Managing Director, Live Experiences

About the role

The Managing Director, Live Experiences is a senior leader in the Experience department reporting to the Chief Experience Officer, responsible for setting strategy, designing, planning and delivering 60+ programs and 120+ events annually across the three gardens, overseeing a distributed team and contractors, managing a $7M+ portfolio, and being present for evenings, weekends and holidays to ensure high‑impact, brand‑aligned live experiences.

About the company

Gardens of Golden Gate Park is a public‑private partnership that manages three historic San Francisco gardens—the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden and the San Francisco Botanical Garden—offering a world‑renowned destination that connects people to plants, the planet and each other through conservation, education, events and community engagement.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in live events, live entertainment, theme parks, immersive experiences or large‑scale civic programming.
• Proven track record delivering high‑impact live experiences with responsibility for operational quality and financial performance.
• Strong leadership and project‑management skills, organized, analytical and able to manage multiple direct and third‑party relationships.
• Exceptional creative vision, attention to detail and a hospitality‑focused customer service ethic.
• Experience building or stewarding major civic, entertainment or institutional partnerships.
• Sound judgment and initiative under pressure, solution‑oriented thinking and discretion with sensitive information.
• Demonstrated commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) objectives and applying an equity lens to work.
• High professionalism, collaborative work style and unwavering commitment to visitor experience and the Gardens’ mission.
• Ability to work indoor and outdoor in varying weather conditions year‑round, including standing, walking on uneven surfaces, crouching, bending, kneeling, climbing stairs or ladders, and using arms overhead.
• Capability to regularly lift or move up to 10 lb and occasionally lift or move up to 50 lb.
• Ability to safely use and maintain necessary tools and equipment and follow safety and emergency protocols.