Lead Producer

Title: Lead Producer

About HARNESS Founded by America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, and Ryan Piers Williams after the 2016 election, we are a community that builds relational power among leaders across advocacy, culture, and politics, igniting changemakers to drive cultural shifts to build a democracy that works for everyone.

Provide event-production services for designated HARNESS gatherings, including venue sourcing, production planning, vendor coordination, production budgeting, and on-site execution, identifying accessible and budget-appropriate spaces that reflect the organization’s identity and values. Research, track and leverage community member spaces where available. Coordinate and oversee third-party production vendors and subcontractors engaged for contracted gatherings, from initial outreach through post-event reconciliation. Develop and maintain production resources, including venue and vendor recommendations. Budget Management & Reconciliation Build per-gathering budgets for every program offering, within the guardrails set by the Programs Team. Track actuals throughout each production cycle and flag variances proactively to the Programs Team. Partner with Sr. Programs Manager and Programs Operations to ensure vendor invoices and honorariums are paid in a timely manner. Reconcile budgets after each gathering and provide reporting that informs the overall Programs-level financial picture. Production Team and Day-of Mgmt Manage contractor relationships and build a reliable production talent roster across gathering types. Hire, brief, and manage day-of production contractors and vendors for each gathering as necessary. Support in tracking of RSVP’s and attendees in partnership with Sr. Programs Manager. Serve as the on-the-ground lead during gatherings, including acting as the primary decision-maker for logistics and production issues in the room, raising issues up to the program team lead and/ or VP as needed. Ensure on the ground needs are met, including but not limited to prepping, printing and updating speaker cards; responding to in-the-moment accessibility needs, last minute emergencies, etc. Secure and/or purchase items necessary for each gathering either by sourcing at HARNESS storage or through cost-effective means. Report production realities–what worked, what didn’t, cost variances, venue performance–back to the Sr. Advisor and Sr. Manager after each gathering for their debrief process. Provide suggestions for improvement on an ongoing basis. Surface patterns across gatherings (recurring logistical challenges, vendor gaps, cost trends) to the Programs team as input for future design and budget planning. Ensure story-capture needs (photography, testimonial collection) are built into the day-of run of show for every gathering as decided upon by the Programs team. Overall Program Team Support Coordinate with designated HARNESS contacts at agreed planning milestones to align production deliverables with program requirements, as needed leading up to events and post-event briefings afterwards. Offer suggestions, as needed, on program design based on venue realities or restrictions around budget, schedule, A/V needs, accessibility, or otherwise. Skills Event Logistics & Operations: Ability to manage the end-to-end lifecycle of events, including venue sourcing, vendor management, contracting, and day-of execution. Budget Management: Proficiency in building gathering-specific budgets, tracking expenses against projections, and reconciling financials post-event. Decision-Making & Problem Solving: Strong capacity to serve as the primary on-the-ground decision-maker, managing unexpected logistical challenges and production issues in real-time. Project Documentation & Reporting: Skill in maintaining libraries (venues/vendors) and providing data-driven feedback (post-event debriefs) to improve future design and planning. Staff & Contractor Management: Experience in hiring, briefing, and leading production teams and contractors effectively.