DPW Site Services Manager

JOB SUMMARY

The Department of Public Works (DPW) Site Services Manager is responsible for the strategic planning, coordination, and execution of all sanitation and potable water services for the Burning Man event. In this pivotal role, you will lead a dynamic site services dispatch team and a dedicated trailer servicing unit that supplies potable water to staff trailers. Responsibilities include coordinating the deployment and maintenance of portos, water tanks, handwashing stations, shower facilities, and RV pumping services to ensure seamless operations in a fast-paced, challenging environment.

This role also directly interfaces with our third-party vendor, which performs boots-on-the-ground work to ensure that all sanitation services are executed to the highest standards. Additionally, you will manage service requests, develop detailed dispatch schedules, allocate resources effectively, and maintain comprehensive records for budgeting and end-of-season reconciliation. This essential position demands strong operational prowess, proactive leadership, and a commitment to excellence throughout.

  This temporary, ineligible for benefits role is: 

• From July - September:  Full-Time,  Non-Exempt, based Black Rock City, Nevada. 

The deadline to apply for this role is 5:00pm PST on May 11th, 2026.

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Operations and Administrative Support (65%)

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to the DPW Logistics Manager and Site Services Team.
• Facilitate smooth operations by optimising resource allocations, ensuring all sanitation-related tasks and deadlines are met, and supporting teams in adhering to budgetary constraints. Be prepared to operate between office and field objectives on a daily basis.
• Utilize various mapping tools to identify, plan, and communicate key locations, service routes, and logistical details, confirming accurate directions and clear guidance to team members and vendors across the event site.
• Enforce safety protocols and empower all crew members to prioritize health and safety.
• Execute daily tasks including dispatch coordination, calendar management, data entry, and email communications. Deliver clear, concise, and professional oral and written communications.
• Utilize digital tools—such as Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive) and Microsoft Office—to streamline processes and share information efficiently.
• Actively manage two-way radio communications to promptly address service requests, dispatch support, and share live feedback; Coordinate the placement, maintenance, and removal of portos, as well as tank filling, pumping, and shower facility issues.
• Maintain an organized office presence, ensuring that all equipment is properly set up and operational; manage printing, copying, and other support tasks to facilitate smooth administrative functions.
• Actively engage with departmental representatives and operational leads to foster a cooperative work environment and ensure clear communication across teams.

Personnel Management/ Leadership (20%)

• Actively assist staff in creative problem-solving and developing solutions to operational challenges, fostering a supportive and responsive work environment.
• Address internal inquiries, feedback, and change requests with patience, professionalism, and a focus on positive customer service, contributing to team cohesion, efficiency and accountability.
• Attend all relevant meetings and facilitate crew participation, maintaining correspondence to ensure communications remain relevant.

Documentation (10%)

• Adhere to established protocols by accurately documenting all site services data via radio logs, email, and digital spreadsheets; Create and submit reports as requested by management, including asset usage, maintenance, and status reports, ensuring timely and accurate documentation.
• Continuously improve and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for assigned projects throughout the season to accurately reflect current practices.
• Prepare detailed, constructive feedback for DPW Management, summarizing seasonal successes, pinpointing areas for improvement, and providing actionable recommendations for improvement, including the submission of the end-of-season AfterBurn Report.
• Submit end-of-season EMBER reports detailing observed operational challenges and pain points across the event.

Other Functions and Responsibilities (5%)

• Review and teach the BRC Rain Contingency Plan, emergency response plans, the Burning Man Integrated Plan and when to execute each with the crew.
• Work with the team to plan and execute LNT and Waste disposal plans for all relevant operations.
• Participate in Meetings when requested and maintain related correspondence via assigned Burning Man mailing lists.
• Be familiar with, understand, and act in accordance with Burning Man’s staff policies, protocols, and behavioral standards.
• Monitor personal well-being by setting realistic goals and managing self-care, while proactively addressing any concerns with management.
• Embrace supplemental responsibilities and projects as requested to support the department’s mission and ensure the event's seamless operation.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

• Documentation - Assists in the creation, publishing, and maintenance of process documentation related to their assigned duties.
• Knowledge sharing – Helps acculturate and educate junior staff in Burning Man culture and business processes.
• Training development - Collaborates with the education team to develop training materials in their area of expertise, as requested.
• Learning – Pursues ongoing learning in their area of expertise, working to stay current on emergent knowledge, skills, and processes.

QUALIFICATIONS

 Required

• Minimum of 1+ years of experience in a "Lead" or Supervisory capacity. Must be comfortable coordinating daily tasks, managing shift schedules, and keeping team communication clear and consistent.
• Proven experience in a customer-facing environment. Ability to think on your feet to resolve minor conflicts or logistical hitches while maintaining a professional, helpful attitude toward staff and guests.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to engage in proactive, clarifying conversations, integrate feedback, and handle sensitive information with high behavioral integrity and discretion. 
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail in data entry and tight schedules. Advanced proficiency with Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets) and Microsoft Office is required. Must be quick to learn and update new software tools or documentation systems.
• Able to maintain a tidy, safe and efficient work environment while adhering to healthy boundaries and timeline goals; Self-motivated with strong time-management skills, able to work independently and initiate tasks without constant supervision.
• Willing and able to temporarily relocate to the Burning Man event site in Gerlach, Nevada, for the full duration of the DPW contract. 
• Capable of working in an extreme environment including drastic temperature changes, high winds, poor air quality and low to no visibility at times. Ability to keep a calm, guiding presence while responding to pressure or emergency situations.

Preferred 

• Has technical knowledge and familiarity with water tank specifications, travel-trailer plumbing fundamentals, or small-engine troubleshooting is a significant plus.
• Prior experience working in Black Rock City or similar remote event environments is highly desirable.
• Experience managing vendor relations including but not limited to delivery, inspections, service scheduling and returns.

Note: If you have gained the necessary experience to succeed in this role and have acquired this experience in other ways, we encourage you to apply and share all relevant experience in your application.

REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

COMPENSATION

Individual compensation decisions are dependent on a variety of factors, including prior experience and geographical location. The anticipated rate for this position:

• From August - September is $19.50 to $21.00 per hour.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Off-playa:  Work is primarily sedentary in nature, no special demands are required.
• On-playa:  Work is primarily sedentary but will also include the need to find and meet with department representatives who may not be in the vicinity therefore this could include walking or using some form of transportation.  Some work will be in outside weather conditions and will be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, as well as possible extremes in temperature.

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.

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