Director of Technical Infrastructure

Full-Time | Reports to Executive Director | Baltimore + Remote Hybrid

MAGFest, Inc., a nonprofit based in Baltimore, MD, is hiring a full-time Director of Technical Infrastructure to support our mission to make the world a better place through video games. This newly created, senior leadership position is designed to strengthen both event-based and year-round operations through the strategic management of technological resources. It will primarily focus on cross-departmental coordination, systemic improvements, and sustainable long-term solutions to our growing technical needs.

MAGFest is a heavily collaborative organization, and this position will work closely with volunteer leadership, employees, contractors, and vendors to ensure that technical systems are aligned, functional, and supportable. Thus, we are looking for a candidate who is skilled at managing both projects and people. You must be proactive, observant, and adaptable, able to lead or support as the situation needs. You must be able to navigate a volunteer-based working environment with thoughtfulness and patience while keeping a clear focus on follow-through. Ultimately, the goal of our employees is to increase coordination, direction, and support of our volunteer-led departments rather than replacing their work or undermining their agency. This position will have significant influence on the direction and decisions of the organization, but your real success is measured by how well others can do their work with clarity, sustainability, and confidence.

This position is full-time with a hybrid schedule, including one day per week in our coworking space in Baltimore City and at least one day per quarter in our warehouse in Beltsville, MD. It also requires attendance at our five major events each year: Super MAGFest, MAGStock, MAGWest, Spring MAGCon, and Fall MAGCon. Since MAGFest is largely volunteer-based, this role also requires regular weeknight availability and occasional weekend availability for virtual meetings. However, the role is not expected to serve as 24/7 on-call tech support. Terms of relocation may be flexible for the right candidate.

To apply, please submit a resume, a brief cover letter describing your comparable experience and what drew you to MAGFest, 2 professional references, and 1 professional writing sample (such as a policy, instructional document, or RFP created for another job). Applications will be processed on a rolling basis and will remain open for two weeks or until the position is filled.

Core Responsibilities:

• Lead long-term technical strategy and decision-making:
  
  
  
  • Identify needs & risks across MAGFest’s technical systems, incl. IT, live event AV, and other digital infrastructure tools
  
  
  • Develop holistic goals for technology integration and lifecycle planning
  
  
  • Stay informed about emerging systems or tools and assess their strategic value
  
  
  • Shepherd innovative technological initiatives that are identified as priorities
  
  
  • Emphasize the efficient use of resources, including budget and staff
  
  
  
  


• Strengthen and streamline technical infrastructure across departments and events:
  
  
  
  • Design a comprehensive work stream for budgeting, ordering, deploying, and tracking tech inventory, in collaboration with employees and volunteer leadership 
  
  
  • Maintain shared documentation for key systems and tools in order to improve volunteer access, uptake, and efficiency
  
  
  • Build or document other workflows to support volunteer teams, prevent single points of failure, and reduce burnout
  
  
  • Help establish clear expectations and escalation paths for teams
  
  
  • Arrange for additional volunteer training where appropriate
  
  
  • Integrate feedback into long-term planning efforts, especially where issues recur
  
  
  
  


• Coordinate pre-event and on-site technical operations at events:
  
  
  
  • Provide technical input on event deadlines, budgets, and personnel coverage
  
  
  • Serve as the primary liaison between relevant volunteer departments (e.g. TechOps, BroadcastOps, AV, Logistics) and ensure that shared goals are pursued in a timely, cohesive, and collaborative manner
  
  
  • Support relevant volunteer departments in collating inventory requests, determining rental and purchase needs, setting deadlines, and placing orders; develop RFPs and lead ordering for smaller events only if needed
  
  
  • Develop a working knowledge of the needs and aspirations of other (“non-technical”) departments in order to provide educated input on inventory requests, including making and communicating final decisions when requested
  
  
  • Review and approve major vendor contracts and coverage
  
  
  • Assist relevant volunteer departments in resolving unexpected technical obstacles or determining workarounds, particularly during load-in and setup
  
  
  
  


• Ensure year-round, day-to-day technical needs are carried out: 
  
  
  
  • Become familiar with critical organizational tools and the volunteer teams that support them, including our in-house custom registration software (Ubersystem), HubSpot, Google Workspace, Jira, Slack, and Squarespace
  
  
  • Help teams document, maintain, and evaluate their systems in order to promote healthy turnover, backups, and scaling
  
  
  • Support teams by unblocking stuck work, following up on unresolved issues, and maintaining connections
  
  
  • Liaise between teams and employees to help determine and schedule priorities
  
  
  • Convene IT team meetings if needed, including ensuring the timely distribution of invites, agendas, reminders, and notes
  
  
  • Assist with other related functions if needed (e.g. onboarding employees and volunteers to software platforms, live streaming/recording training events)
    
  
  
  
  

Core Qualifications:

• A professional or practical background in information technology, technical production for live events, or another related field
  
  
  
  • Note: you do not need to be an expert in every system we use, but you should have a solid working familiarity with IT and live event AV in order to effectively coordinate efforts in these areas. The breadth of your experience is likely to be more important than the depth of your experience (although that can also help).
  
  
  
  


• 5+ years experience managing technical systems and/or distributed teams in a complex environment with lots of moving parts


• Demonstrated managerial experience, including high emotional intelligence


• Strong written & verbal communication skills, including excellent attention to detail and a commitment to transparency


• A history of strong leadership in volunteer-based organizations (preferred)

• Familiarity with MAGFest organizational structure and/or fan convention culture (preferred)


• Location within commuting distance of Baltimore, MD or willingness to relocate


• A shared commitment to MAGFest’s Core Values: https://super.magfest.org/what-is-magfest

Pay & Benefits:

• $75k+/year salary (commensurate with experience)


• Comprehensive healthcare coverage including medical, dental, and vision


• Simple IRA retirement plan with a company match


• 5 weeks of paid leave, plus 10 paid holidays


• Continuing education/professional development opportunities


• Health & wellness benefit opportunities

Physical Demands, Working Environment, and Hazards:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This role operates in various working environments, including a shared coworking space, convention centers, hotels, an outdoor campground, and various other venues. Driving and/or flying to attend meetings, events, or site visits is occasionally necessary.


• While performing the duties of this job, the position is continuously required to walk, sit for extended periods of time, talk, hear, and use repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and fingers. This role may occasionally stand and reach at, below and above shoulder level. The work involves light physical effort: frequently exerting up to 10 pounds of force and occasionally exerting up to 20 pounds of force to lift, push or pull objects.


• This role requires the individual to read, analyze complex materials, and use a computer screen and internet connection. 


• The noise level can vary depending upon daily activities, but will remain within a moderate range.


• Employees are subjected to frequent interruptions and are often under severe time constraints.


• Employees are frequently in direct contact with the public, attendees, contractors, vendors, volunteers, and other employees.

ABOUT US: MAGFest, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization located in Baltimore, MD with a mission to make the world a better place through video games (and video game music). Our flagship event, Super MAGFest, draws nearly 25,000 attendees each year and is primarily run by over 1,200 volunteers. We also run several smaller events throughout the year, including in different states. We currently have 7 full-time employees and 1 part-time employee and are looking to expand our full-time, part-time, and contract positions. Find out more at magfest.org.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT: We strive to provide a positive and collaborative work environment and event experience for attendees, volunteers, employees, and job applicants. MAGFest, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides consideration for qualified applicants in its programs, activities, recruitment, and employment without regard to color, race, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or the perception of one or more of such characteristics, gender, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military and veteran status.