About the Role

The Placement Operations Coordinator is a core member of Burning Man Project’s Placement Department, supporting the systems, relationships, and communications that help thousands of theme camps and community members participate meaningfully in Black Rock City. This role blends operational coordination, community relations, and communications support in a fast-moving, mission-driven environment.

You’ll work closely with Placement leadership and a dedicated volunteer network, helping maintain the processes and relationships that make one of the world’s most complex temporary cities function. The role is based in Burning Man Project’s San Francisco office with on-site presence in Nevada in the weeks before and during the annual event.

We’re looking for someone who is organized, communicative, proactive, and genuinely energized by both detailed administrative work and human-facing community coordination. You take initiative, build systems that last, and bring a collaborative, low-ego approach to everything you do.

What You’ll Do

Community Engagement & Outreach (25%)

• Coordinate the production of community programming including Camp Symposium, Campfire Talks, and Tea Talks in collaboration with the Camp Support volunteer team
• Develop and maintain community spaces and resources within Burning Man Hive including courses and groups that support camp and community engagement
• Conduct outreach to emerging and adjacent Burning Man communities to help them understand how to participate and contribute
• CSupport coordination of community surveys, focus groups, and informational sessions to identify needs and gather feedback

Communications & Content (25%)

• Manage the monthly Placement Newsletter end-to-end including writing, editing, layout, and distribution
• Maintain and update all public-facing Placement content including website pages, FAQs, the Placed Camp Handbook, and public calendars
• Coordinate camp lead-directed mass email communications including placement announcements and educational materials
• Manage Placement social media presence across owned accounts and designated community spaces
• Respond to participant inquiries related to the Placement process and timeline via email and other channels
• Coordinate the annual review and publication of Camp Listings to the Burning Man website

Operations Coordination (30%)

• Manage Salesforce database, including record updates, data cleanup, and reporting; export and format data in Google Sheets for analysis and distribution
• Maintain organized file systems across Google Drive and keep team documentation, indexes, and SOPs current and accessible
• Coordinate inbox management across Placement, Camp Support, and PEERS inboxes to ensure timely triage and response
• Manage and monitor budget allocations, including expense reports, procurement of on-playa supplies and materials, and fulfillment tracking
• Coordinate ticket and Setup Access Pass allocation and troubleshooting for theme camps, villages, and volunteers in partnership with Ticketing and Tech departments
• Provide general administrative support, including notetaking, meeting scheduling, and project tracking in Asana

Volunteer Coordination (10%)

• Manage the full volunteer lifecycle, including recruitment, vetting, onboarding, and ongoing support for Placement, Flaggers, Camp Support, and PEERS teams
• Maintain volunteer contact records, technology account access, and permissions
• Coordinate volunteer appreciation, including apparel, recognition materials, and team-building activities

On-Playa Operations (10% — mid-August through early September)

• Manage Placement HQ Office setup, operations, and breakdown in collaboration with the Placement Production Coordinator
• Serve as on-playa office manager, ensuring consistent volunteer staffing, clear procedures, and a well-maintained workspace
• Track and distribute on-playa resources, including radios, iPads, passes, and supplies to volunteer teams
• Develop and maintain a system for collecting, tracking, and routing participant issues to the appropriate team members
• Provide high-quality, calm, and solutions-oriented customer service to participants and volunteers on-site

What We’re Looking For

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in program coordination, operations, community relations, or a closely related field
• Strong written communication skills, including copy editing and clear, accessible writing for diverse audiences
• Experience with CRM or database platforms
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and project management tools such as Asana
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams with strong attention to detail
• Experience volunteering and coordinating or supporting volunteers or community groups
• Ability to work on-site in Black Rock Desert for approximately 3 weeks annually in physically demanding conditions

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Burning Man culture, community, or the event ecosystem
• Experience with social media management and content creation
• Graphic design or newsletter production experience
• Background in nonprofit administration or community development
• Experience building or improving operational systems and documentation

How You Work

As important as what you’ll do is how you do it. The ideal candidate:

• Takes initiative — notices gaps, proposes solutions, and doesn’t wait to be told once they understand the processes and protocols
• Juggles and triages effectively — quickly understands and assesses issues, switches easily between different types of tasks, seeks pathways to move through work
• Friendly and customer service oriented — empathizes with community members, diagnoses issues and seeks path for resolutions
• Communicates proactively — flags issues early, checks in when uncertain rather than assuming, and keeps stakeholders informed
• Receives and gives feedback openly — sees feedback as information, not criticism, and contributes to a culture of honest and supportive communication
• Sweats the details — catches errors before they go out, maintains clean systems, and understands that precision in this role has real community impact
• Stays grounded under pressure — brings calm, clarity, and good humor to high-volume and high-stakes moments, especially during event season

Compensation & Logistics

• Salary: $1360 per week depending on experience
• Benefits package including health, dental, and vision
• Based in San Francisco, CA with hybrid flexibility outside of peak season
• Must be able to work occasional nights and weekends
• On-site presence required in Black Rock City, Nevada approximately 3 weeks annually

NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

• Burning Man Project celebrates the importance of creating a diverse environment and enthusiastically encourages Black, Indigenous, Peoples of Color, LGBTQIA+, Immigrant, women, and people with disabilities, of all ages, to apply.
• Burning Man Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
• Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.