Location: Maryland & Washington, D.C. Metro area (Travel Required)
Schedule: Project-based assignments. Contractors must have availability to support client events, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, based on project needs.
About Sonjé' Productions
Sonjé' Productions partners with clients to bring their vision to life through strategic event management, staffing, marketing, and production. Every detail matters. Every moment is intentional. Every event is an opportunity to create something unforgettable.
We are seeking an experienced Independent Event Project Manager to partner with Sonjé' Productions in delivering exceptional client experiences. This project-based opportunity is ideal for an experienced event professional who thrives in fast-paced environments, enjoys managing multiple projects, and excels at transforming client visions into flawlessly executed events.
If you're someone who balances creativity with operational excellence, builds strong client relationships, and enjoys solving complex event challenges, we'd love to connect with you.
Key Responsibilities
1. End-to-End Event Leadership
- Manage assigned client events from concept through execution and post-event evaluation.
- Translate client vision into comprehensive project plans, timelines, production schedules, and deliverables.
- Develop project scopes, run-of-show documents, production schedules, KPIs, milestones, and success measures.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines, budgets, and client expectations.
- Lead cross-functional project teams, contractors, volunteers, and event staff throughout all phases of production.
- Ensure seamless execution while maintaining exceptional quality, professionalism, and client satisfaction.
2. Client Partnership & Communication
- Serve as the primary point of contact for clients throughout each engagement.
- Build trusted relationships with executives, sponsors, government officials, community partners, exhibitors, and stakeholders.
- Facilitate client meetings, presentations, approvals, and project updates.
- Proactively manage project changes, client expectations, and communication throughout the event lifecycle.
- Prepare project plans, meeting agendas, production schedules, reports, presentations, and post-event recaps.
3. Budget, Vendor & Production Management
- Develop and manage detailed event budgets from planning through post-event reconciliation.
- Track project expenses and monitor financial performance.
- Negotiate vendor contracts and manage vendor relationships.
- Coordinate venue operations, audiovisual production, registration, transportation, catering, décor, entertainment, and event logistics.
- Manage production partners, sponsors, exhibitors, and third-party service providers.
- Support vendor sourcing, procurement activities, and RFP responses when applicable.
4. Event Execution & On-Site Leadership
- Serve as the primary onsite event leader and decision-maker.
- Coordinate event logistics, staffing plans, production timelines, and event operations.
- Resolve issues quickly while maintaining an exceptional client and guest experience.
- Lead event setup, execution, and breakdown.
- Delegate responsibilities and ensure accountability across contractors, vendors, and production teams.
- Capture social media content and support brand visibility during events when appropriate.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
- Minimum of 5 years of progressive event production and project management experience, including planning and executing conferences, festivals, fundraisers, galas, meetings, corporate events, and large-scale public events.
- Demonstrated success managing events ranging from intimate executive meetings to large-scale events with hundreds or thousands of attendees.
- Proven experience managing multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and budget requirements.
- Strong knowledge of event logistics, venue operations, production schedules, registration, catering, transportation, audiovisual coordination, and onsite event management.
- Experience developing and managing event budgets, tracking expenses, negotiating vendor contracts, and reconciling post-event financials.
- Experience managing vendor relationships, production partners, sponsors, exhibitors, and client stakeholders.
- Strong client relationship management skills with the ability to communicate professionally with executives, government officials, sponsors, and community partners.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams, contractors, volunteers, and event staff before, during, and after events.
- Experience leading teams of three or more individuals during event production.
- Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to adapt quickly in high-pressure environments.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing project plans, meeting agendas, production schedules, reports, and client presentations.
- High attention to detail and commitment to delivering exceptional client experiences.
- Comfortable leveraging technology, project management software, and AI tools to improve productivity and event execution.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency with Monday.com, including creating and managing project boards, assigning tasks, monitoring deadlines, tracking deliverables, and generating project reports.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
- Experience using Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other cloud-based collaboration tools.
- Experience using CRM platforms, event registration systems, attendee management software, and other event technology solutions.
- Ability to maintain organized project documentation, timelines, production schedules, task lists, budgets, and production calendars using digital project management software.
Work Requirements
- Must have availability to support client events throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas based on project assignments.
- Must possess reliable personal transportation and maintain a valid driver's license.
- Ability to travel regularly to client meetings, site visits, vendor locations, and event venues.
- Willingness to travel locally and occasionally out of state for client events and company business.
- Availability to support event production during early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, as required by project schedules.
- Ability to work extended hours during event setup, execution, and breakdown when necessary.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and lift up to 25 pounds during event production activities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience producing government, nonprofit, political, association, festival, or public-sector events.
- Experience managing sponsorship fulfillment and exhibitor logistics.
- Knowledge of procurement processes, vendor sourcing, and RFP responses.
- Professional certifications such as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), or Project Management Professional (PMP) are a plus.
Independent Contractor Relationship
- This is a 1099 Independent Contractor opportunity.
- Project assignments are offered based on client demand, event schedules, and business needs.
- Contractors are expected to maintain the professional standards and quality of service associated with Sonjé' Productions while managing assigned projects.
- Weekly hours will vary depending on project workload and event schedules, and no minimum number of hours is guaranteed.
- Contractors are responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and business expenses unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.
Why Partner with Sonjé' Productions?
At Sonjé' Productions, we believe exceptional events are built through creativity, collaboration, innovation, and flawless execution. We value partnerships with experienced event professionals who are committed to delivering outstanding client experiences and creating memorable events from concept through completion.
As an independent contractor, you'll have the opportunity to work on a variety of dynamic client projects while collaborating with an experienced event production team to deliver exceptional experiences across Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region.
If you're passionate about event production, client service, and leading successful events from start to finish, we'd love to hear from you.
Pay: $25.00 - $27.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- Are you able to work occasional evening and weekend availability required for live events? (Must answer Yes or No to be considered)
Education:
Experience:
- Events management: 2 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
