The Utah Film Center is hiring: Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids Operations Co

Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids Operations Contractor

The annual Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids, organized by Utah Film Center, is seeking an Operations Contractor to support the Utah Film Center with the operations of the 2026 Festival. The ideal candidate for this job is a personable, organized, detail-oriented, and resourceful individual who is a strong problem solver and thrives in both independent and team-based settings. This role offers hands‑on experience in nonprofit and film festival operations and will report directly to the Festival Director of the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids.

This Salt Lake City–based role will start Tuesday, February 17, 2026, and will conclude on Friday, May 1, 2026. The work in the early weeks of the contract is project-based for the festival and will have a flexible schedule, and the bulk of the operations and logistics work will happen from March 15 through the conclusion of the festival on May 1, with fixed weekly meetings with the festival operations team. The role will not exceed 20 hours per week during the duration of the contract, and the Operations Contractor is expected to be on site for the festival from April 21-25, 2026. Based on performance in this contractor position, there is potential to have other ops contractor jobs around our festivals at the Utah Film Center.

This contract role is designed for an individual with previous event production, festival operations, or large-scale program coordination experience, ideally in nonprofit, arts, or community-based environments.

Location

Primarily Salt Lake City, UT (hybrid work format with required onsite event days)

Contract Term

February 17 – May 1, 2026

Estimated Time Commitment

No more than 20 hours/week, variable week-to-week of contract, with the highest amount of hours worked (20 hours) two weeks before the festival date of April 25, 2025.

Key On-Site Event Dates

April 21-25, 2026 (required)

Compensation

$3,000.00 flat-rate contract

Primary Responsibilities

• Support the Festival Director in operations planning and logistics, including, but not limited to:
  • Creating volunteer and Utah Film Center staffing schedules
  • Maintaining venue communications, contracts, rentals, and paperwork
  • Developing festival floor plans and event load-in and load-out procedures
  • Creating vendor contracts and paperwork, and completing post-festival invoicing for payments
  • Creating event runs of show for each activity at the festival
  • Coordinating all staff and contractor meals, travel, and load-in and load-out vehicle rentals
  • Supporting the logistics of all operations-related aspects of the festival
  • Being the main point of contact for the days of the festival with all external vendors, contractors, volunteers, and partners
• Attend festival planning meetings on Tuesdays from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm each week starting February 17, 2026.
• Be on site for the festival the week of April 21 – 25, 2026, for operations management.

Scope of Work

• Manage communications, contracts, paperwork, and requirements for venues and vendors
• Prepare production documents, including floor plans, load-in/load-out schedules, and run-of-show materials
• Coordinate required rentals, permits, transportation, meals, and hospitality packages

On‑Site Event Support (April 21–25)

• Serve as primary operations contact for venues, vendors, contractors, volunteers, and partners
• Support venue setup, guest experience logistics, and schedule adherence
• Troubleshoot issues quickly and professionally under time‑sensitive conditions

Post‑Event Closeout (Late April–May 1)

• Track invoices, confirm vendor documentation, and support payment processing
• Participate in a post‑event debrief and provide operational recommendations

Requirements

• A valid Driver’s License and age 21+ to drive company vehicles and rented vehicles for the festival load‑in and load‑out
• Reliable transportation to Utah Film Center offices and the Viridian Event Center
• Professional‑level verbal and written communication skills
• Detail‑oriented in all work
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• A proactive approach to problem‑solving, including strong communication, evaluation, and decision‑making skills
• Ability to adapt to the company culture and current workflows for festival operations for ease of implementation
• Experience organizing and managing events
• Enjoy working with children and families professionally and cheerfully
• The ability to professionally represent the organization in the field
• The ability to handle oneself professionally while under pressure
• Familiarity with or a willingness to learn Salesforce, Google Workspace, Asana, Slack, and Salesforce for festival operations

To Apply

Please send a cover letter and resume to apply@utahfilmcenter.org

About Utah Film Center

The Utah Film Center is a Salt Lake City‑based 501(c)(3) organization that connects people, stories, and ideas through film exhibition, media arts education, and artist support. Founded in 2002, Utah Film Center presents films for cinema lovers of all ages, offers in‑class and teacher‑focused education programs, and provides a variety of services and support for filmmakers and media artists. We collaborate with educational and community organizations to champion underrepresented voices and perspectives, encourage diversity, empathy, and community‑building, and develop new audiences for film. Additionally, we curate and organize two film festivals each year: the Tumbleweeds Film Festival, which is geared towards kids and families, and the Utah Queer Film Festival, featuring stories from the LGBTQIA+ community.

About the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids

Tumbleweeds Film Festival showcases films about kids and for kids. The annual festival features a student film competition and presents workshops to engage Utah’s young and curious content creators. In its 14th year, it is the Mountain West’s longest‑running independent film festival for kids. In 2026, we will offer the festival in partnership with Salt Lake County Libraries and hold it at the Viridian Event Center in West Jordan on Saturday, April 25.