Project Manager, Events & Brand Experience

Play Interactive; Coppell (TX); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness Stipend

Generous paid time off and holidays

Hybrid work flexibility

Job summary

Play Interactive is seeking a highly organized Project Manager to lead live events, activations, and brand experiences from kickoff through execution and wrap. You will coordinate between clients, internal teams, vendors, and on-site crews, owning timelines and budgets and ensuring successful on-site delivery.

This hands-on role reports to the Director of Brand Experience (Operations) and is hybrid, requiring residence within the Dallas–Fort Worth area.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in event production or related field.
• Experience managing multiple projects and deadlines.
• Strong budget, timeline, and vendor management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple events and brand experience programs from kickoff through post-event wrap.
• Build and manage project plans, timelines, production schedules, run-of-shows, and deliverables.
• Own project budgets, including estimates, expenses, vendor costs, POs, and reconciliation.
• Source, negotiate with, and manage vendors across fabrication, AV, staffing, venues, catering, logistics, and permits.
• Serve as day-to-day client contact, providing updates and translating feedback into action.
• Coordinate internal teams to keep projects on scope, schedule, and budget.
• Manage on-site execution, load-in, setup, staffing, operations, teardown, and load-out.
• Identify risks early and communicate changes impacting scope/budget.
• Lead post-event wrap and vendor closeout.

Skills

Budget management

Timeline management

Vendor management

Client communication

Organizational skills

Proactive problem solving

Project management

Tools

Airtable

Monday.com

Smartsheet

Google Workspace

Excel

Job description

Play Interactive is a leading full-service experiential marketing and events agency specializing in creating immersive brand experiences across gaming, fandom, and pop culture. A key division, Play!TCG, focuses on delivering world-class fan engagement and integrated marketing within the Trading Card Game ecosystem. The team leads organized play for popular franchises such as One Piece, Gundam, Digimon, Dragon Ball Super, and Union Arena. Play Interactive is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections through innovative and exciting experiences.

About the Role

We're looking for a highly organized, proactive Project Manager to lead live events, activations, and brand experiences from kickoff through execution and wrap.

You'll manage multiple projects at once while serving as a key connection between clients, internal teams, vendors, and on-site crews. You'll own timelines and budgets, coordinate production, anticipate challenges, and help turn ambitious ideas into well-executed experiences.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys both the planning behind the scenes and the energy of bringing an event to life on-site. This role will report into the Director of Brand Experience (Operations) and will be hybrid with the requirement to be located within the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

What You'll Do

• Lead multiple events and brand experience programs from kickoff through post-event wrap and reconciliation.
• Build and manage project plans, timelines, production schedules, run-of-shows, and key deliverables.
• Own project budgets, including estimates, expense tracking, vendor costs, purchase orders, and final reconciliation.
• Source, negotiate with, and manage vendors across fabrication, AV, staffing, venues, catering, logistics, permitting, and other event services.
• Serve as a day-to-day client contact, providing clear updates, managing expectations, and translating feedback into action.
• Coordinate creative, production, operations, and other internal teams to keep projects on scope, on schedule, and on budget.
• Manage on-site execution, including load-in, setup, staffing, event operations, troubleshooting, teardown, and load-out.
• Identify risks early, develop solutions, and clearly communicate changes that may impact scope, schedule, or budget.
• Lead post-event wrap, including debriefs, reporting, vendor closeout, and financial reconciliation.
• Help improve project management processes, templates, and best practices across the team.

What You Bring

• 2-4 years of experience in event production, experiential marketing, brand activations, agency project management, or a related field.
• Experience managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong budget, timeline, and vendor management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and confidence working directly with clients.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset and the ability to stay calm when plans change.
• Comfort with project management and productivity tools such as Airtable, Monday.com, Smartsheet, Google Workspace, and Excel.
• Willingness to travel and work evenings or weekends when required by event schedules.
• Must be authorized to work legally in the United States.

Nice to Have

• Agency or experiential marketing experience.
• Familiarity with event fabrication, AV/technical production, venues, permitting, freight, or logistics.
• Experience with conventions, consumer events, tournaments, branded entertainment, or large-scale activations.
• Experience with sponsorships, creators, talent, or brand partnerships.
• Experience in anime, gaming, entertainment, fandom, or adjacent industries.
• An established network of vendors and production partners.

What We Offer

• $70,000-$90,000 annual salary, based on experience.
• Health & Wellness Stipend.
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Hybrid work flexibility.
• The chance to create standout live experiences for major brands and passionate fan communities.