Director of Event & Technical Production

University of Texas at Austin

1d•$90,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Event & Technical Production provides leadership and operational oversight for technical and event production across a broad portfolio of high-visibility university events that advance donor engagement, institutional priorities, reputational impact, and ceremonial excellence. This role leads and oversees the planning, coordination, and execution of complex event production and technical needs, including audiovisual strategy, technical schedules, staffing models, volunteer support, vendor management, venue coordination, run-of-show development, risk mitigation, and on-site production leadership. The Director supervises 2-3 direct reports and is responsible for staff coaching, workload, planning, performance management, professional development, and team accountability. The Director serves as a senior production partner to University Events & Experience leadership team, development colleagues, campus partners, executive stakeholders, university service providers, and external vendors, translating institutional goals into polished, reliable, and mission-aligned event experiences. Working closely with UEE leadership and finance, the Director provides budget stewardship, policy compliance, production standards, post-event evaluation, and continuous improvement of technical and event production practices across the event portfolio. This position has an end date of 8/31/2027, but may be renewable based upon availability of funding, work performance, and progress toward goals. Funding is expected to continue.

Requirements

At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in event production, technical production, audiovisual coordination, event operations, advancement events, or a comparable role supporting complex or high-visibility events.
Demonstrated leadership experience directing technical production workflows, audiovisual systems, staging, sound, lighting, recording, livestream support, rehearsals, and event-day production needs.
Experience directing on-site logistics, vendor services, production crews, staffing, volunteers, and on-site execution.
Management experience supervising, coaching, evaluating, or directing staff, including responsibility for workload planning, performance feedback, team communication, and professional development.
Experience managing production schedules, technical timelines, budgets, staffing plans, vendors, service providers, and competing event priorities with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
Strong organizational, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to advise senior-level campus partners, donors, faculty, and executive stakeholders.
Experience developing and maintaining production standards, agendas, run-of-show materials, cue sheets, staffing plans, equipment lists, diagrams, and follow-up materials.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, calendar management, project management systems, document management platforms, CAD, inventory management systems, and event management tools.
Proven ability to exercise sound judgment, solve complex problems, and adapt in fast-paced, highly visible technical production environments.
Skilled in maintaining standard operating procedures, production records, event files, and post-event documentation to support accountability and continuous improvement.
Demonstrated commitment to professionalism, accountability, confidentiality, safety, and excellent service to stakeholders.
Ability to lift 30 pounds or more, as needed.
Willingness and availability to work nights, weekends, and travel as required to support event operations.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience leading technical production or event production for high-profile donor, advancement, strategic engagement, ceremonial, reputational, academic, or executive-facing events.
Advanced experience with audiovisual production, sound, lighting, staging, livestream, recording, hybrid event support, cueing, rehearsals, show calling, and production strategy.
Experience working directly with senior university leadership, donors, faculty leaders, advancement partners, campus executives, or other executive-level stakeholders.
Proven experience developing technical production strategies, vendor scopes, staffing models, run-of-show documents, cue sheets, equipment plans, contingency plans, and scalable production standards for complex events.
Familiarity with state and university procurement policies, vendor contracting, risk management, safety considerations, and compliance requirements for event production.
Strong executive-level problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to evolving event requirements while maintaining a high standard of technical reliability, service, and professionalism.

Responsibilities

Provide direction and production leadership for high-visibility university events, including donor events, strategic engagements, ceremonial programs, reputational events, and other assigned portfolio events.
Serve as the senior production and technical lead for assigned events, overseeing technical timelines, production schedules, budgets, task lists, approvals, vendor deliverables, stakeholder communications, and close-out requirements.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with UEE colleagues, development partners, campus stakeholders, university service providers, student organizations, external vendors, and executive-level partners to ensure coordinated and high-quality event delivery.
Assess event goals, venue conditions, audience needs, institutional priorities, and stakeholder expectations to recommend scalable technical, audiovisual, staging, lighting, sound, recording, livestream, and productions solutions.
Direct audiovisual services, technical vendors, campus service providers, production crews, staffing plans, volunteer assignments, and event support teams to ensure successful execution.
Establish and maintain production standards and documentation practices, including technical timelines, run-of-show documents, cue sheets, diagrams, staffing plans, call sheets, equipment lists, service requests, and post-event notes.
Oversee event documentation, including estimates, contracts, invoices, approvals, communications, production files, vendor records, photos, videos, and final records to support accountability and business continuity.
Lead on-site technical execution for complex events, including load-in, setup, rehearsals, sound checks, cueing, vendor coordination, program flow, troubleshooting, guest experience support, cueing, vendor coordination, program flow, troubleshooting, guest experience support, strike, and load-out.
Provide direction, training, and coordination for student interns, volunteers, temporary staff, and production support teams assigned to portfolio events.
Supervise, coach, and develop 2-3 direct reports, including establishing priorities, assigning work, monitoring performance, providing regular feedback, supporting professional growth, and ensuring accountability for production deliverables.
Lead team planning and resource allocation for assigned events, balancing staff capacity, event priorities, deadlines, and cross-functional needs to ensure consistent service, continuity, and high-quality execution.
Identify production risks, develop contingency plans, resolve complex real-time issues, and implement improvements that strengthen event quality, technical reliability, business continuity, and stakeholder experience.
Ensure purchase requests, contracts, payment requests, and financial documentation are submitted accurately and in accordance with University, State, and internal procedures.
Lead post-event reconciliation within two weeks, including budgets, production schedules, documentation, invoices, event records, technical notes, lessons learned, and recommendations for future improvements.
Additional duties as assigned.