Art Department/Scenic Project Manager

About Royal Productions

Royal Productions is a premier national audiovisual and live event production company with nearly 40 years of excellence. We serve as the dedicated in-house AV partner at hotel properties and venues across the country, while also producing large-scale road shows, corporate conferences, galas, and live events nationwide.

Our scenic department designs and builds custom stage sets, scenic environments, branded installations, and exhibit structures from our in-house fabrication shop. We combine cutting-edge technology - including CNC routing, large-format printing, and 3D visualization - with old-school craftsmanship to deliver show-stopping results. If you like seeing something go from a sketch on a napkin to a finished stage, this is the place.

The Role

The Scenic Project Manager is the bridge between design and reality. You’ll take approved creative concepts and own the full lifecycle of the build - from material sourcing and shop scheduling through fabrication, loading, and delivery to the event site. This role is equal parts project management, team leadership, and hands-on problem solving.

You’ll lead our scenic team in the warehouse, manage overlapping build timelines, keep budgets tight, and make sure every piece that leaves the shop is built to spec and ready to install. If something goes sideways - a material shortage, a last-minute design change, a truck that’s running late - you’re the one who finds the solution and keeps the project moving.

What You’ll Do

Shop & Team Leadership

• Direct and manage full-time shop staff and freelance specialists on a day-to-day basis, providing technical guidance, mentorship, and quality control
• Own the production calendar - schedule and sequence builds across overlapping projects, aligning shop capacity with client deadlines
• Break down large scenic projects into manageable tasks and assign work based on each team member’s skills, availability, and development goals
• Foster a safe, organized, and efficient shop environment with clear standards for workmanship and housekeeping

Logistics & Material Sourcing

• Research, negotiate, and purchase lumber, plastics, metals, fabrics, hardware, and exhibit systems; manage vendor relationships to secure competitive pricing
• Coordinate with specialized outside vendors—metal fabricators, seamstresses, print houses—to ensure external components meet project specs and timelines
• Manage warehouse storage, inventory organization, and material flow so the shop floor stays functional and efficient
• Schedule trucks, coordinate material pickups and deliveries, and oversee the loading of organized workboxes and toolkits tailored for each installation

Production Oversight & Cost Control

• Develop detailed scenic build orders and specifications for the shop floor, translating approved designs into actionable production plans
• Track labor hours and material expenses per project to maintain profitability and provide accurate data for estimating future work
• Manage show-site prep - ensuring everything from hardware kits to touch-up paint is accounted for before the truck rolls
• Serve as the primary problem solver when material shortages, production delays, or technical fabrication challenges arise

Technical Integration

• Collaborate with AV teams to ensure scenic elements integrate cleanly with lighting, audio, video, and projection requirements - no blocked sight lines, no compromised rigging points
• Oversee CNC file preparation and machine operation for cutting scenic components, signage, and custom fabrication pieces
• Create or supervise physical mock-ups and prototypes to test design solutions before committing to full production builds
• Read and interpret CAD drawings, technical schematics, and 3D renders to guide the build process from shop to stage

What We’re Looking For

Experience & Technical Knowledge

• 3+ years of experience in scenic fabrication, carpentry management, exhibition production, or a closely related field
• Strong working knowledge of construction materials - lumber, metals, acrylics, foams, fabrics - and how they behave in event and theatrical environments
• Ability to read and interpret CAD drawings, technical schematics, and fabrication layouts
• Familiarity with scenic fabrication tools and shop equipment; CNC experience is a plus, but we’re happy to train the right candidate
• Understanding of safe rigging practices, load-bearing considerations, and building code basics as they apply to temporary scenic structures

Project Management & Leadership

• Proven ability to manage a production calendar with multiple concurrent projects and competing deadlines
• Experience leading and developing a team of builders, carpenters, and/or freelance labor
• Strong vendor management skills - comfortable negotiating pricing, managing timelines, and holding outside partners accountable
• Sharp cost-tracking instincts with a focus on maintaining margins without cutting corners on quality

Work Style & Mindset

• Solutions-oriented - you don’t just flag problems, you show up with options
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment where project scopes, timelines, and creative direction can shift quickly
• Highly organized with a natural ability to prioritize and keep multiple workstreams moving simultaneously
• Strong communicator who can translate between the creative team’s vision and the shop floor’s reality

Bonus Points

• Experience with CNC operation, toolpath generation, or CAM software
• Background in theatrical scenic production, trade show/exhibit builds, or corporate event fabrication
• Familiarity with budgeting and estimating software or project management tools
• Forklift certification or experience operating warehouse equipment
• A portfolio or project list that shows range across scenic types and scales

Why Royal Productions?

• Nearly 40 years of industry leadership with a national footprint and growing
• You’ll run the shop - real ownership over the scenic production pipeline from purchase order to load-out
• Creative variety - one week it’s a 40-foot branded stage set, the next it’s a themed gala environment or a touring exhibit
• Collaborative culture that values craftsmanship, resourcefulness, and getting it done right
• Opportunity to grow with a company backed by private equity investment and actively expanding its scenic and production capabilities

How to Apply

Submit your resume and portfolio via Indeed (or samples of relevant work) along with an email to christopher@royalproductions.com and angelica@royalproductions.com. We’d love to see examples of 3D renders, technical drawings, and/or graphic design work. A cover letter is welcome but not required - let your work speak for itself.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Experience:

• 3ds Max: 1 year (Required)
• Graphic design: 1 year (Preferred)
• Adobe Creative Suite: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person