Volunteer Breakout Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Description

Job Title: Breakout Assistant Lead

Division: Technology
Department: Technical Productions
Reports to: Breakout Lead
Position Type: Unpaid Volunteer
Location: Expected to be on-site during convention dates, including the day before and the day after for setup and teardown.

Anthro SoCal is a community-driven convention celebrating furry fandom through art, performance, gaming, and social connection. Our success depends on the dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteer team. Anthro SoCal was formally known as Another Furry Con in 2024-2025.

The Breakout Assistant Lead is the central nervous system of the convention's panel and breakout rooms. This role is a tactical management position focused on overseeing operations across multiple rooms simultaneously, acting as the primary link between frontline breakout room staff and team leadership. You will spend your shifts actively coordinating logistics, managing communications, and mitigating real-time issues ranging from scheduling hiccups to minor technical failures. Crucially, you must possess the leadership presence and operational readiness to seamlessly step in and command the department if the Breakout Lead is unavailable.

• Year-round: None
• As convention approaches: Attend online staff meetings and trainings when requested
• Convention weekend: On-site presence is required with flexible hours. Must plan to work the minimum volunteer hour requirement posted on the website
• Pre and post-convention: On-site presence is required to assist with setup and teardown activities the day before and the day after the event

Your role focuses on multi-room oversight, staff coordination, and leadership support:

• Leadership Support & Succession: Work side-by-side with the Breakout Lead to support all aspects of department operations. You must be fully prepared to take over full leadership responsibilities in the event that the Breakout Lead is unavailable
• Multi-Room Communication Hub: Establish and manage clear, rapid communication channels between individual breakout rooms, panel rooms, and the Breakout Lead to ensure operations remain synchronized
• Staff Point of Contact: Serve as the immediate resource, advocate, and supervisor for the breakout room staff and volunteers, answering questions and ensuring they feel supported on the floor
• Issue Mitigation & Triage: Actively circulate through or monitor breakout spaces to rapidly coordinate solutions and mitigate issues before they disrupt the schedule.
• Schedule Maintenance Support: Assist the Lead in tracking volunteer attendance and managing the shift schedule, ensuring all rooms remain adequately staffed using team spreadsheets

Required:

• Leadership Experience: Proven ability to manage, direct, and motivate a team of volunteers scattered across multiple spaces
• Organizational Prowess: Strong organizational skills; you must be comfortable reading, tracking, and managing spreadsheets for team shift-tracking and room schedules
• Problem-Solving: The ability to "think on your feet" and execute immediate, creative workarounds when a volunteer misses a shift, a panel runs late, or a piece of equipment breaks
• Professionalism: Excellent interpersonal skills to handle interactions with panelists, room staff, venue staff, and convention leadership with a calm, reassuring, and authoritative demeanor

Preferred:

• Management Experience: Prior experience in an assistant lead, stage manager, or similar capacity for conventions or conferences
• Convention Knowledge: Firsthand understanding of convention programming, panel transitions, and the unique expectations of fan-driven event attendees and speakers
• Conflict Resolution Skills: The ability to stay grounded and diplomatically de-escalate high-stress situations, whether dealing with scheduling friction or frustrated panelists.
• Technical Aptitude: A solid foundational understanding of basic A/V setups (projectors, laptops, simple sound systems) to help troubleshoot minor tech issues on the fly.

While this is an unpaid volunteer position, we provide:

• Free convention membership and staff perks
• Staff hospitality (meals/snacks during your shifts at-con)
• Exclusive staff events and social opportunities
• Recognition in convention materials
• Experience in event management and team leadership
• A supportive, creative community environment
• References and recommendation letters upon request

Anthro SoCal is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels. All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.