Project Manager; Events

Position: Project Manager (Events)
Location:

Arlington, Virginia Job Type: Contract Compensation Range: $40 - 44 per hour

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to oversee complex, multi-workstream creative production for donor and community events within a large national organization. This role will sit within the Marketing & Communications (Mar Comms) events function and will partner closely with the creative lead overseeing creative and environmental design across more than 40+ events annually.

The Senior Project Manager will act as the central hub across creative disciplines-including environmental design, design, video, photo, AV, and vendors-to ensure deliverables are aligned to program goals, delivered on time and on budget, and ready for use at live and hybrid events.

This is a high-visibility, coordination-heavy role ideal for someone who has managed complex, multi-track events and understands how creative, production, and logistics intersect. Responsibilities:
1. Cross-Workstream Project Management Own end-to-end project management for creative elements of donor and community events (40+ per year).Coordinate across:
Environmental design (room/look and feel, installations, signage, way finding, experiential elements).Design (slides, decks, print assets, on-site collateral).Video and photo (capture needs, sourcing assets, edits, delivery).AV and production (screens, staging, technical requirements, run of show).External vendors and in-house creative teams.

Identify and manage dependencies between work streams, ensuring teams have what they need to meet production deadlines.
2. Timeline, Run of Show & Production Schedules Develop and maintain detailed production schedules for each event, including:
Milestones leading into rehearsals.

Asset delivery timelines.

Vendor and internal team deadlines.

Support or own the creation of run of show documents, including:
Session timing, speaker order, and transitions.

Room assignments and AV configurations.

Technical requirements and contingency plans.

Ensure all stakeholders-including Mar Comms, events, creative, and vendors-are aligned and working from the latest documentation.
3. Budget & Scope Management Partner with stakeholders to create and track budgets for event-related creative and environmental design.

Translate program and creative ideas into realistic budgets across environmental design, furniture, screens, production, and related needs.

Surface trade-offs and options when budgets change.

Proactively flag scope creep, risks, dependencies, and resource constraints.
4. Stakeholder Communication & Vendor Coordination Serve as the central point of contact across internal stakeholders, creative teams, events teams, and external vendors and production partners.

Drive regular status updates, gather progress from each creative workstream, and escalate issues early.

Ensure cross-team alignment so that all creative and production elements support event programming goals and audience expectations.
5. Supporting the Events Creative Function Keep the creative lead fully informed without requiring them to be involved in every tactical detail.

Proactively surface issues, decisions, risks, and trade-offs.

Present structured options and recommendations.

Help scale the creative function across 40+ events by managing coordination and project execution, allowing the creative lead to focus on high-value creative and strategic work.

Note:

This role is not intended to be the on-site show caller or line producer. On-site show calling is typically handled by experienced members of the events and creative team.

Ideal Candidate Profile Must-Have

Experience:

Significant experience as a Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, Producer, or Creative Producer in:
Live, virtual, or hybrid events

Experiential marketing

Event production

Environmental design

Creative agency environments

Proven track record managing complex, multi-track events with multiple stakeholder groups.

Demonstrated ability to:
Coordinate cross-functional teams across design, video, photo, AV, events, and vendors.

Build and maintain detailed production schedules and run of show documentation.

Manage budgets and recommend cost trade-offs.

Comfortable working with a combination of in-house creative teams and external vendors.

Skills &

Competencies:

Strong project management discipline across timelines, dependencies, documentation, and risk management.

Excellent communication skills with the ability to provide clear, concise updates to leaders and cross-functional partners.

Ability to translate…