Production Solutions Manager - Chicago/Virtual

Creative-Group; Schaumburg (IL); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Creative Group in Chicago/Remote is seeking a Production Solutions Manager to bridge business development and production delivery. You translate client challenges into executable production solutions during the pursuit phase, prior to contract signing, and hand off to delivery after award.

This client-facing, strategy-driven role supports go-to-market positioning and pricing decisions. The ideal candidate has 7–10 years in event production or experiential marketing, with strong presentation

Qualifications

• Experience in client-facing, consultative role in event production or agency settings.
• Strong ability to translate client goals into executable production plans.
• Excellent presentation and storytelling for executive audiences.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Business Development to translate client challenges into production solutions.
• Develop and deliver capability presentations and compelling proposals.
• Serve as production expert during client pitches and Q&A.
• Identify risks and propose feasible, budget-aligned approaches during scoping.
• Create handoff documentation for the delivery team after contract award.
• Inform go-to-market pricing strategies with market insights.

Skills

Client-facing

Budgeting

Presentation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

CRM tools

Job description

Production Solutions Manager - Chicago/Virtual

#LE21-2409

Virtual or In Office

Virtual

Job Description

Position Summary:

The Production Solutions Manager is a consultative, client-facing individual contributor who bridges business development and production delivery. This role translates client business challenges into compelling, executable production solutions during the pre-sales cycle - enabling the sales team to position Event Production as a strategic driver of event impact and business ROI. The Production Solutions Manager does not carry a sales quota, does not manage staff, and does not execute programs post-award. They operate exclusively in the pursuit and solution-design phase, handing off to the production delivery team upon contract signing.

Essential Functions:

• Partner with Business Development to participate in discovery calls, understanding client business challenges, communication objectives, and audience engagement goals.
• Translate client objectives into production solution recommendations - articulating how staging, content delivery, lighting, AV, LED, scenic, event technology, media create strategic impact beyond basic technical execution.
• Work with the Director of Production to design production approaches, scopes of work, and budget frameworks during the pursuit phase that are feasible, profitable, and aligned with client goals.
• Develop and deliver compelling capability presentations and production-focused proposal content that position Creative Group's production services as a strategic differentiator.
• Serve as the production subject matter expert during client pitches, answering technical and capability questions with confidence and clarity.
• Identify risks, constraints, and alternative approaches during the scoping phase to ensure solutions are executable within the client’s timeline and budget.
• Collaborate with the Director of Production to validate proposed solutions against team capacity, available resources, and operational feasibility.
• In partnership with the Director of Production, assess market trends, competitor activities, and client feedback to inform go-to-market positioning and pricing strategies for production services.
• Support the development of effective and profitable pricing strategies that inform SOW and budget parameters during pursuits.
• Contribute production-specific content to RFP responses, ensuring technical accuracy and strategic positioning.
• Track win/loss outcomes on pursuits involving production services; analyze patterns to refine solution approaches and value messaging.
• Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities where production services can expand scope or deepen client engagement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration (Pre-Sale)

• Partner with Business Development team members in relationship building and discovery conversations to present Creative Group's Production capabilities, understand client needs and identify areas of alignment.
• Partner with Event Strategists to ensure Production solutions align with the program’s strategic narrative and audience journey.
• Collaborate with Creative Designers to understand visual and environmental concepts, then validate technical feasibility and recommend production methods to bring designs to life.
• Partner with the Strategic Sourcing Manager to ensure venue selections incorporate production needs, on budget entry in order to capture all line items and maximize spend.
• Work alongside the Production delivery team (Technical Directors, Production Managers) to ensure proposed solutions reflect current capabilities and best practices.
• Create clear handoff documentation for the delivery team upon contract award, including scope, assumptions, technical approach, and risk considerations.

Thought Leadership & Production Positioning

• Evangelize the strategic value of Production services internally and externally - reframing production from "AV support" to "content delivery strategy that brings an event's communication strategy to life."
• Stay current on emerging production technologies, techniques, and industry innovations to inform solution recommendations.
• Contribute to the development of Production service collateral, case studies, and capability materials used by Business Development.
• Represent Creative Group at industry events, conferences, and partner meetings as a production thought leader.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in communications, business administration, theatre/production, or a related field - or a combination of education and experience.
• Must possess a minimum of 7-10 years of previous experience in event production, AV production, show production, experiential marketing, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in a client-facing, consultative role - presenting solutions, leading discovery conversations, or supporting business development in an agency or production environment.
• Strong understanding of all areas of live event production including audio, video, lighting, staging, LED, scenic, projection, content management, and streaming technologies.
• Experience developing scopes of work, production budgets, and technical approaches for complex corporate events, conferences, and experiential activations.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office products, especially PowerPoint and Excel. Comfortable learning CRM and project management tools as needed.
• Comfortable working closely with senior-level executives and presenting to C-suite client stakeholders.
• Models behavior that reflects our organization's Vision and Core Beliefs.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to relate well with individuals at all levels of the organization and client organizations, including senior-level management.
• Exceptional presentation and storytelling skills - able to articulate complex production concepts in compelling, non-technical language that resonates with clients.
• Strong analytical skills to assess project requirements, identify risks, and develop accurate budget estimates during the pursuit phase.
• Must be able to collaborate within cross-functional teams (strategy, creative, production, sales) to deliver successful outcomes.
• Creative problem-solving skills, with the ability to design alternative approaches when constraints arise.
• Comfortable in a results-oriented, fast-paced environment with competing priorities across multiple pursuits.
• Must be able to work effectively in an environment that isn't bound by the traditional '9 to 5' mentality.

Position Type

Full-time

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