Siblana Events - Director of Production & Operations

Link to apply listed at the bottom of this Job Description. Only applications submitted through this link will be considered.

WHO WE ARE

Siblana Events is a luxury event decor and design company based in the Chicago suburbs. We design and produce florals, draping, lighting, and large-scale structures such as mandaps and arches, with a specialty in South Asian weddings alongside corporate and nonprofit galas and destination events across the country. Our growth has come through referrals and the reputation of our work.

Mission: Siblana Events delivers large-scale, refined production and floral design with intention and precision, grounded in collaboration, flexibility, and care.

Our Core Values are:

INTEGRITY: We honor our commitments and take responsibility for our actions, earning the trust of our clients and vendors.COLLABORATION: We work closely with our clients, team, and vendors to execute every detail flawlessly.QUALITY: We source top-tier materials and hold the highest standards to exceed client expectations.CREATIVITY: We explore new materials and trends to deliver unique, never-repeated designs for every event.We’re looking for someone who genuinely connects with our mission and values. This alignment is critical for success in this role.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Siblana Events team is looking for a hands-on, results-driven Director of Production & Operations with a proven track record in events, event rentals, production, or hospitality. Our founder has built the company on design excellence and has personally held production, staffing, and scheduling together as the business has grown. You will take that operational load off her plate, lead production and warehouse operations, and build the systems that let us grow to roughly three times our current size.

The goal of the Director of Production & Operations is to make the company run smoothly on the busiest days of the year. You will lead the floor on event weekends, build the staffing, pricing, and scheduling systems that currently live in one person’s head, and hold every team member to the same standard. The application code word is ANCHOR. The Director of Production & Operations is a calm, steady leader who anticipates problems before event day and builds a team that can carry more weekends without the founder overseeing each one.

This role will lead Siblana Events through a chapter of rapid growth and transition, including an upcoming move to a new warehouse and studio during the off-season. You will work in close collaboration with the founder, who continues to lead the creative vision.

This is a full-time, on-site, 1099 position. This is a critical position within the business, and as such, we host a rigorous, 4-part application process.

WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE UNIQUE

You will be the company’s first operator. Our work peaks on weekends, with up to four events on a peak Saturday, and our ability to say yes to more events depends on what happens in the warehouse and on site. The team is ready to take on more volume, and you are the person who makes that possible.

Your success will be measured by one outcome: the founder steps out of day-to-day scheduling, staffing, and logistics, and the company confidently takes on more events per peak day. You’ll start the first week of January, use your first 90 days to learn the business and take over production, and have operations fully running before busy season begins in April.

You will lead a close-knit, multilingual crew. Our team speaks Spanish, Arabic, Pashto, Ukrainian, and English, and not everyone reads English comfortably. The right person reaches everyone through pictures, translation tools, and bilingual teammates, and protects the people-first culture we’ve built while raising the standard.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

30 Days: Learn departments, build team relationships, and take over weekly production scheduling.60 Days: Establish staffing models, expand the weekend crew pool, and document new facility requirements.90 Days: Own production, implement pricing and job costing, centralize events and inventory in Goodshuffle, and launch weekly operations meetings.6 Months: Founder exits daily operations, event costs are tracked, key roles have scorecards, and peak-Saturday capacity increases.

RESPONSIBILITIES (TASKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROLE):

