Background
The mission of the San Antonio Book Festival (SABF) is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries, and literary culture. SABF fulfills its mission through its three main programs, all designed to inspire readers and foster conversations around books. Its signature program is the annual book festival with April 2026 marking its 14th year. With over 25,000 attendees and 100 authors annually, the San Antonio Book Festival is one of the nation’s premier literary festivals. The Authors in Schools program is SABF’s educational initiative and the Get Lit Author Series is SABF’s year-round program.
Job Description
The Literary Director is responsible for curating the festival lineup and schedule, as well as ancillary programs.
SABF Programming:
● Selects the annual SABF author lineup and curates the festival schedule of sessions, including moderator selection with counsel from Executive Director and Programming Committee
● Works closely with publishers to secure the year’s most compelling titles and authors at SABF events
● Selects and secures authors for the GET LIT Author Series & Authors in Schools
● Secures authors for ancillary programming as required
● Secures the keynote speaker for the Book Appétit Literary Feast
● Manages literary programming budget, striving for efficiency and cost savings
● Maintains a working knowledge of significant trends and developments in the literary field and publishing industry
SABF Communications:
● Serves as SABF spokesperson, along with the Executive Director, to the organization’s audience, media, other organizations, and the public
● Communicates with publicists, authors, moderators, etc. to secure participation in the festival, assist in booking travel accommodations, and overall achieve a successful Festival
● Consults with SABF Programming Committee for assistance in curating Festival lineup and selecting moderators
● Assists SABF staff in ensuring all materials promoting authors are accurate and correct, including webpages and printed schedules
SABF Educational Outreach:
● Responsible for identifying and securing authors to conduct school visits throughout the year
● Works with publishers, authors, and SABF staff to ensure books are ordered, visuals are received, etc.
● Assists with on-site Authors in Schools programs happening during Festival weekend
Ancillary Duties:
● Provides guidance for key volunteer positions, particularly those integrally involved with SABF authors (e.g., VIP room coordinators, venue leads)
● Attend SABF board meetings as needed (attendance can be remote)
● Performs meet-and-greet duties at author events during SABF weekend (Author Breakfast, VIP room, Epilogue after party, etc.)
● Serves as backup moderator in the event a confirmed moderator is unavailable
● Supervises any seasonal literary support staff
Job Details
● Remote contract position -mutually renewable yearly ($60,000-$70,000), with paid travel to San Antonio 4-5 times a year including, a week-long stay during the week leading up to the Book Festival -April 5-10, 2027
Please send a cover letter and resume with the subject line “Literary Director Position" to lisa@sabookfest.org