Production Operations Manager

JOB OVERVIEW

Supporting production forecasting, capacity planning, and coordination across all active and upcoming events. This role connects day-to-day production flow with long-range scheduling needs to ensure the organization operates efficiently, proactively, and within established capacity parameters.

Working closely with Department Heads, Project Managers, Logistics, Fabrication, Print, Décor, and Leadership, this position helps ensure departments are aligned, appropriately resourced, and operating within realistic production bandwidth. The Production Operations Manager does not execute production work or manage departmental teams directly; instead, they provide centralized coordination support, forecasting insight, and operational tracking to strengthen execution across the organization.

This role also supports leadership with operational planning, scheduling input, and process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency and scalability across the full event lifecycle.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Visibility & Forecasting

• Maintain visibility across all active and upcoming events to support leadership awareness of production status and capacity
• Track and forecast operational demand across departments including Fabrication, Print, Décor, Design, and Logistics
• Monitor workload pacing and identify potential capacity constraints or scheduling conflicts
• Support long-range production planning by identifying overlapping workloads and potential resource strain

Cross Department Coordination

• Work with Department Heads and Project Managers to ensure alignment on timelines, execution paths, and deliverables
• Help ensure clarity around event element execution requirements across departments
• Identify gaps in information, unclear execution plans, or misalignment between departments and escalate appropriately
• Support coordination of labor, vendor timing, and production sequencing across concurrent projects

Operational Risk Identification & Escalation

• Identify production bottlenecks, scheduling conflicts, and resource constraints before they impact delivery
• Escalate capacity risks, timeline concerns, and operational challenges with clear context and recommendations
• Flag high-demand or complex projects that may exceed current operational bandwidth
• Support leadership awareness of production risks across multiple simultaneous events

Production Support & Workflow Alignment

• Assist in balancing production schedules to improve workflow efficiency and reduce reactive adjustments
• Support alignment between departments to ensure smooth execution handoffs
• Help reinforce understanding of production sequencing and dependencies across teams
• Contribute to improving clarity around operational workflows and execution expectations

Reporting & Operational Tracking

• Maintain operational tracking tools, dashboards, and scheduling visibility systems
• Provide regular updates on production pacing, workload distribution, and upcoming capacity concerns
• Support preparation of operational summaries for leadership and departmental review meetings
• Ensure data and tracking tools reflect current production realities and upcoming demands

Meeting Participation & Communication

• Attend operational and production meetings to provide scheduling, forecasting, and workload insights
• Communicate operational concerns clearly and consistently across departments
• Support follow-up tracking on identified risks, dependencies, and alignment issues

QUALIFICATIONS

• Problem-solving mindset with willingness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced environment
• Field-related experience preferred. Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Project Management, Event Management, or a related field is a plus.
• 5 years of experience in project coordination, production support, event operations, factory oversight, or a similar cross-functional role.
• Experience in event production, experiential marketing, fabrication, or logistics strongly preferred
• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities with attention to detail
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with ability to work across multiple departments
• Ability to track deadlines, follow structured processes, and escalate issues appropriately

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Operational Visibility: Maintains clear understanding of multiple concurrent projects and their impact on production capacity
• Organization & Time Management: Effectively tracks deadlines, workloads, and scheduling dependencies
• Communication Skills: Clearly communicates updates, risks, and alignment needs across teams
• Collaboration: Works effectively with multiple departments without direct authority
• Problem Identification: Recognizes risks, gaps, and inefficiencies early and escalates appropriately
• Adaptability: Responds quickly to shifting priorities and production demands
• Attention to Detail: Ensures accuracy in scheduling, tracking, and reporting systems
• Systems Thinking: Understands how production elements across departments connect and impact overall workflow
• Technical Competency: Comfortable using operational tracking tools, spreadsheets, and project management software

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This is a full-time leadership position requiring regular availability during standard business hours, with occasional extended hours based on operational needs
• Work is primarily performed in an office environment
• Must be available for high-level operational issues and escalations outside of standard working hours when necessary
• Regular interaction with executive leadership, department managers, and cross-functional teams
• Fast-paced environment with multiple concurrent projects and shifting priorities