Production & Weekend WorkforceLead warehouse, production, packing, load-out, installation, and strikeManage weekly crew schedules and build staffing models by event typeRecruit weekend crew and drivers, including through agenciesEstablish weekend warehouse runner coverageSupport designers with event-day production issuesPricing & Job CostingTrack event costs across labor, materials, rentals, trucks, and breakageBuild pricing formulas and SOPs covering labor, delivery, installation, strike, and unit costsSet designer discretion for custom work and upsells; review proposalsFinance & BudgetOwn the operating budget and approve spending within agreed limitsCoordinate accurate books and monthly P&L with the outside accountantIdentify unprofitable events and drive corrective actionFacility MoveLead the warehouse and studio move, including layout, requirements, and timelinePlan storage, truck access, loading, floral workspace, and luxury showroom needsLabel storage zones and record inventory locations in GoodshufflePeople & StructureCreate job scorecards and annual reviews for key rolesLead weekly cross-functional operations meetings and post-weekend reviewsManage conduct, conflicts, and performance consistentlyCoordinate employment structure with HR and legal advisorsSystems & HandoffsMap inquiry-to-inventory-return workflows, with firm deadlines for work orders, packing lists, and client changesMake Goodshuffle the source of truth for events and inventory, including receivingBuild backup coverage for single-person rolesBring floral into operations once production is stable

REQUIREMENTS (EXPECTED PROFICIENCIES):

Experience Requirements (Non-Negotiable)5–8 years in events, rentals, production, or hospitality, ideally luxury or high-ticketExperience scheduling hourly and contract crews and recruiting weekend staff and driversExperience managing warehouse operations from prep through returnsExperience leading multilingual teamsFamiliarity with Goodshuffle, Current RMS, Flex, or similar inventory systemsExperience with pricing and job costing across labor, materials, fees, and marginsProven ability to build schedules, checklists, SOPs, and operating routinesFacility relocation or buildout experience is a plusCore CompetenciesLabor and job-cost awareness, with the ability to build a budget, read a P&L, and price an event from real costsCrew scheduling and staffing at volume, including last-minute replacements on event weekendsSystems building that turns knowledge held by one or two people into checklists, picture-based instructions, and SOPsDatabase thinking, with comfort living in inventory software and keeping counts accurateEnough HR fluency to run scorecards, reviews, and conduct conversations alongside outside expertsThis role calls for both sides: someone who can run a load-out and also build the spreadsheet behind it.

Critical Soft Skills (Deal-Breakers)Fair and consistent leader who holds everyone to the same standard, including long-tenured team membersManages up with kindness and conviction, giving the founder room to focus on design and pushing back when neededCalm and steady on event day and every day, keeping a level voice under pressureManages down by sharing the plan, assigning clear ownership, and developing crew members into event leadsHires people who can grow, including people who may one day outgrow youInclusive leader who protects a people-first culture while raising the standardRespects creative work and builds structure that leaves room for design to keep evolvingTechnical RequirementsExceptional attention to detail, time management, and organizational skillsClear communicator across languages and literacy levels who uses pictures and translation tools by defaultData-driven decision maker who uses job costs and event data to guide choicesCandid and direct communicator with strong verbal and written EnglishOn-site in the Chicago suburbs, with weekends and event days as a regular part of the roleAble to travel for 5 to 7 destination events a yearMindset & Cultural FitYou hold yourself to the highest standard and stay resilient when event day throws a curveballYou’re energized by work that peaks on weekends and you’re ready to lead through the full busy seasonYou care about the people on your crew and see their growth as part of your jobYou’re excited to be the first operator in a founder-led company and to build what comes next

BENEFITS

Salary range of $120,000 to $150,000, plus performance-based bonusesEmployment classification: 1099 (independent contractor)Company-covered travel to destination eventsProfessional Development: This role will be supported by an external Ops program that includes Ops mentorship, community, and live coaching.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this position, please submit an application at the following link.

https://recruiterflow.com/db_5f712a22c33a3d8ff14e412f5e6ab747/jobs/70

Our team will review your application and get back to you shortly. We look forward to hearing from you!

DISCLAIMER:

Spyglass Ops is an authorized representative of Siblana Events. We are an Operations Hiring Agency, working on behalf of startup businesses to find and hire Operations Positions. All of our roles are full-time, salaried, leadership positions within growing businesses. We also filter the businesses we work with, to ensure they provide long-term positions, growth opportunities, and a strong working environment / culture. Our company qualifies and interviews candidates, then connects finalists with our clients for final interviews and job offers. Our highest priority is creating win-win matches for both our candidates and clients.