Director, Special Events & Talent Relations

Searchlight Pictures - Director, Special Events & Talent Relations

Searchlight Pictures is a global specialty film and television company that develops, produces, finances and acquires motion pictures and series for both worldwide theatrical and streaming releases. It has its own marketing and distribution operations, and is part of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 1994 as Fox Searchlight Pictures, the company’s titles have grossed over $5 billion worldwide, amassing 52 Academy Awards including five Best Picture winners since 2009:  Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, The Shape of Water, and Nomadland; 64 BAFTA Awards; 35 Golden Globe Awards, and 10 Grammy Awards. 

The Director, Special Events & Talent Relations will lead develop and execute event strategies that support marketing and awards campaigns across Searchlight’s theatrical releases

Responsibilities:

• Oversee event planning and execution, ensuring alignment with campaign goals and brand identity
• Oversee development & execution of all marketing activations including pop-ups, brand events and licensed events
• Lead collaboration across marketing, publicity, creative, and field teams to ensure alignment of event strategy with broader campaign goals
• Own the strategic planning and allocation of event budgets, ensuring cost-effective execution while maintaining high production value
• Lead the creative development of events and clearly communicate vision to external vendors
• Oversee selection, hiring & management of third-party production vendors
• Serve as a key advisor to the Vice President and senior leadership on event strategy, talent relations, and brand activations.
• Establish event metrics, evaluate effectiveness, and conduct post-event analysis to inform future planning and improve impact.
• Oversee staffing for all studio events including internal assignments and agency supplementation
• Lead the studio gifting program strategy, including general talent and filmmaker gifting as well as managing promotional item and mailer deliveries to talent and stakeholders around theatrical releases
• Strategically curate guest lists for all studio events, including celebrities, influencers, and press, ensuring alignment with campaign goals and stakeholder engagement strategies
• Work with Director, Field Publicity on integrating cohesive creative across field activations and junket setups based on national event design and direction
• Partner with the Director, Field Publicity to lead studio presence at festivals, overseeing ticketing, creative execution, print traffic, executive coordination, and talent engagement
• Lead capacity planning for all Searchlight events, ensuring deep venue knowledge and strategic ticket allocation across stakeholder groups, including senior executives and talent.
• Using deep knowledge of entertainment industry relationships and politics, develop & implement seating charts (often complex) for all studio events, by venue; proactively escalate potential issues to senior leadership
• Oversee Events & Talent Relations Specialist
• Oversee security plans for all studio events and all talent appearances.

Qualifications & Experience:

• BA/BS Degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of experience in event production or marketing within film, entertainment, or related industries.
• Experience working within a studio or entertainment brand preferred.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Skilled in project management and able to manage multiple events and timelines simultaneously.
• Highly organized, adaptable, and responsive to shifting priorities and partner needs.
• Comfortable presenting to and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels, both internal and external.
• Ability to travel for events as needed

The hiring range for this position in California is $165,900 – $222,400 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.