Head of Scenic Production

Location: Manchester

Type: Full Time | Office Based

Reports to: Directors

About Visual Architects

Visual Architects is a creative production company specialising in immersive environments, scenic builds, fabrication, commercial interiors, festivals, hospitality projects, and large-scale experiential installations across the UK and Europe.

We deliver technically challenging and visually impactful projects for brands, venues, agencies, and live events, combining creativity with operational excellence across design, production, fabrication, logistics, and installation.

As the business continues to grow, we are looking for an experienced and highly organised Head of Production from a build, fabrication, scenic, construction from the production event industry, who understands how to manage complex builds, fast-moving deadlines, workforce coordination, procurement, workshop scheduling, and operational delivery at scale.

The Role

The Head of Scenic Production is responsible for overseeing the planning, coordination, and operational delivery of all production and fabrication projects across the business.

This role is heavily focused on:

• production planning,
• build scheduling,
• workforce allocation,
• procurement coordination,
• operational oversight,
• and ensuring projects are built and delivered on time.

The successful candidate must come from a hands-on events build or events production environment and understand the realities of workshop operations, fabrication timelines, supplier management, labour planning, logistics coordination, and live project delivery.

Strong planning and organisational skills are absolutely essential for this role.

The successful candidate will initially work closely under the current Head of Production Manager for the first few months to learn internal workflows, systems, operational structures, supplier networks, and company processes before taking full ownership of the department.

This role would suit someone who thrives in a fast-paced production environment and is capable of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously while maintaining high operational standards.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Project Delivery

• Oversee the full production and build schedule across all projects.
• Create realistic production timelines and ensure projects are delivered on time.
• Coordinate fabrication schedules, production priorities, and operational planning across multiple departments.
• Ensure projects move efficiently from approved concept through to final delivery and installation.
• Monitor build progress daily and proactively resolve delays, risks, or operational issues.
• Work closely with Project Managers, Creative Producers, Designers and Workshop Managers to ensure smooth project execution.
• Manage multiple large-scale builds and live projects simultaneously while balancing operational capacity.

Workforce Planning & Resource Allocation

• Plan and coordinate workforce allocation across workshop, fabrication, scenic, logistics, and installation teams.
• Ensure labour requirements are planned correctly across all active projects.
• Support recruitment and onboarding within the production department where required.

Procurement and Material planning

• Oversee material requirements across all active projects.
• Work closely with the Stock and Inventory Controller to manage material ordering, stock levels, stock forecasting, and procurement requirements.
• Liaise with suppliers and subcontractors regarding lead times, deliveries, availability, and costs.
• Ensure materials are ordered and delivered in line with production schedules to avoid delays.

Workshop and Build Oversight

• Work in direct collaboration with the Workshop Manager, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the workshop and fabrication floor.
• Ensure workshop schedules and production priorities remain aligned with project deadlines.
• Oversee build progress and fabrication timelines across all active projects.
• Ensure builds are completed to the required quality standards and technical specifications.
• Support practical problem solving and build solutions throughout the production process.
• Ensure safe, organised, and efficient working practices across all production areas.

Operational Leadership and Communication

• Lead and support the wider production department in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Maintain clear communication across all departments regarding timelines, delays, operational risks, and production updates.
• Attend planning and operational meetings to support company-wide coordination.
• Help create a positive, accountable, and solutions-focused production culture.
• Support continuous improvement across planning, workflow management, operational coordination, and delivery efficiency.

Skills and Experience Required

• Proven experience within:
• fabrication,
• scenic build,
• exhibitions,
• live events,
• production,
• commercial interiors,
• construction,
• or experiential environments.
• Strong understanding of build environments and workshop operations.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills.
• Experience managing production schedules, build timelines, and operational delivery.
• Strong understanding of materials, fabrication processes, and logistics coordination.
• Experience managing workforce allocation and operational resources.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Commercial awareness and ability to work within budgets and timelines.
• Proactive and solutions-focused mindset.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be someone who:

• understands the realities of production and build environments,
• can confidently manage fast-paced build schedules,
• is highly organised and operationally strong,
• can balance multiple moving projects simultaneously,
• and knows how to keep production teams aligned and accountable under pressure.

This role would suit someone currently working as:

• Production Manager,
• Senior Production Coordinator,
• Workshop Manager,
• Build Manager,
• Scenic Production Manager,
• Technical Production Manager,
• or Operations Manager within a creative production, fabrication, or live events environment.

Please do share your CV to jobs@visual-architects.co.uk