Team Lead, Event Production (Sydney)

BUILDING A BRAND STARTS WITH OUR STORY

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency serving clients in various industries, including financial services, technology, new & traditional media, aerospace, healthcare, and professional services. FIRST has received numerous accolades, including being named one of the Top 150 Event Organizers & Agencies in the USA by Eventex, being listed among the "200 Top Marketing Agencies" in 2023, 2022 & 2021 by Chief Marketer, being recognized as one of the "50 Top Event Companies" by Special Events, being included in the Top 100 "Best Places to Work in.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

Our story started over 25 years ago growing through collaboration, innovation, strong culture, and a focus on people, specifically our people. Our people inspired, developed, and grew FIRST to the incredible brand experience creator it is today.

And our hope is that you become the next page of our story in developing how our agency connects more people beyond what they thought was possible.

A WELCOMING, CREATIVE AND AMBITIOUS WORKPLACE THAT OFFERS PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS. 

At FIRST, you'll find:

• A welcoming workplace that fosters diversity and belonging with a focus on team members feeling valued, respected, and supported.
• Creative teams that enjoy challenging work with an ability to make an impact on those around them.
• An experiential organization that cares about the development and career experience of each employee, focusing on excellence and flexibility with the right balance of structure to thrive.

JOB DESCRIPTION

In this capacity, the ideal candidate would represent the FIRST brand as an implanted team member for one of a well-known technology company and assume the role of Team Lead. This position is ideal for someone with strong people management skills and expert technical production experience in the event industry who can assume a senior management role within an organisation. This role will be responsible for leading the technical production elements for high-profile events in addition to directly managing team members on the account to ensure the delivery of high-quality events. You will liaise with FIRST teams and our clients on a daily basis.

For events, the goal is to provide a seamless technology experience to all attendees, press and partners, as well as create a more efficient and reliable technical environment for event staff and vendors. This role will report to the Regional Production Lead in EMEA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead on all aspects of on-site and digital event service delivery which includes developing processes, maintaining client relationships, and driving innovations and efficiencies
• Develop detailed reporting to provide insight on the health of studios, space utilisation, finances, staffing, and client satisfaction
• Reports to the Regional Production Lead in EMEA to ensure SOPs are executed to the desired standards, and that all risk is identified in a timely manner
• Manage FIRST team members including technicians, production coordinators, AV systems engineers, as well as freelancers
• Coordinate with Regional Production Lead and team members to ensure all technically complex and high-profile events are executed flawlessly
• Coordinate  with stakeholders across teams and service lines to ensure the seamless execution of events
• Coordinate with the multimedia team to ensure the flawless delivery of content on experiential displays
• Provide technical, operational and production support to a number of on-site and digital meeting spaces
• Work closely with clients to establish A/V and staging layouts as well as budgets for events
• Staff, administer and maintain event calendar for FIRST team members
• Oversee workload of the team ensuring day-to-day understanding of capacity/pressure points and assisting/offering guidance on team’s events where required
• Manage vacation schedules, coordinate team presence in the office to ensure ample coverage, and review all T&E reports
• Liaise with Regional Lead & other Team Leads to schedule and execute monthly meetings with the FIRST team on the account
• Partner with FIRST People & Culture and the Head of Production on all company initiatives, recruiting, and employee relations matters
• Oversee the on-boarding & training/off-boarding process for all employees on the account
• Liaise between FIRST internal departments, Site Leads, clients, and the implanted FIRST team
• Provide technical solutions and support to the wider team and assist in the hands-on delivery of all events
• Manage client expectations on production issues
• Liaise across different levels within the immediate team, the client’s organisation, and third-party vendors
• Advice on best options and set-up for venues
• Deliver final labour cost and technical spends in post-production
• Participate in creative team brainstorming sessions
• Identify new and alternative ways of approaching FIRST’s technical production offering to clients by collecting feedback, identifying trends and implementing changes
• Ensure the team adheres to standard operating procedures and compliance processes
• Actively discuss technical errors and ensure that they will be rectified/escalated accordingly
• Maintain comprehensive event files and keep precise records for the client
• Provide input/feedback on big picture opportunities, issues, and challenges within the organisation
• Manage and promote communications to all team members to ensure maximum efficiency
• Manage process requests and projects to/from FIRST Main Office
• Ensure the team maintains positive relationships with the client
• Lead and motivate the team to work efficiently
• Ensure the team is providing value for money to clients and seeking value adds where possible
• Encourage and motivate the team to be knowledgeable of best practices, new suppliers, services, and venues and to be proactive with ideas and creative solutions
• Develop, mentor, manage performances and provide feedback to team members on an ongoing basis

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 10+ years’ professional experience within the technical event production/broadcast industry/Live event industry
• 3-5+ years’ experience leading technical production teams is preferred
• Strong people management skills with the ability to lead by example are essential
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience preferred
• Expert/in-depth understanding of the latest Audio/Visual technology and advancements including lighting, audio/video, rigging and power
• High level of proficiency in the technical delivery of high-quality events
• Video output experience with an expert technical understanding of systems
• Extensive experience operating event production systems
• Excellent communication and customer service skills are a must to build and maintain relationships
• Ability to prioritise while adhering to critical project timelines in a fast-paced environment
• Experience managing day-to-day changes at every level of detail
• Ability to manage many projects at once with varying levels of production complexity
• Excellent supplier/vendor knowledge, contract negotiation skills and knowledge of market pricing
• Flexibility in working with team members across different time zones and regions

ADMINISTRATION & GENERAL:

• Assume responsibility for own environment, ensuring adherence to health and safety policies while having clean smart surroundings
• Work intelligently and ensure that team management is aware of problems or issues which negatively affect productivity
• Build excellent relations with the team, clients, vendors, and key venues through positive communications
• Ensure knowledge is shared within the team to enable them to work smarter
• Work on ad hoc requests as required, typically during quiet times