Vice President of Operations

About EES Agency and the Role

EES Agency seeks an experienced Vice President of Operations to lead and optimize the agency's operational functions on a global scale. Reporting directly to the CEO, this executive will bridge the gap between creative ambition and operational discipline for live, virtual, and hybrid events. This position holds full authority over business operations and logistics, driving scalable delivery and championing AI integration across teams.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage comprehensive operational execution for all event formats worldwide, ensuring adherence to delivery standards and client satisfaction.
• Develop and enforce quality control and operational playbooks that balance creativity with efficient workflows.
• Oversee timelines, staffing arrangements, and on-site operations at executive levels.
• Lead the logistics team, including full-time and contracted staff, managing transportation and venue coordination.
• Build and maintain global partnerships with vendors, suppliers, and venues, negotiating contracts with a focus on cost-effectiveness, quality, and long-term collaboration.
• Implement contingency planning, risk management, and issue escalation processes throughout the organization.
• Drive AI adoption within operations by integrating automation, predictive analytics, and AI-powered project management tools to enhance efficiency and decision making without replacing human expertise.
• Collaborate with innovation teams to pilot and scale AI solutions that improve operational workflows.
• Design operational systems to support expanding into new markets, standardizing global tools while allowing necessary regional adaptations.
• Manage operational budgets, margin goals, and cost controls, partnering with finance for forecasting and profitability analyses.
• Define key performance indicators related to delivery, resource use, and AI return on investment, fostering continuous improvement through data-driven retrospectives.
• Serve on the management team to shape overall agency strategy and culture, promoting events as a business strategy aligned with client outcomes.
• Work in close partnership with client relationship, marketing, creative, and production teams to ensure operational feasibility and profitable scope alignment.
• Build and nurture a high-performing operations organization, fostering team retention and growth.

Indicators of Success

• Consistent on-time and on-budget event delivery across all regions and formats.
• High levels of client satisfaction and repeat business, with measurable growth in recurring revenue and client retention.
• Transition of project-based customers into retained house accounts.
• Steady improvement in operational margins year-over-year.
• Quantifiable productivity and cost benefits through AI tool adoption.
• Successful establishment and stabilization of new office locations globally.
• Strong team engagement, retention, and promotion within operations.

Candidate Requirements

• At least ten years in senior operational leadership roles within events, experiential marketing, live entertainment, or production, with demonstrated profit and loss responsibility.
• Practical knowledge and enthusiasm for AI technologies applied to operations, with the capability to encourage team adoption.
• Proven experience in scaling operations across diverse teams, geographies, and event types.
• An established global network of vendors, logistics providers, and venue operators.
• Leadership qualities characterized by calm decisiveness, trust-building under pressure, and the ability to inspire teams.
• Systemic thinker adept at designing user-centric operational solutions for complex challenges.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to effectively translate operational concepts for varied audiences.

Location and Additional Information

Candidates should be based in either the Greater Nashville or Miami areas.