Family Program Manager

Oakland Children's Fairyland•Oakland, CA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Family Program Manager is a key contributor to Fairyland’s mission-driven, revenue-generating programs for children and families. Reporting to the Senior Director of Operations, this hands-on, collaborative role oversees the catered birthday party program and project manages family-focused events, including family sleepovers and park-wide experiences. The manager ensures programs are operationally excellent, guest-centered, and positioned for sustainable growth. The role manages birthday party logistics from booking and payment through on-site execution, develops strategies to grow bookings and revenue, and supports the training and scheduling of Park Ambassadors who host parties. It also develops, plans, and executes family programs; manages event budgets, timelines, calendars, staffing, volunteers, vendors, and activations; and co-hosts overnight sleepovers with attention to guest safety and satisfaction. The manager tracks program performance and expenditures, maintains reports and analytics, builds guest relationships, and identifies improvements to guest experience and operational efficiency. This is a regular, full-time, non-exempt position scheduled Wednesdays through Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The role is primarily outdoors in a 10-acre amusement park and requires weekend and occasional evening work in seasonal weather. The non-negotiable pay rate is $26.95 per hour. Full-time employees may participate in benefits beginning the first of the month following 60 days of service.

Requirements

At least three years of experience in a front-facing customer service role.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including in-person, phone, and email communication.
Excellent organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills, with strong attention to detail.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and follow through to completion.
Ability to make quick, thoughtful decisions in a fast-paced environment.
Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and customer registration or ticketing systems.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across teams and work independently.
Ability to learn and adapt to new systems, platforms, and processes.
Must pass background clearance and have no barriers to working with children.
Ability to work weekends and occasional evenings.
Ability to perform duties including standing, sitting, kneeling, walking, bending, and repetitive motions throughout an eight-hour shift.
Ability to safely traverse uneven terrain throughout a 10-acre amusement park.
Ability to safely lift and transport items weighing up to 50 pounds.
Ability to work safely without presenting a direct threat to self or others.
Ability to respond quickly to sounds and situations, communicate in a clear, loud voice, and operate a two-way radio.
Ability to work outdoors in seasonal weather conditions for the full shift.
Reliable punctuality and attendance.

Nice To Haves

Experience in event management, hospitality, or logistics.
A proven record of delivering exceptional guest experiences.
People-oriented approach and ability to work effectively with people from varied backgrounds, including non-English-speaking and culturally diverse stakeholders.
Professional maturity and composure during stressful interactions.
Energetic, diplomatic, adaptable demeanor and a good sense of humor.
Passion for Fairyland’s mission, vision, and goals, and understanding of how the role contributes to organizational success.
Strong work ethic and orientation toward process improvement.
Impeccable integrity and honesty.
Creative thinking, openness to feedback, and enthusiasm for collaborative work.

Responsibilities

Oversee all aspects of the catered birthday party program, including calendar management, payment collection, guest communication, and on-site execution.
Develop and implement strategies to increase birthday party bookings and revenue.
Ensure a seamless and joyful guest experience from initial inquiry through completion of birthday events.
Assist with training, scheduling, and supporting Park Ambassadors who serve as birthday party hosts.
Develop, plan, and execute family programs, including catered birthday parties, summer family sleepovers, and park-wide family events.
Project-manage family events to ensure smooth execution, operational readiness, and excellent guest experiences.
Co-host and support overnight family sleepovers, ensuring guest safety, engagement, and satisfaction.
Partner with the Senior Director of Operations on daytime family events, including staffing, volunteers, vendor coordination, activations, and scheduling.
Forecast and develop budgets that account for planned expenses and labor for relevant family programs.
Track actual expenditures against planned budgets and optimize resource allocation across programs.
Manage program budgets, timelines, and calendars.
Participate in cross-departmental planning and brainstorming to align programs with organizational goals.
Develop and maintain reports and data analytics to track program performance and support decision-making.
Build lasting guest relationships through proactive communication and thoughtful service recovery.
Identify opportunities to improve guest experience and operational efficiency.
Perform other duties as assigned.