Audio Visual Production Manager - Live Events

Mercury Sound & Lighting; Wixom (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Retirement plan/company match

Professional development and growth

Job summary

Mercury Sound & Lighting in Wixom, MI seeks an experienced Audio Visual Production Manager for live events. You will own events from handoff to closeout, coordinating sales, clients, technical teams, venues, and crews.

The role requires 7+ years in live-event production, expertise in audio/video/lighting, budgeting, scheduling, and strong client-facing skills. Occasional travel and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds are expected.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in live-event production, audiovisual production, technical direction, or production management.
• Experience managing corporate meetings, conferences, galas, or similarly complex live events.
• Strong knowledge of audio, video, projection, LED, lighting, staging, rigging, power, and livestreaming systems.
• Experience creating production schedules, equipment lists, labor plans, and budgets.
• Ability to manage multiple productions, deadlines, vendors, crews, and changing priorities.
• Financial understanding including labor management, subrentals, and cost tracking.
• Excellent client-facing communication and interpersonal skills.
• Confident leadership and decision-making under pressure.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Read room diagrams and technical drawings.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Willingness to travel regionally and nationally.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned productions from initial planning through onsite execution and post-event.
• Partner with sales and clients to understand event objectives, technical requirements, schedules, budgets, and expectations.
• Develop detailed production plans, equipment lists, labor plans, room layouts, schedules, and show documentation.
• Review project scope and identify technical, logistical, budgetary, and safety considerations.
• Create and maintain production schedules, crew calls, and transportation plans.
• Coordinate internal departments, freelance technicians, and outside vendors.
• Lead production meetings, client walkthroughs, and handoff meetings.
• Oversee load-in, setup, rehearsals, show execution, and load-out.
• Provide leadership to technicians, stagehands, vendors onsite.
• Monitor costs, labor hours, rentals, and expenses to protect budget and margin.
• Document changes in scope and obtain approvals for additional costs.
• Develop contingency plans and resolve issues calmly.
• Maintain Mercury’s safety and professionalism standards.
• Complete post-event reporting and expense reconciliation.
• Build long-term relationships with clients, venues, and partners.
• Contribute to improving production processes and standards.

Skills

Live-event production

Budgeting

Vendor management

Team leadership

Scheduling

Client communication

Project coordination

Tools

Microsoft Office

Event diagramming software

Project management software

Rental-management software

Job description

AUDIO VISUAL PRODUCTION MANAGER - LIVE EVENTS

Mercury Sound & Lighting

Wixom, MI | Full-Time | Some Travel Required

ABOUT MERCURY

Mercury Sound & Lighting is a full-service audiovisual production and integration company creating

exceptional live-event experiences for clients across the country. For more than 25 years, our team

has supported corporate meetings, conferences, award programs, galas, national tours, and other

high-profile events with creative solutions, leading-edge technology, and flawless execution.

We are growing and looking for an experienced Live Events Production Manager who can take ownership of an event from the initial handoff through final execution and closeout.

THE POSITION

The Live Events Production Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing

assigned live-event productions. This person serves as the operational link between our clients,

sales team, technical departments, warehouse, vendors, venues, and onsite crews.

The ideal candidate is an experienced live-event professional who understands audio, video,

lighting, staging, rigging, power, and event logistics. Just as importantly, this person must be

organized, solutions-oriented, financially responsible, and comfortable leading both people and

productions in fast-paced environments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage assigned productions from initial planning through onsite execution and post-event
• Partner with sales and clients to understand event objectives, technical requirements, schedules, budgets, and expectations.
• Conduct site visits and develop detailed production plans, equipment requirements, labor plans, room layouts, schedules, and show documentation.
• Review project scope and identify technical, logistical, budgetary, and safety considerations before each event.
• Create and maintain production schedules, crew calls, equipment lists, transportation plans, show flows, and other project documentation.
• Coordinate internal departments, freelance technicians, labor providers, venues, unions, transportation partners, and outside vendors.
• Assign qualified technical personnel based on the complexity and specific needs of each production.
• Lead production meetings, technical advances, client walkthroughs, and internal handoff meetings.
• Oversee load-in, setup, rehearsals, show execution, strike, and load-out.
• Provide clear leadership and direction to technicians, stagehands, vendors, and production partners onsite.
• Monitor project costs, labor hours, rentals, subrentals, transportation, and other expenses to protect the approved budget and targeted gross margin.
• Communicate changes in scope promptly and ensure additional costs are properly documented and approved.
• Anticipate challenges, develop contingency plans, and resolve technical or logistical issues calmly and professionally.
• Maintain Mercury’s standards for safety, appearance, professionalism, equipment care, and
• Complete post-event reporting, expense reconciliation, equipment-damage documentation, and internal project reviews.
• Build strong, long-term relationships with clients, venues, vendors, and production partners.
• Contribute to the continued development of Mercury’s production processes, standards, and team.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 7 years of professional experience in live-event production, audiovisual production, technical direction, or production management.
• Demonstrated experience managing corporate meetings, conferences, general sessions, galas, award programs, or similarly complex live events.
• Strong working knowledge of professional audio, video, projection, LED, lighting, staging, rigging, power distribution, networking, and livestreaming systems.
• Experience creating production schedules, equipment lists, labor plans, technical documentation, and event budgets.
• Proven ability to manage multiple productions, deadlines, vendors, crews, and changing priorities simultaneously.
• Strong financial understanding, including labor management, subrentals, change orders, expense tracking, and job profitability.
• Excellent client-facing communication and interpersonal skills.
• Confident leadership and sound decision-making in high-pressure environments.
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365; experience with event-diagramming, project-management, or rental-management software is preferred.
• Ability to read room diagrams, technical drawings, signal-flow documents, and production
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, early mornings, and holidays when event schedules require it.
• Ability and willingness to travel regionally and nationally.
• Ability to lift and move production equipment weighing up to [50] pounds and work safely in

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Takes complete ownership of each assigned production.
• Earns the confidence of clients and production teams.
• Communicates early, clearly, and consistently.
• Delivers events safely, on time, and within budget.
• Protects the client experience while maintaining project profitability.
• Remains calm, resourceful, and professional when plans change.
• Consistently demonstrates Mercury’s core values of Reliability, Professionalism, Passion, Integrity, Compassion, and Confidence.

WHY JOIN MERCURY?

• Join an established and growing audiovisual production company.
• Work on diverse, high-profile events throughout Michigan and across the country.
• Collaborate with an experienced team that values creativity, relationships, and exceptional service.
• Help shape production standards and processes as the company continues to expand.
• Work in an environment where your ideas, experience, and leadership can make a meaningful impact.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Salary range: based on experience.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Retirement plan/company match
• Professional-development and advancement opportunities

Mercury Sound & Lighting is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs without regard to any status protected by applicable