Festival Co-Director (Development & Communication)
/Organization:
Vancouver Short Film Festival
Deadline:
Sep. 14, 2026
Organization Description:
Since our inception in 2005, the Vancouver Short Film Festival has been committed to celebrating Canada’s vibrant community of short filmmakers, documentarians, and animation artists. Our goal is to foster that community by elevating local talent, connecting filmmakers to audiences, and building ties between emerging and established filmmakers nationwide.
Each year the volunteer-run festival regularly programs 40-50 short films and awards over $40,000 in cash and prizes to Canada’s best shorts. The 16th Vancouver Short Film Festival will be held in Spring/Early Summer 2027, in-person in Vancouver.
Organization Website:
Volunteer Opportunity Description:
VSFF is looking for a passionate and skilled individual to join the Vancouver Short Film Festival as the Festival Co-Director (Development & Communication). In this role, the Festival Co-Director (Development & Communication) will lead a team to cultivate the festival’s sponsorship, grants, and donors programs and oversee the festival’s communication and marketing efforts.
Key duration is from summer 2026 - August 2027. The anticipated time required varies depending on the phase of festival production but can range from anywhere from 5-25 hours/week.
Benefits include an honorarium of $500 and a reference letter from the VSFF Chair on request.
Details available on festival website.
Responsibilities:
- As the fundraising and communication lead, overseeing the Vancouver Short Film Festival and any related activities with other Co-Directors
- Collaborate with the other Co-Directors to develop the overall strategy and delivery plan for the film festival and any related activities, with particular focus on fundraising and raising Festival’s brand and public profile
- Seeking out and managing applications for festival funding, including grant applications and other fundraising opportunities
- Leading the festival’s effort in cultivating excellent long-term relationships with sponsors, partners, and donors
- Developing and delivering a marketing & communications plan to promote the festival and the programme via the festival website, social media, and other marketing media
- Supporting Programming and Operations with meeting submission and ticket sales goals
- Collaborating with all Co-Directors to support festival staff members in setting departmental goals & strategies, recruiting team members, and supporting the team members to ensure they have a fulfilling experience
- Participating in relevant board committee meetings and acting as a liaison between the VSFF Board and staff
- Tracking statistics and data and compiling reports to funders, granting agencies, and the VSFF Board
- Acting as public representative of the festival as needed
Qualifications:
- Minimum 3 years of experience in event management, communications, and/or fundraising, or equivalent combination of education and experience, film festival experience is an asset
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in grants and sponsorship management
- Strong team leadership and collaboration skills, experience managing a team and conflict resolution is a strong asset
- Strong organizational and prioritization skills
- Ability to see through new projects from concept to execution
- Strong communication skills, written and verbal
- A self-starter with a willingness to learn and adapt
- Demonstrated passion and dedication for Vancouver, BC and Canadian independent film production and exhibition
- Desire to innovate and be a leader in the Canadian film & media landscape, staying in tune with trends and community needs
How to Apply:
To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to board@vsff.com by Sept 7th, 2026. (Late applicants will be considered on a rolling basis.) Our plan is to hold interviews between Sept 10th - 17th. We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. References will be requested for those selected for interviews.
