Food & Beverage Manager (Contract)

Our Neck of the Woods Festival 2026

Contract Term: June 22, 2026 – September 13, 2026

Festival Date: September 5, 2026

Required Onsite Dates: September 4 (Load-In), September 5 (Festival Day), September 6 (Strike & Vendor Settlements)

Location: Hybrid (Remote/In Office) with required onsite attendance during event week.

About the Festival

Our Neck of the Woods is Maple Ridge's premier music festival and a signature community event produced by Here & Now Productions. The free, one-day festival brings together live music, food trucks, licensed beverage service, artisan vendors, family-friendly activities, and community programming, creating an engaging and memorable experience for thousands of attendees.

Entering its third year, the festival has established food and beverage systems, supplier relationships, vendor databases, operational plans, budgets, site maps, and contract templates. The successful candidate will be responsible for updating, implementing, and executing these systems for the 2026 event while helping deliver an exceptional experience for guests, vendors, sponsors, and community partners.

Position Overview

The Food & Beverage Manager is responsible for coordinating and executing all food and beverage operations for Our Neck of the Woods 2026. Working closely with the Festival Producer and Operations Team, this role oversees festival bar operations, food vendor management, staffing, supplier coordination, inventory management, point-of-sale systems, regulatory compliance, and onsite execution.

The ideal candidate is highly organized and proactive, with experience managing food and beverage operations within festival, event, or live entertainment environments.

Reporting Relationship

The Food & Beverage Manager reports directly to the Festival Producer and works closely with the Operations Manager, Sponsorship Team, and Finance Team.

Key ResponsibilitiesFestival Bar Operations

• Lead all food and beverage operations for the festival, including bars, food vendors, and onsite service.
• Source and manage beverage inventory, equipment, ice, refrigeration, and other supplies needed to deliver a successful event.
• Work with the Festival Producer to coordinate beverage partnerships, sponsorship activations, and supplier relationships.
• Oversee inventory tracking, product returns, and supplier settlements before, during, and after the festival.
• Oversee food and beverage operations during festival hours, ensuring a safe, efficient, and welcoming experience for guests.

Regulatory Compliance & Administration

• Participate in planning meetings and support event week preparations.
• Support liquor licensing applications and ensure all food and beverage operations comply with applicable regulations.
• Manage Provincial Sales Tax (PST) registration, tracking, reporting, and remittance requirements related to festival food and beverage sales.
• Ensure vendors maintain all required permits, licences, insurance, and health authority approvals.
• Support inspections and regulatory reviews as required.
• Keep organized records and documentation related to licensing, compliance, and financial reporting.
• Complete post-event reporting, sales summaries, inventory reconciliation, and recommendations for future festivals.

Staffing & Scheduling

• Recruit, schedule, train, and support bar staff and supervisors.
• Develop staffing plans and shift schedules that align with attendance forecasts and operational needs.
• Coordinate staff communications, training, and event-day briefings.
• Maintain a roster of qualified staff and identify backup personnel to support festival operations.

Point-of-Sale Systems

• Manage all food and beverage point-of-sale systems, including setup, product menus, pricing, taxes, inventory tracking, and device deployment.
• Coordinate payment processing operations, troubleshoot system issues, and ensure accurate sales data is captured throughout the festival.
• Support sales reconciliation, reporting, and revenue tracking in collaboration with the festival's finance team.

Vendor Management

• Recruit and manage a diverse lineup of food vendors and food trucks.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with vendors, suppliers, and festival partners.
• Serve as the main point of contact for food & beverage vendors throughout the planning process and onsite during the event.
• Coordinate vendor logistics, including placement, load-in/load-out procedures, site access, and operational requirements.
• Manage vendor agreements, reporting, and post-event settlements.

Qualifications

• Experience managing food and beverage operations for festivals, events, or large-scale public gatherings.
• Strong organizational, administrative, and communication skills.
• Detailed understanding of Google Workspace.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Experience coordinating vendors, suppliers, and service providers.
• Experience with staff recruitment, scheduling, and supervision.
• Familiarity with Square or similar point-of-sale systems.
• Knowledge of liquor service regulations and best practices.
• Familiarity with Special Event Permit (SEP) applications, liquor licensing requirements, and beverage service regulations in British Columbia is considered an asset.
• Understanding of PST requirements and financial reporting related to event-based food and beverage sales is considered an asset.
• Understanding of food vendor permitting, health authority requirements, and event compliance requirements is considered an asset.

Contract Expectations

• Up to 120 hours of planning, coordination, vendor management, staffing, administration, and post-event wrap-up between June 22 and September 13, 2026.
• Flexible scheduling during June and July.
• Increased availability required during August and event week.
• September 4, 2026 (Load-In)
• September 5, 2026 (Festival Day)
• September 6, 2026 (Strike & Vendor Settlements)

Compensation

This is a contract position with compensation structured as follows:

• $6,000 CAD fixed contract fee for planning, coordination, vendor management, staffing, administration, regulatory compliance, and post-event wrap-up.
• $750 CAD per day for required onsite event delivery.
• September 4, 2026 (Load-In)
• September 5, 2026 (Festival Day)
• September 6, 2026 (Strike & Vendor Settlements)

Total compensation of up to $8,250 CAD.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing their time and workload to deliver the responsibilities outlined in this position description.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to ***email_hidden***