Technical Production Manager in London

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 Technical Production Manager is responsible for delivering exceptional live events and exhibitions by combining deep technical expertise with outstanding project leadership. This role requires extensive knowledge of AV, lighting, sound, staging, rigging, broadcast, and event technology, along with the ability to identify innovative production solutions that bring creative concepts to life. The ideal candidate builds strong relationships with clients, suppliers, venues, and internal teams, inspiring confidence through expert guidance while leading production crews to consistently deliver high-quality, flawless event experiences. This role is eligible to work a hybrid schedule, generally requiring work in-office one day a week (typically Wednesdays) at our London location.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Works closely with production team and creative to establish project scope and technical requirements.
• Carries out technical site visits – provides site visit reports.
• Briefing: suppliers, venues, site manager, production managers, show callers, CAD drafters/visualizers/creatives.
• Tracks and manages production timelines on active event programs; creates and manages budgets, supplier invoice/expense tracking and final reconciliation.
• Develop and track project schedules, agendas and show flows as needed.
• Drives timeline with team and client as directed.
• Monitors services & activities to ensure they are within budget.
• Creates production budgets and timelines associated with assigned proposals.
• Monitors costs and resource allocation to ensure they are within budget.
• Work closely with Sparks EMEA Ryton team to ensure all technical aspects of event – build, AV – are developed in line with client brief.
• Research, source and manage suppliers and ensure contractors and suppliers are within our approved supplier list.
• Management of new suppliers and Sparks EMEA new supplier procurement processes.
• Work with other departments/agencies in order to produce, ensure quality, and deliver proposals to clients accurately and on time.
• Maintain consistent and thorough communication with all levels of employees, contractors, vendors, and Sparks EMEA divisions.
• Maintain confidential and sensitive information and files, correspondence and records.
• Supplier/Venue management and liaison.

Education & Experience

• 10+ years within the technical events industry, with experience within the agency space and in indoor and outdoor productions.
• Proficient operational knowledge of 2D AutoCAD.
• Entertainment industry related course / certificates in rigging preferred.
• Proficient in Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• UK National or relevant permissions to work in the UK.
• Track record in international event delivery.
• Experience in proposal development and pricing.
• Exposure to budget management of 100K+.
• Ability to quickly recognize or anticipate problem areas and quickly develop solutions.
• Travel up to 25%.

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.
• 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.