Freelance Event Producer / Event Manager

Heaven Media•Austin, TX

9h•Hybrid

About The Position

Heaven Media is expanding its Events & Experiences capability in North America and is looking for an experienced Freelance Event Producer / Event Manager based in Austin, Texas to join their extended team. This role involves working with leading gaming and technology brands to support the planning and delivery of projects including experiential activations, exhibition booths, trade shows, creator and influencer events, brand experiences, and ongoing studio production. It is a hands-on production and delivery role, requiring close collaboration with Heaven Media's Creative, Growth, Client Services, and specialist teams. The position requires regular on-site presence in Austin, approximately two days per week, with project-based support across North America. The role encompasses taking ownership of projects from brief and feasibility through pre-production, build, live delivery, and closeout, working with a network of specialist production and delivery partners. Additionally, this role will provide regular support to an ongoing studio production operation in Austin, coordinating studio shoots, production schedules, hospitality logistics, pre-production, shoot planning, on-site delivery, booking crew and talent, sourcing equipment, managing schedules, and acting as a key on-the-ground contact.

Requirements

3+ years' experience in event production, experiential, exhibitions or event management or equivalent experience.
Proven experience delivering exhibition booths, experiential activations and live brand experiences.
Strong project and production management experience, with a track record of delivering against deadlines while maintaining strong client relationships.
Experience creating projects from the ground up following a client brief and delivering against defined objectives and KPIs.
Strong knowledge of fabrication and booth construction, including working with technical drawings, floorplans and build partners.
Good understanding of AV and technical production.
Experience sourcing and managing merchandise, branded products, print and event collateral.
Experience coordinating studio, content or video production.
Strong supplier network and confidence sourcing new specialist partners.
Practical experience managing budgets, schedules, logistics and multiple suppliers simultaneously.
Confident and credible client-facing communicator.
Strong onsite leadership skills and the ability to manage scalable teams, freelancers and suppliers.
Commercially aware and comfortable negotiating supplier costs.
Able to independently take ownership of projects rather than requiring constant day-to-day direction.
Comfortable managing multiple projects and clients simultaneously.
Highly organised, calm under pressure and solutions-focused.
Comfortable working with distributed international teams and across US/UK time zones.
Based in or within easy travelling distance of Austin, Texas.
Able to work on-site in Austin approximately two days per week.
Able to travel across North America when projects require.

Nice To Haves

Gaming and/or technology industry experience.
Existing network of trusted Austin/Texas fabricators, AV suppliers, production companies, staffing agencies and specialist suppliers.
Experience delivering at major US gaming, technology and consumer events.
Experience with gaming hardware and live gameplay environments.
Experience delivering creator, influencer or community events.
Experience working with global brands and international agencies.

Responsibilities

Own event and experiential projects end-to-end, from initial brief and feasibility through pre-production, build, live delivery and post-event closeout.
Translate creative concepts into practical, costed and deliverable production plans.
Manage exhibition and booth builds, working with fabricators from initial drawings and specifications through production, installation and breakdown.
Source, brief and manage fabrication, AV, lighting, technical production, furniture, flooring, signage, graphics, connectivity and equipment partners.
Coordinate merchandise and branded product creation, including sourcing, sampling, production, branding, quantities, shipping and delivery to site.
Manage venues, event organisers, contractors and local suppliers.
Develop and own budgets, estimates, timelines, critical paths, production schedules and project documentation.
Source, recruit and coordinate event staffing, brand ambassadors, hosts, security, crew and specialist freelance resource.
Manage logistics including freight, storage, shipping, load-in, installation, show days and breakdown.
Coordinate technical requirements including AV, screens, gaming stations, PCs/consoles, networking, power and interactive technology.
Manage health & safety, risk assessments, permits, insurance and venue/event compliance.
Conduct site visits and lead on-site project teams across build, live and breakdown, acting as the central production contact and point of escalation.
Manage suppliers and negotiate costs while protecting project budgets, quality and margins.
Maintain clear communication across clients, internal stakeholders and delivery partners, proactively identifying risks, dependencies, budget pressures and roadblocks.
Work collaboratively across Heaven Media's wider capabilities, including Creative, Influencer, Social, PR, Content, Partnerships and Video/Production, helping connect physical experiences into wider campaigns.
Support pitches and new business opportunities, providing production expertise, feasibility assessments, supplier recommendations, timelines and indicative costs.
Work closely with Creative to ensure the delivered experience maintains the original creative vision while remaining practical, safe and commercially achievable.
Support the definition of event KPIs and measurement plans, contributing to post-event reporting, learnings and recommendations.
Manage post-event reconciliation, supplier invoices, budget closeout and project documentation.
Support projects across North America, including travel where required.
Be flexible around live event schedules, including occasional evening and weekend working where required.
Coordinating regular studio shoots and production schedules.
Coordinating hospitality logistics on shoot days, from catering sourcing to ensuring crew and talent needs (food, water, refreshments) are met throughout.
Supporting pre-production, shoot planning and on-site delivery.
Booking and coordinating crew, talent and specialist production resource.
Sourcing and managing camera, lighting, audio and other production equipment where required.
Managing production schedules, call sheets and logistics.
Coordinating suppliers and production partners.
Acting as a key on-the-ground point of contact between the client, Heaven Media and production teams.
Identifying production requirements, risks and solutions ahead of shoot days.
Supporting production budgets and cost reconciliation.