Job Overview
Employment Type
Full-time
Compensation
Salary
Exact $90,000.00
Work Schedule
Standard Hours
Benefits
Paid annual leave
Paid holidays
Paid sick leave
Paid two-week winter break
Free tuition
Professional Development
Commuter Choice Transit Benefit
Virginia Retirement System Hybrid Plan
Patriot perks discounts
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Tuition-dependent benefit
Job Description
George Mason University is a major public research university located in Arlington, Virginia, known for its commitment to academic excellence and community engagement. The university's Facilities and Campus Operations department plays a critical role in maintaining a safe, functional, and attractive environment that supports George Mason’s mission and the needs of its students, faculty, and staff. The department emphasizes technical and business expertise, aiming to deliver outstanding services while fostering trust and confidence across the university community. The university is dedicated to creating a collaborative and rewarding workplace for its employees, offering competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional development. George Mason University values reliability, pride in work, and a commitment to enhancing the educational experience through well-maintained and efficiently managed facilities.
The Senior Event and Production Manager position at George Mason University’s Mason Square campus is an exciting leadership role that offers an opportunity to shape the university’s event production strategy across a diverse range of high-profile events, including academic conferences and presidential engagements. This full-time, salaried position with a salary commensurate with experience, approximately $90,000 annually, is hybrid eligible, providing flexibility for on-site and remote work. Reporting within the Facilities and Campus Operations department, the role demands a highly organized and strategic professional who will manage a team of skilled staff, oversee audiovisual and logistical coordination, and partner closely with university leadership to align event experiences with institutional goals and brand standards.
The successful candidate will be responsible for driving excellence in event execution while navigating complex stakeholder environments, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring compliance with safety and accessibility standards. Acting as the primary production lead for VIP and executive-level events, the Senior Event and Production Manager will develop and implement operational protocols, performance metrics, and training programs to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery. Additionally, the role involves evaluating emerging technologies and industry trends to continuously advance the university’s capabilities in event production. By supporting long-range planning and budgeting efforts, the Senior Event and Production Manager helps position Mason Square as a distinguished venue for academic, governmental, and industry-related convenings, promoting institutional growth and visibility. This role not only demands leadership and expertise but also offers a dynamic environment for innovation and strategic influence within the university's campus operations.
The Senior Event and Production Manager position at George Mason University’s Mason Square campus is an exciting leadership role that offers an opportunity to shape the university’s event production strategy across a diverse range of high-profile events, including academic conferences and presidential engagements. This full-time, salaried position with a salary commensurate with experience, approximately $90,000 annually, is hybrid eligible, providing flexibility for on-site and remote work. Reporting within the Facilities and Campus Operations department, the role demands a highly organized and strategic professional who will manage a team of skilled staff, oversee audiovisual and logistical coordination, and partner closely with university leadership to align event experiences with institutional goals and brand standards.
The successful candidate will be responsible for driving excellence in event execution while navigating complex stakeholder environments, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring compliance with safety and accessibility standards. Acting as the primary production lead for VIP and executive-level events, the Senior Event and Production Manager will develop and implement operational protocols, performance metrics, and training programs to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery. Additionally, the role involves evaluating emerging technologies and industry trends to continuously advance the university’s capabilities in event production. By supporting long-range planning and budgeting efforts, the Senior Event and Production Manager helps position Mason Square as a distinguished venue for academic, governmental, and industry-related convenings, promoting institutional growth and visibility. This role not only demands leadership and expertise but also offers a dynamic environment for innovation and strategic influence within the university's campus operations.
