Associate Director, Guest Experience

Job Description:The Associate Director, Guest Experience is a full-time exempt position with Kilowatt Events, Inc. experience that goes beyond general event operations: candidates ideally can show they have personally built and run staffing programs at this scale, as opposed to supervising staff hired by others or within a permanent, turnkey venue. The ideal candidate is a proactive leader who can anticipate guest and operational needs, make informed real-time decisions, and collaborate cross-functionally with production, operations, security, staffing, vendors, and client teams to deliver seamless, memorable experiences at scale. experiences for both clients and Kilowatt. Location and Benefits:The selected candidate will be based in Southern California with working sessions in the San Diego office (minimum of 8 days in office per year if not San Diego based) and project-related travel required 15-20% . benefits will be provided after 60 days. Why You Will Love This Role:1. Work on High-Profile Events: From fan festivals and corporate activations to large-scale entertainment productions, you’ll take the lead in delivering memorable, headline-worthy events.2. Make a Real Impact: As a key decision-maker, you’ll directly shape event success and collaborate with top-tier clients, sponsors, and venues.3. Travel and Flexibility: Combine your love for creativity and logistics while traveling to exciting event locations.4. Building and Leading a Team: Work with a growing company to lead and build a department of talented professionals. Help influence decision making that molds the company and team’s future. Essential Functions:Workforce Recruitment & Management Lead the end-to-end recruitment strategy for temporary and seasonal events workforce, scaling programs from 50 to 1,000+ staff on peak event days. Design, implement, and continuously improve training programs to ensure temporary staff are prepared to delivery consistent, high-quality guest experiences at scale. Build staffing plans, schedules, and credentialing processes that ensure adequate coverage across all event roles, shifts, and venue zones. Partner with staffing agencies, recruiting platforms, and internal HR/staffing teams to source, vet, and onboard qualified temporary staff on tight tightlines. Develop and manage labor budgets and staffing cost forecasts; track actuals against plan and adjust staffing models as needed. Establish clear performance standards, onsite supervisory structures, and escalation protocols to manage large temporary teams effectively on event days. Continuously evaluate and refine workforce strategy based on post-event data, rentinoed trends, and client feedback. Pre-planning and Post-event Reconciliation:Create, implement, and manage guest service programs from design through executionWork closely with all event stakeholders to garner a holistic understanding of the event and venueCommunicate with clients, teammates, and suppliers in a timely, positive, and efficient manner. Budget Management:Manage event budgets and ensure alignment with projected costs. Work with accounting to reconcile vendor invoices as necessary. Manage budget billbacks working with accounting and procuring approvals from various stakeholders. Reconcile invoices, budgets, and event metrics post-event. Create post-event reports for clients and track recommendations for improving future events. Program Development:o Devise strategic DOT maps that ensure fan needs are being met across the venueo Manage the development of service team trainings o Work closely with staffing, security, ticketing, and sponsorship teams for an overall positive fan experience o Oversee the production of daily rundowns or briefing sheets for all teamsTeam Supervision and Management:Manage and mentor a team of Guest Experience managers, freelancers, and contractors to optimize performance. Delegate tasks effectively and ensure accountability. Client and Stakeholder Relationship Management:Develop and maintain relationships with clients, sponsors, vendors, partners, and venues to align on goals and expectations. Act as the primary liaison to resolve conflicts, anticipate stakeholder needs, and ensure client satisfaction. Identify new business opportunities and support Sales Team in RFPs and proposals as needed. Onsite Program Execution:Execute onsite programs successfully, meeting all deadlines and solving problems as they arise. Support and lead onsite teams of staff and vendors supporting project deadlines and team morale. Professional Development:Continuously work on professional development to stay current on trends, research, technology, and networking opportunities relevant to events and self-development. experiences. Health and Safety:Adhere to all health and safety protocols. Qualifications:1. skills9. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.10. 3+ Professional references required. Who We Are:Kilowatt Events is a woman owned, live event production business that specializes in building and operating temporary event venues, designing custom brand activations, and creating turnkey programs for the fan experience. Our expertise has supported televised world-class sporting productions, Red Carpets, Lifestyle Festivals, Fortune 100 Corporate Events and is proud to have collected a Sports EMMY for our work on the College Football National Championship for ESPN. Kilowatt is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. The annual base salary range for this position is $105,000 – $110,000. qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with Kilowatt Events’ operational business needs and applicable law.