[Remote] Event Program Manager

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Crawford Group provides marketing, digital, creative, events, and communications talent solutions for marketers. The Event Program Manager will run day-to-day field marketing and ambassador program operations across eight priority markets, managing staffing, scheduling, training, compliance, vendors, logistics, live troubleshooting, reporting, and budget support for a spirits brand activation program.

Responsibilities

• Own staffing management and support onboarding of the field ambassador team across all eight priority markets in Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Kansas City, Tallahassee, and Madison
• Partner with our recruiting team on talent needs by market, then take candidates from selection through paperwork, certification, briefing and first shift
• Build and manage the ambassador schedule across all markets — shift coverage against the activation calendar, call times, check-ins and breaks — adjusting around tentpole moments, game day and shifting market demand
• Maintain a bench in every market and coordinate replacements and last-minute substitutions so no activation goes short-staffed
• Deliver training and briefings to both field populations — brand ambassadors and third-party samplers — against the standards set by the Program Lead, covering brand messaging, activation mechanics, conduct expectations and compliance protocol
• Execute venue contracts and secure the permits, licenses and documentation each activation requires to meet federal, state, local and brand guidelines
• Confirm liquor liability insurance certificates for field staff and third-party vendors
• Manage, direct and hold accountable the contracted third-party sampling vendor — onboarding, staffing requests, hours and rate confirmation, performance standards and issue resolution — and align the sampling calendar to the activation schedule, including any activity tied to the brand's branded RV program
• Support activation kit build, inventory, merchandise allocation, shipping and market-level storage so every market has what it needs, when it needs it
• Adapt and distribute run-of-show templates and operational playbooks by activation type so the field team executes consistently market to market
• Keep the rolling event calendar current and accurate as dates, venues and staffing shift, and support the Program Lead in maintaining the 90-day, 180-day and annual master calendar views
• Ensure LDA verification, sampling compliance and pour standards are upheld at every activation, and that only licensed samplers serve product
• Supervise Brand Ambassador Leads and their teams remotely and on site, holding both field populations to brand and conduct standards
• Serve as the escalation point above the market-level Brand Ambassador Lead — resolving staffing gaps, venue changes, weather, product and logistics problems as they happen, including evenings, weekends and escalating to the Program Lead and client when warranted
• Ensure a completed post-activation data capture for every activation, recording ambassador hours, estimated LDA consumer engagements, and tracking as required
• Produce market rollups, post-event recaps for tentpole and priority activations, and performance reporting against KPIs
• Support the Program Lead in quarterly program reviews and optimization
• Support the Program Lead on budget tracking, monthly reconciliation, vendor invoicing and expense reporting
• Gather feedback from the field, flag what is and is not working by market, and feed learnings into forward planning

Skills

• 5+ years in field marketing, experiential marketing, event production or brand/event management, including hands-on management of multi-market field or ambassador teams and multiple concurrent activations
• Direct experience in the alcohol beverage category or another regulated category, with working command of compliance discipline (LDA verification, sampling compliance, staff conduct, incident escalation)
• Proven ability to onboard, train, schedule and supervise field staff at volume, including hourly and part-time talent across multiple cities
• Experience managing third-party vendors and staffing partners, including setting performance standards and resolving issues
• Comfort with venue contracts, permitting, certificates of insurance and event compliance paperwork
• Experience operating in nightlife, game day and event environments
• Clear, consistent reporting skills — accurate data capture, on-time recaps and readable performance summaries
• Highly responsive and available around live activations, including some evenings and weekends around key occasions
• Experience with scheduling, staffing or workforce management platforms and third-party data collection tools
• Existing relationships with venues, promoters, local staffing sources or sampling vendors in one or more priority markets
• Experience with content capture, creator/influencer coordination, or social amplification on an ad hoc basis
• Background standing up a new program — building process, templates and staffing infrastructure from scratch rather than inheriting them
• Experience supporting mobile or vehicle-based activation programs

Benefits

• Remote work from the U.S. within one of the specified priority markets: Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Kansas City, Tallahassee, or Madison
• Full-time consulting engagement

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