Event Producer, Print Production Lead

TED is seeking an Event Producer & Print Production Lead (Contractor) to join the Event Operations team. This is a role built for someone who thinks like an event producer first — comfortable owning full conference production, from logistics to load-out — and who brings that same operational rigour to TED's print and signage operations. Day-to-day, you'll own the full lifecycle of every printed asset from brief through on-site installation, across a busy calendar of world-class conferences and events.

The strongest candidates will come from an event production background. That experience translates directly: you already understand how to manage vendors under pressure, navigate production timelines, maintain brand standards on-site, and juggle competing priorities across complex projects. Print and signage coordination, for the right person, is a natural extension of that skillset.

You will flex across both functions as the event calendar demands — serving as TED's internal lead on all printing, environmental graphics, and signage, while stepping into full event operations ownership during peak production phases. This role suits someone equally at home building a production schedule and reviewing a print proof.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Print & Signage Production

• Serve as TED's primary point of contact for all event print and signage production, owning the process from brief through installation
• Develop and manage print production budgets; negotiate vendor pricing and contracts
• Manage the end-to-end workflow: sourcing vendors, submitting and approving proofs, coordinating production timelines, and overseeing delivery and installation at event sites
• Maintain a centralized asset management and approval workflow for all visual production requests
• Recommend materials, finishes, and installation approaches appropriate to the event environment and design intent
• Conduct quality checks and resolve discrepancies with vendors promptly
• Integrate sustainable materials and practices into print production where feasible
• Ensure all signage and printed materials adhere to TED's branding and identity guidelines

Event Production

• Lead end-to-end operational execution for assigned TED events, from pre-production through load-out
• Source, vet, and manage vendors from start to finish, becoming their first point of contact on behalf of multiple stakeholders. 
• Develop and manage production schedules, load-in/load-out logistics, shipping, and on-site coordination
• Build, track, and reconcile event budgets; manage vendor invoices and change orders
• Represent operational progress at weekly production meetings; maintain project documentation, databases, and event records
• Coordinate cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders to align on operational requirements
• Uphold TED's brand and quality standards across all event touchpoints