Programming Manager

Job Title: Programming Manager, Festival 

Location: Toronto, ON - Hybrid Office Set Up (In office for team collaboration on Thursdays and additional days near Elevate Festival)

Salary Range: $65,000 (Please note that this salary will be prorated for the duration of the contract)

Contract Dates: April 28 to Oct 23

Employment Type:  Full Time, Contract 

Reports to: Senior Manager, Programming 

Required to be fully available the week prior to Elevate Festival and on-site Sunday, October 5th, 2025 - Thursday, October 9th, 2025.

Do you believe that technology and innovation can solve society’s greatest issues? Do you want to be part of an organization working with some of the biggest companies and innovators in Canada to make meaningful change? If this is you, then read on.

About Elevate

Elevate unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, Elevate places a spotlight on Canadian innovation,  facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace innovation and collaboration. Elevate looks to bring together founders, investors and ecosystem leaders to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy.

We’re Looking For

A creative, dynamic, and solutions-driven Programming Manager to craft unforgettable stage content, recruit top-tier speakers, and elevate the Festival experience for speakers, sponsors, and attendees alike. You’ll play a pivotal role in curating cutting-edge conversations across our Main Stage, Festival Stages, and exclusive off-stage activations, ensuring every moment resonates with insight, inspiration, and impact.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives at the intersection of tech, storytelling, and live experiences. If you have a pulse on the latest tech trends, love engaging with industry leaders, and have a passion for event production, we want to hear from you!

Do you geek out over breakthrough innovations? Do you keep up with top tech influencers and game-changing startups? Are you driven to create show-stopping experiences that leave audiences buzzing?

If this sounds like you, let’s build something extraordinary together!

Main Responsibilities

• Lead speaker recruiting and content production for your assigned stages/lounges. 
• Research the latest trending tech topics that our technical and non-technical Festival audience will be interested in.
• Research, source, and secure high-level speakers & industry experts, including global tech leaders, senior government officials, technologists, top-tier journalists, globally recognizable musicians, and celebrities.
• Create clear project plans and work back schedules while proactively managing the  expectations of internal and external stakeholders
• Ideate and build out segments, ensuring they align with the stage theme and show flow. Ideate surprise and delight moments that can happen on and off stage (i.e. audience engagement moments, tech activations etc.).
• Lead confident negotiations with speakers and their teams 
• Work with the Programming Coordinator on the speaker onboarding and logistics process to ensure a seamless experience for speakers in advance of Festival and onsite 
• Build and foster positive relationships with Programming Partners to meaningfully integrate them into the Festival 
• Onboard corporate sponsors and their speakers on how to work with programming, working with them to craft and enhance their segment

• Prepare stage host scripts for your stages, and collect any video or visual elements from speakers.

• Own and manage Run of Show documents for your stages, work with the Production Manager to keep it maintained and up to date. Work with other Production Manager to create and update key production documents (i.e. Master Script) and segment assets (i.e. PPT & Video, etc.) in relation to your stages
• Prepare presentations and meeting materials for internal and external meetings
• Meet & liaise with speakers arriving on-site at Festival and before their on-stage segments.
• Assist in the creation of post-festival recap and analytic documents

Experience

• 2-3 years experience in creating educational content, speaker relations, live event programming/production or related industry 
• Completed post-secondary education in a relevant area of study (e.g. journalism, communications, marketing, business, media production, technology, and innovation)
• A strong proven interest in tech and innovation - constantly looking at tech trends, leaders, new innovations, and more across all industries
• Advanced working knowledge of Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Self-motivated, solutions-oriented and able to work both independently and within a team setting with minimal supervision. 
• Thrives in busy work environments
• Exceptional project management, organizational, and time management skills with the ability to multitask and prioritize projects with competing deadlines
• Resourceful and proven ability to research ideas and concepts through efficient channels
• Creative thinker willing to take initiative and artistic risks
• Executes a high level of positivity and professionalism in the office and onsite during the Elevate Festival
• Must be willing to work some non-structured hours as we approach the Elevate Festival, including 12+ hours days during Festival week.

*If you meet some, but not all of these requirements, we still encourage you to apply!

What We Offer 

• 4% vacation pay-out received on every paycheck
• Bonus summer long weekend days (Think: The Friday before the Long Weekend in July and September)
• A paid day off on the week of your birthday
• A hybrid work environment
• A parent-friendly and flexible workplace with flexible hours at the Toronto Design Exchange
• Opportunity to meet and collaborate with some of the biggest names in tech, while collaborating with a team through socials, numerous events, and workshops
• Staff socials to hang out as a team!

Interview Process

While this is not all-encompassing for every role at Elevate, we try to follow a process similar to this and all candidates will be notified at every stage who they’ll be meeting with. 

An example process: 

• Step 1: A phone call or screening email with one of our team members. In this call/email, we will cover the basics of the role and our organization, and discuss a high-level overview of your past experiences, goals, and interest in this role.
• Step 2: A video call with the hiring manager and a team member or supervisor. In this call, we will be digging deeper into your experience relevant to the role and also provide an opportunity for you to ask more questions and learn about our team. Some roles may require additional components involving portfolio walkthroughs, technical reviews, and opportunities for candidates to share more about their creative process. We will always let candidates know ahead of time if this is something you can expect for the role you're applying for.
• Step 3:  A video call or in-person meet-up in our downtown Toronto Office with the role’s Hiring Manager, Department Director and/or Festival Director. This is an opportunity to talk more about our programs and how you’d like to contribute and another point of connection.
• Step 4: Offer.

** We also aim to complete our recruitment process in around 4 weeks, but it is role and job-level dependent. 

Accommodations and Accessibility

Elevate strives to provide accommodations during the recruitment process should candidates request support. Should you require any accommodation, please indicate this on your application and we will try our best to work with you to meet your accessibility needs. For any questions, suggestions or required documents regarding accessibility in a different format, please contact us at accommodations@elevate.ca.

Elevate is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace in which everyone is welcomed, valued, and supported. Please advise of any accommodation measures that would enable you to be interviewed in a fair and equitable manner. If you are a member of an equity deserving community we encourage you to self-identify in your application. Information received in relation to identity or accommodation will be kept confidential. 

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At Elevate, we are committed to building an environment where everyone feels included, valued, and heard. Diversity, inclusion, and belonging are an important part of our everyday working culture. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities and/or people with intersectional identities.

Elevate was founded on land that is the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island. We acknowledge that we are all treaty people and accept our responsibility to honour all our relations.

To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside on and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense or historical context: colonialism is current and ongoing, and we need to centre reconciliation in our actions and our work. We encourage our team, partners, and clients to learn about the lands in which they live and to work towards reconciliation.