Associate Director, Brand Experience (Operations)

Location: Coppell, TX (Largely remote, occasionally required in office)

Salary: $90,000 – $110,000 (Based on Experience)

About Play Interactive

Play Interactive is a leading full-service experiential marketing and events agency specializing in creating immersive brand experiences across gaming, fandom, and pop culture. A key division, Play!TCG, focuses on delivering world-class fan engagement and integrated marketing within the Trading Card Game ecosystem. The team leads organized play for popular franchises such as One Piece, Gundam, Digimon, Dragon Ball Super, and Union Arena. Play Interactive is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections through innovative and exciting experiences.

About The Role

We're looking for an Associate Director, Brand Experience (Operations) to lead the strategy, production, and flawless execution of live and experiential programs for our clients and brand partners. This is a senior, hands-on role for someone who thrives at the intersection of creative vision and operational rigor — turning big ideas into unforgettable, on-brand moments that drive real business results for our clients.

You'll own programs end to end: from concept and budgeting through vendor management, on-site delivery, and post-event measurement. You'll manage a small team, partner closely across departments within the organization and serve as a trusted point of contact for clients and vendors.

If you’re looking to be part of a team building activations people actually want to be part of — and you’ve got the eye for the details that make them run seamlessly — we'd love to meet you.

What You'll Do

• Lead experiential strategy & ideation — translate brand and campaign objectives into compelling event concepts, activations, and brand experiences across in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats.
• Own end-to-end production — manage timelines, run-of-show, logistics, staffing, and on-site execution for events ranging from intimate brand moments to large-scale activations.
• Manage budgets — build, track, and reconcile event budgets; identify efficiencies and ensure programs deliver against financial targets.
• Source & manage vendors — negotiate with and oversee venues, production partners, fabricators, caterers, AV teams, and other third parties; hold partners accountable to scope, timeline, and quality.
• Partner with clients & stakeholders — serve as a senior point of contact, presenting concepts, managing expectations, and keeping programs aligned to brand goals.
• Lead and mentor a team — manage the operations and execution of our brand experience team, delegate effectively, and develop talent.
• Collaborate cross-functionally — work hand in hand with creative, strategy, account, and production teams to deliver cohesive, on-brand experiences.
• Measure & report — define success metrics, capture results, and deliver post-project recaps with clear insights and recommendations.
• Stay ahead of the curve — track trends in experiential marketing, event technology, and culture to keep our work fresh and differentiated.

What You'll Bring

• 7 years of experience in experiential marketing, event production, or brand experience — ideally including agency or brand-side work on consumer-facing programs.
• A proven track record of leading complex events and activations from concept through execution and measurement.
• Strong budget management skills — comfortable owning six- and seven-figure program budgets and reconciling against targets.
• Excellent project management — you keep multiple workstreams, deadlines, and stakeholders moving without dropping details.
• Vendor and negotiation savvy — experience sourcing and managing production partners and holding them to high standards.
• People leadership — previous experience managing and developing a team, or a clear readiness to step into people management.
• Outstanding communication — confident presenting to clients and senior stakeholders; clear and calm under pressure.
• Flexibility to travel and work non-standard hours around event timelines (evenings, weekends as needed).

Nice To Have

• Experience in events, gaming, live production, logistics, or startup environments
• Experience with brand partnerships, sponsorships, or co-branded activations.
• Experience with project management tools such as AirTable, Monday, Asana, Trello, ClickUp, or similar is a plus
• Familiarity with event technology and production tooling (registration platforms, AV/broadcast, project management software).
• A network of trusted production and vendor partners.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary of $90,000 – $110,000, based on experience.
• Health & Wellness Stipend
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Hybrid work flexibility.
• Professional development support.
• The chance to build standout work for ambitious brands alongside a talented, collaborative team.

How To Apply

Submit your resume and a brief cover letter about a brand experience or event you're especially proud of leading. Portfolios, case studies, and recap decks are welcome and encouraged.

Play Interactive is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.