Field Events & Roadshow Program Manager

About the Opportunity:

Shelf is a fast growing agentic AI company. To support our next phase of growth, we're launching a 10-city national roadshow and need a meticulous, high-ownership event operator to run it end to end.

This is a contract-to-hire engagement. You'll come in, take full command of a complex, multi-city program, and have the opportunity to prove yourself alongside a lean, ambitious team. If you execute at the level we know is possible, there's a clear path to a permanent role at a company on the rise.

This is not a coordinator role. We need someone who can own the program - every venue, every vendor, every ship date, every run-of-show - and make sure 50 customers and prospects walk away impressed at every stop.

The Program:

The Shelf National Roadshow is a 10-city executive event series. Each event hosts approximately 50 customers and prospects at premier hotel venues or upscale event spaces. The format includes a welcome reception, 90 minutes of content with guest speakers, and a closing networking session. The program requires fully branded, portable event infrastructure that ships city to city and consistent, flawless execution at every stop.

What You'll Own:

Venue & Contracting

• Source, evaluate, and contract venues across all 10 cities.
• Manage RFP process, site visits, and contract negotiations (F&B minimums, A/V, attrition, cancellation terms).
• Own all venue relationships and serve as primary point of contact city to city.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Build and manage a master program budget across all 10 events.
• Track actuals vs. budget in real time; manage POs, deposits, and invoice approvals.
• Source and manage all vendors: A/V, catering, shipping/freight, swag, speakers.

Event Logistics & Execution

• Build and own the master run-of-show for each city.
• Manage all A/V requirements, sound checks, and production logistics.
• Oversee F&B planning, BEO review, and on-site catering coordination.
• Lead check-in operations, name badge production, and day-of attendee flow.
• Execute setup, run-of-show, and full breakdown at each event.

Branding & Shipping

• Manage all portable branded assets: banners, signage, tablecloths, event materials.
• Build and execute a city-to-city shipping calendar with delivery confirmations.
• Maintain an inventory checklist and manage asset wear, damage, and replacement.

Gifts & Swag

• Source and manage swag production for 500+ units with appropriate lead times.
• Coordinate per-city fulfillment and distribution logistics.
• Manage VIP or tiered gifting as applicable.

Speaker Coordination

• Confirm, contract, and brief external guest speakers for each city.
• Manage speaker travel, slide submissions, and day-of preparation.
• Own contingency planning if a speaker cancels.

Staffing & Team Coordination

• Coordinate internal Shelf team travel, hotel, and event-day roles across all cities.
• Produce staff briefing documents and lead pre-event team calls.

Program Tracking & Reporting

• Maintain a master program tracker across all 10 cities: venue status, contracts, headcount, shipping, budget actuals.
• Lead weekly internal syncs and provide status updates to leadership.
• Conduct post-event debriefs and apply learnings city to city.

What We're Looking For:

• 3–6+ years of event operations or field marketing experience, ideally managing multi-city or roadshow programs.
• Proven ability to manage complex logistics across multiple simultaneous work streams without things falling through the cracks.
• Experience contracting and managing venues, A/V vendors, catering, and freight logistics.
• Extremely organized — you live in trackers, checklists, and calendars, and you keep everyone else on track too.
• Strong communicator with the ability to manage vendor and internal stakeholder relationships simultaneously.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to make good decisions independently in fast-moving situations.
• Willingness to travel for on-site execution across multiple cities.
• Experience with executive-level or B2B events strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with event registration platforms (Splash, Cvent, Eventbrite) a plus.