Sr Producer

FREEMAN; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

Parental Leave

Retirement Match

Paid Time Off

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Job summary

The Freeman Company is seeking a Senior Producer to lead the strategy and flawless execution of complex event programs within our Events & Experiences team.

Collaborate with growth, strategy, creative, technology, and operations to deliver client results while meeting financial goals. Hybrid schedule with 2–3 days in-office/show site; travel 25–50% across multiple markets including Chicago, IL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of conference operations and management experience within an agency, communications firm, or production company.
• Experience producing diverse events (conferences, concerts/evening events, hospitality programs, consumer activations).
• Proven ability to manage budgets of $2M+ and oversee multiple large-scale programs.
• Experience managing programs with 5,000+ attendees.
• Strong communication, leadership, project management, and client-service skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver a wide range of event experiences (in-person and virtual).
• Oversee programs from RFP to post-event wrap-up, ensuring client and internal quality standards.
• Manage venue logistics, production, staffing, décor, food & beverage, safety, security, transportation, and on-site operations.
• Monitor budgets, track expenses, and drive profitability.
• Facilitate meetings, kickoff sessions, and provide clear action-item reporting.
• Mentor and develop junior production staff and foster a collaborative culture.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Budget management

Client service

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

G Suite

Microsoft Office

Airtable

Job description

About Us

Sparks is a leading global brand experience agency, specializing in the design and execution of award-winning experiences that forge deep connections between brands and audiences. Recognized by Adweek as Experiential Agency of the Year, we bring a unique blend of strategic insight and execution excellence to every brand activation, corporate event, trade show exhibit, and immersive experience. Our commitment to creativity, innovation, and flawless execution drives us to craft impactful experiential marketing solutions that deepen relationships, inspire action, and build trust—all around the world.

Summary

The Senior Producer is a key leader within the Events & Experiences team, responsible for guiding the strategic vision and flawless execution of complex event programs. Working closely with Operations, Growth, Strategy, Creative Technology and Creative leadership, this role ensures that every project delivers meaningful client results while meeting financial and operational goals. The Senior Producer drives alignment across internal teams, external partners, and clients, bringing effective communication, leadership, and project‑management expertise to every engagement.

This position will support our Events & Experiences team and is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, generally requiring work in the office and/or at show site 2-3 days a week. Preferred locations for this role include the following; however, qualified candidates outside of these markets will also be considered.

• Philadelphia, PA
• Fort Wayne, IN
• Las Vegas, NV
• Royal Oak, MI
• Grand Prairie, TX
• New York, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Los Angeles, CA
• San Francisco, CA

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Event Leadership & Delivery

• Lead cross‑functional teams, including growth, strategy, creative, creative technology, operations, production, and technical production, to deliver a wide range of event experiences such as proprietary events, conferences, brand activations, virtual events and large‑scale experiential programs (both B-to-B and B-to-C).
• Oversee programs from RFP through post‑event wrap‑up, ensuring all deliverables meet client expectations and internal quality standards.
• Manage all aspects of project execution including venue logistics, technical production, staffing, décor, signage, food & beverage, health & safety, security, transportation, permitting and on‑site operations.
• Monitor project budgets, track expenses and vendor invoices, and drive profit margins through thoughtful financial management.
• Facilitate internal and client meetings, lead kickoff sessions, maintain consistent communication, and provide timely documentation and action‑item reporting.

Team Management & Development

• Supervise and support producers, event managers, and coordinators, assigning workloads and coaching team members to grow their expertise.
• Conduct regular employee reviews and contribute to ongoing team training and development initiatives.
• Mentor junior production staff and help build a positive, strong, collaborative, and high‑performing department culture.

Client & Vendor Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients in collaboration with the growth lead and Executive Sponsor, setting program goals, managing communication, managing the budget and nurturing long‑term relationships that support business growth.
• Work with Growth Leads to define program success metrics and ensure all teams are aligned.
• Develop strong relationships with third‑party vendors, freelance staff, and production partners; negotiate and manage their contracts to ensure the highest level of service and execution quality.
• Support RFP development as needed.

Project Strategy & Innovation

• Translate client goals into actionable production plans and timelines, including production schedules, budgets, communication plans, show flows, and run‑of‑show documents. Collaborate with growth, strategy and creative teams to support concept development, content, and audience engagement strategies.
• Identify opportunities for improvement, propose innovative production solutions, and support continuous evolution of event delivery methodologies.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of conference operations and management experience within an agency, communications firm, or production company.
• Demonstrated experience producing diverse events, including conferences, concerts/evening events, hospitality programs, and consumer activations.
• Proven ability to manage budgets of $2M+ and oversee multiple large‑scale programs simultaneously.
• Experience managing programs with 5,000+ attendees.
• Motivated, positive attitude, and results-oriented mindset.
• Champion culture and embrace culture.
• Strong communication, leadership, project management, and client‑service skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Mastery of G Suite (Slides, Sheets, Docs), Microsoft Office, Airtable, and all relevant internal and client tools.

Travel Requirements

Travel 25% to 50%

What We Offer

The Freeman Company provides benefits that aim to empower our people and their families to thrive mentally, physically, and financially. These are a handful of the types of programs and benefits our full‑time people may be eligible for. There may be some variances in specific benefits across regions.

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave
• Life, Accident and Disability
• Retirement with Company Match
• Paid Time Off

Diversity Commitment

At The Freeman Company, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is helping us to create not only a great place to work, but also an environment where our employees, our customers and our communities around the world can reach their goals and connect with each other. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status and other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.