Chief of Staff

Overview

The Chief of Staff (COS) is a critical leadership role responsible for maximizing the effectiveness of the President & CEO and the overall executive team of the 2026 Los Angeles Jazz Festival. This position serves as a primary strategic partner, ensuring organizational alignment, driving key initiatives, and facilitating executive decision-making. The COS will act as an integrator, communicator, and gatekeeper, helping to manage the organization's high-priority projects and internal communications leading up to and during the Festival.

About The LA Jazz Festival

The LA Jazz Festival is a bold new entry into the global jazz festival market. Featuring 17 days of music, art, fashion, food, culture, presented throughout Los Angeles County and culminating with a breathtaking weekend featuring a 4-stage Caribbean Street Festival and two weekend days on Dockweiler beach during the height of LA’s warmest and best coastal climates. The LA Jazz Festival will harness the destination lifestyle approach featuring 25 free concerts in parks, a full youth jazz camp, a two day jazz conference, a fashion show and two days of coastal cultural tours to tell the history of coastal racial pushout as well as celebrating coastal enthusiasts of color. At its core, LA Jazz Fest will feature a world-class line-up that creatively curates “jazz to Hip Hop and everything in between”. Musicians from around the world will play at multiple venues while keeping the majority of tickets free. Los Angeles is the sports and entertainment capital of the world and soon will join leading cities globally in hosting a dynamic, multi-dimensional music and cultural festival which supports area youth and promotes coastal protection.

Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Partnership & Execution

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the President & CEO on organizational planning, operations, and strategic objectives.
• Manage the execution of strategic priorities, tracking progress, identifying potential roadblocks, and driving resolution.
• Prepare and synthesize internal and external communications, presentations, and reports for the CEO, including Board materials and high-level stakeholder updates.

Operations & Administration

• Manage the CEO's time and schedule, prioritizing appointments and activities to align with organizational goals.
• Facilitate efficient and effective decision-making processes across the executive team.
• Lead or support cross-functional projects and initiatives that require coordination across multiple departments (e.g., Programming, Marketing, Development, Operations).

Communication & Alignment

• Ensure clear, consistent, and timely communication of the CEO’s vision and directives to the executive team and the broader organization.
• Act as a liaison between the CEO and direct reports, key external stakeholders, and the Festival Board of Directors.
• Prepare agendas, materials, and follow-up action items for executive team meetings, strategic offsites, and Board meetings, ensuring accountability for deliverables.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7-10 years of professional experience, with significant time spent in a Chief of Staff, Executive Director, or senior project management role, preferably within the arts, entertainment, non-profit, or major event production sectors.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex projects, driving organizational alignment, and operating in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear, concise, and compelling communications for diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to build strong working relationships with executives, staff, Board members, and external partners.
• High level of emotional intelligence, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Business Administration, Arts Management, or a related field preferred.
• Must be available to work extended hours, including evenings and weekends, leading up to and during the 2026 Los Angeles Jazz Festival.

Fees & Position Structure

Please send your proposal, resume and cover letter which should outline your experience, capacities and available schedule to serve in this position. Also, list what percentage of your work time you’re prepared to offer to this role.

The successful candidate must be prepared to start immediately and work through the festival: (Opening Night is August 7, 2026. Closing night is August 23, 2026).

Interested candidates should submit a Cover Letter and Resume to: ExecutiveRecruitment@LosAngelesJazzFest.com

Pay: From $90,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person

Salary : $90,000