Job Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Supervision of full-time employees and significant practical experience (7+ years preferred) in the event management and production industry
- Experience with personnel recruitment, employee scheduling, timesheet approval, employee development planning, and training
- Significant experience with complex audiovisual systems, including live streaming technologies
- Demonstrated experience with vendor management
- Demonstrated knowledge of event production, AV, technical direction, staging, and venue management
- Knowledge of audiovisual systems and live streaming technologies
- Demonstrated knowledge of equipment replacement cycles and industry trends for event innovation
- Demonstrated knowledge of permitting, crowd management, fire codes, health/safety regulations, and emergency response protocols, especially for VIP guests
- Demonstrated knowledge of logistics, timelines, budgeting, and coordination for various events
- Skill in planning and executing logistics across multiple locations with efficient onsite coordination and issue resolution
- Skill in supervising and mentoring professional and wage staff in event production and execution
- Skill in providing excellent customer service
- Skill in prioritizing and multitasking, managing multiple tasks and meeting competing deadlines
- Skill in ensuring flawless execution of logistics
- Skill in aligning event operations with organizational goals
- Skill in bringing fresh ideas to event formats and production techniques
- Skill in working seamlessly across departments
- Skill in empowering others while maintaining accountability and oversight
- Ability to adapt quickly to changes and lead the team through last-minute adjustments
- Ability to be adaptable to changing circumstances
- Ability to engage confidently with senior leadership and VIP guests
- Ability to commit to creating exceptional guest experiences
Job Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Supervision of full-time employees and significant practical experience (7+ years preferred) in event management and production industry
- Experience with personnel recruitment, employee scheduling, timesheet approval, employee development planning, and training
- Significant experience with complex audiovisual systems, including live streaming technologies
- Demonstrated experience with vendor management
- Demonstrated knowledge of event production, AV, technical direction, staging, and venue management
- Knowledge of audiovisual systems and live streaming technologies
- Understanding of equipment replacement cycles and industry trends
- Knowledge of permitting, crowd management, fire codes, health/safety regulations, and emergency response protocols, especially for VIP guests
- Knowledge of logistics, timelines, budgeting, and coordination for various events
- Skill in planning and executing logistics across multiple locations
- Skill in supervising and mentoring professional and wage staff
- Skill in providing excellent customer service
- Skill in prioritizing and multitasking
- Skill in ensuring flawless execution of logistics
- Skill in aligning event operations with organizational goals
- Skill in bringing fresh ideas to event formats and production techniques
- Skill in working seamlessly across departments
- Skill in empowering others while maintaining accountability
- Ability to adapt quickly to changes and lead the team through last-minute adjustments
- Ability to be adaptable to changing circumstances
- Ability to engage confidently with senior leadership and VIP guests
- Ability to commit to creating exceptional guest experiences
Job Duties
- Provide leadership and oversight of an expanded production team, ensuring seamless execution of live and hybrid events, including presidential-level and VIP events with all conferencing and event venues within Mason Square
- Serve as senior advisor and production lead for executive-level stakeholders, overseeing event production strategy, timelines, and execution plans
- Build and sustain a collaborative network of university stakeholders and external partners to support shared objectives and ensure cohesive campus-wide execution
- Navigate and make complex, multi-faceted decisions involving numerous stakeholders, competing priorities, and dynamic operational factors
- Provide leadership and direction to address and resolve client concerns swiftly, identifying pain points and implementing mitigation strategies
- Develop and document production and execution standards, communications, processes, and tools to ensure operational consistency and production quality
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success in event production, client satisfaction, and staff performance
- Collaborate with ITS to develop long-term equipment lifecycle plans and establish budget targets
- Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to enhance event production capabilities
- Establish and maintain relationships with preferred vendors for specialized production services and equipment
- Ensure user compliance with all university policies and procedures to meet safety, accessibility, and compliance requirements
- Design and implement briefing protocols and post-event debriefing systems to drive continuous improvement and institutional knowledge sharing
- Work with subordinates to ensure accurate inventory management, equipment protocols, and operational procedures
- Serve as campus lead for all executive-level conferences, presidential-level, and VIP events, ensuring exceptional execution
- Design and oversee comprehensive event production plans and timelines
- Guide clients on venue policies and capture event requirements
- Confirm client communications and templates
- Identify and mitigate potential issues
- Act as primary contact for complex production and event questions
- Liaise with Environmental Health and Safety, GMU Police, Facilities, and other support services
- Engage with senior leadership, sponsors, and external organizations
- Lead operational integration of Plaza Programming
- Drive strategic direction and talent development for staff by setting clear performance goals and fostering a culture of continuous improvement
- Design and implement robust training programs
- Develop strategic staffing plans
- Set performance goals, provide feedback, evaluate staff performance
- Oversee staff scheduling
- Support professional development goals
- Develop client communication and conflict resolution training
- Serve on campus operations team for strategic planning, budget development and oversight
- Lead or represent Mason Square on high-level university committees and initiatives
- Support campus-wide event strategy and provide operational expertise
- Other related duties as assigned
Job Criteria
Experience
Expert Level (7+ years)
Job Location
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