Production (Staffing) Manager

BBR AGENCY Pty Ltd; The Rocks; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

BBR AGENCY Pty Ltd is seeking a Production Support Manager to lead the staffing team for Ghost in The Rocks 2026, a four-night Halloween festival in Sydney. The role covers planning, recruitment, rostering, and on-site coordination for 100+ staff across four nights in The Rocks.

The successful candidate will forecast needs, brief staff, and manage real-time changes with calm problem-solving. Based in Sydney, permanent full-time with planning-phase remote work options.

Qualifications

• At least three years' experience managing events or hospitality staff.
• Experience building and leading teams for large-scale events.
• Ability to schedule across zones and shifts and adapt on event days.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment and onboarding of 100+ staff for four nights.
• Rostering across zones and shifts; real-time staffing coordination.
• Staff briefings and training; ensure staff understand roles.

Skills

Staff management

Rostering & scheduling

Staff briefing & training

Communication

Problem solving under pressure

Tools

Microsoft 365 (Excel, Teams, Outlook)

Rostering software

Job description

We're looking for a Production Support Manager to build, plan, and manage the staff team for Ghost in The Rocks 2026, a four-night Halloween festival across October 29 - November 1 at The Rocks, Sydney. This is a permanent Sydney-based role starting October 12, 2026.

STAFFING & ROSTERING

• Recruitment and onboarding of casual and full-time event staff (100+ staff across the four nights)
• Rostering and scheduling across multiple zones and shifts
• Staff briefings and training (preparing materials, conducting briefings, ensuring all staff understand their role)
• Real-time staffing coordination during the event
• Staff welfare and TOIL tracking (time in lieu approvals, breaks, fatigue management)

PLANNING & COORDINATION

• Forecasting staffing needs by zone and experience
• Liaising with production, vendors, and other teams on staffing requirements
• Creating and managing rosters that match operational demands
• Problem-solving staff absences and last-minute changes during the event

FINANCE & REPORTING

• Staffing budget tracking and reconciliation
• Staff cost analysis and variance reporting
• Audit-ready documentation and compliance records

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

You have at least three years' experience managing events or hospitality staff (festivals, venues, venues, catering, entertainment). You've built teams quickly, managed rosters at scale, and handled the chaos of event day with calm problem-solving.

You're organised and detail-focused. You track deadlines, manage multiple schedules simultaneously, and communicate clearly so people know what's expected.

You understand event dynamics. You know how to forecast what a zone needs, how to brief staff so they actually understand their role, and how to adjust on the fly when something changes.

You fit BBR's DNA: you're transparent, you own problems, you collaborate across teams, and you bring genuine ideas to how we run better.

• Event staffing management or hospitality team management experience
• Rostering and scheduling (experience with rostering software a bonus, but not required)
• Staff briefing and training
• Budget tracking and financial reporting
• Reliability and follow-through under pressure
• Knowledge of NSW employment law, award conditions, and TOIL requirements
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 (Excel, Teams, Outlook)

Highly valued:

• Festival or large outdoor event experience
• Bar, restaurant, or hospitality venue team management
• Experience with Asana or similar project management tools
• Understanding of casual worker management and compliance
• Event day experience working in a fast-paced, multi-zone environment

SALARY AND LOGISTICS

Permanent, full-time.

Based in Sydney (office at The Rocks, with flexibility for remote work during planning phase).

Normal working hours are 38+ per week; you'll work event days (Oct 29 - Nov 1) and increased hours during planning week (Oct 21 - 28).

We typically staff:

• Bar and hospitality teams
• Parade and crowd management
• Roaming customer experience and troubleshooting
• Setup and breakdown crews

Staffing levels: approximately 80-100 people working across the four nights, depending on the zone.