both as neededConceptualize annual theme, create sponsorship opportunities, and handle all planning for Free Times' annual Best of Columbia partyBe involved in local community; attending networking events and other opportunities to build local relationships and identify key partnershipsPerform other duties as assignedRequirements, minimum education level, and experience:Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, hospitality management or a related fieldMinimum of three years marketing or event planning experienceExperience in media, entertainment and/or hospitality industries preferredProven record of success in securing sponsorshipsThis hybrid position is based in The Post and Courier's Columbia office. The Executive Director should reside in the greater Columbia, SC region.About Columbia Food & Wine FestivalColumbia Food & Wine Festival is a nonprofit organization that spotlights and supports the culinary community throughout the greater Columbia S.C. region. The multi-day festival brings thousands of food lovers and community members together for a one-of-a-kind experience featuring Columbia's finest plates and pours. Attendees build personal connections with the history and culture of Columbia's food scene by meeting chefs, partaking in unique and local eats, and learning about the connections between chefs and the local farming community. The festival's values lie in supporting the hospitality community, a commitment to culinary education and delivering an unparalleled customer experience. Since 2018, Columbia Food & Wine Festival has highlighted the "Heart of SC" as a diverse and vibrant destination for food-filled experiences. Plan your #ColaFoodandWine itinerary at columbiafoodandwinefestival.com.