Program Manager - Live Events

At Nova Sky Stories , we empower artists and producers to bring awe and wonder to live audiences around the world. As the global leader in drone entertainment , we’ve been redefining live shows for over a decade—merging cutting-edge drone technology with imaginative artistry.

With a veteran team of engineers and creatives, we design and operate lightweight, small, precise, and safe drones that perform in the most demanding environments—urban centers, extreme temperatures, and high winds. The result? Sky Stories that inspire, captivate, and transform the sky into a canvas of imagination.

Headquartered in the U.S. with teams across Europe and the UAE, Nova Sky Stories works with the world’s leading brands, venues, and events.
Follow us: @NovaSkyStories

About this role:

We are seeking a customer-focused Live Events Program Manager to lead the coordination and scaling of Nova Sky Stories’ global partnership programs, supporting a growing portfolio of traveling drone shows across multiple markets.

In this role, you will act as the operational lead for a key strategic partnership—bringing structure, coordination, and consistency across a high volume of live productions. You will sit at the intersection of external partners and Nova’s internal teams, ensuring the right resources, stakeholders, and workflows are aligned to deliver successful show outcomes at scale.

This is a highly client-facing role that requires strong relationship management, clear communication, and the ability to represent Nova confidently in partner interactions. You’ll help coordinate cross-functional efforts across creative, production, flight operations, engineering, and legal teams while ensuring projects remain on track operationally.

As a Live Events Program Manager, you’ll be responsible for: 

Program Ownership & Partner Management

• Serve as the primary operational point of contact for a key external partner, coordinating day-to-day communication and fostering a strong collaborative relationship
• Coordinate internal teams and resources to support the successful execution of traveling shows across multiple markets
• Lead partner communications including planning discussions, status updates, and on-site coordination
• Translate partner goals and feedback into clear internal priorities, timelines, and action items

Cross-Functional Execution

• Coordinate across internal teams including creative and audio, production, flight operations, engineering, legal, sponsorship, and finance to align on project needs, responsibilities, timelines, and overall show execution
• Ensure stakeholders remain informed, aligned, and positioned to execute effectively throughout the project lifecycle
• Facilitate communication and decision-making between partner stakeholders and Nova teams

Planning, Timelines & Resource Management

• Build and manage program timelines, workplans, and coordination workflows across multiple concurrent projects
• Help align internal resources and scheduling needs to support successful project delivery
• Serve as the central source of truth across timelines, deliverables, dependencies, and cross-functional coordination for all active projects

Operational Excellence & Scaling

• Support the development and refinement of repeatable processes, workflows, and tools to improve coordination across a growing number of shows
• Identify operational gaps and collaborate with internal teams to improve efficiency and scalability
• Help strengthen the infrastructure needed to support rapid global growth

Risk Management & Problem Solving

• Proactively identify risks across logistics, production, and partner expectations
• Drive solutions quickly in dynamic, fast-moving environments, especially in live event contexts
• Maintain calm, structured execution under pressure when plans shift or challenges arise

Client Experience & Delivery

• Represent Nova in partner-facing settings with professionalism, organization, and confidence
• Coordinate internal teams to help ensure a high-quality and consistent partner experience
• Travel regularly to support partner meetings, site visits, and live show execution as needed

You’ll need to have: 

• 10+ years of experience in program management, project management, or production management within live events, entertainment, experiential, or a similarly complex environment
• Proven experience in client-facing or partner-facing roles , with the ability to build trust and manage relationships effectively
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects across different locations or markets
• Strong organizational and operational skills with the ability to manage complex workflows and competing priorities
• Experience working cross-functionally with creative, technical, and operational teams
• Ability to translate high-level goals into structured plans and drive execution against them
• Excellent communication skills, both internally and externally
• A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with a high degree of ownership and accountability
• Comfort operating in dynamic, fast-paced environments where plans evolve quickly
• Travel: Approximately 30–50% travel required, including domestic and international travel for partner meetings, site visits, and live show support

It’s a plus if you have:

• Experience with touring productions, traveling events, or multi-city program management
• Familiarity with live show production, technical operations, or experiential activations
• Experience working with international teams or global programs across multiple jurisdictions

Salary Range: $130,000 - $155,000 USD

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with company matching
• Flexible PTO and paid sick leave
• Paid parental leave
• Company-paid holidays
• Equity opportunities for eligible employees

Compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, qualifications, and geographic location.

If you're ready to play a key role in supporting the operational backbone of a company redefining storytelling in the sky, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now to help keep Nova Sky Stories flying high.