Freelance Grip Onsite Manager
As Freelance Grip Onsite Manager, you will own two interconnected areas: the hands on operational delivery of Grip Onsite at live events, and the strategic growth of Grip Onsite as a commercial business unit. You'll be the expert on everything from badge stock and printer hardware to supplier relationships and process scalability - ensuring every event we support runs flawlessly and that the business behind it grows sustainably.
This is a freelance role suited to someone equally comfortable troubleshooting a printer at a registration desk and sitting in a commercial meeting.
Core Responsibilities
- Own end to end delivery of Grip Onsite at live events, covering setup, operation, and breakdown of all hardware (kiosks, laptops, thermal printers, entrance scanners)
- Manage badge stock across both product lines - firm laminated and paper - including production timelines, design approvals, delivery coordination, and backup stock planning
- Oversee SmartBadge deployments: hardware configuration, 3rd Party integrations with Grip Manage and Grip Engage, data validation, and onsite testing
- Serve as the primary escalation point for technical issues during live events across both Self Serve and White Glove service models
- Manage and coordinate 3rd Party technicians: scheduling, briefing, travel and accommodation logistics, and onsite performance
- Ensure every event is fully prepared through rigorous pre event checklists - hardware, software access, badge designs, integration validation, and customer briefings
- Lead or support Walkthrough calls with customers 2 weeks before events, confirming badge fields, kiosk branding, technician needs, and attendee flow
- Develop the technician pool and support model to ensure Grip can scale to more events across more geographies
- Support the Sales team with deal structuring, quoting accuracy, and DealDesk input on Grip Onsite opportunities
Experience and Skills
- Proven experience in live event operations, registration technology, or onsite event services - you've been on the floor and know what can go wrong
- Strong understanding of badge printing workflows, hardware logistics, and onsite registration systems (experience with onsite registration solutions is a strong plus)
- Excellent supplier management skills - comfortable holding partners accountable to SLAs and resolving issues quickly
- A structured, process oriented mindset: you document, you build playbooks, you hate ad hoc chaos
- Clear and confident communicator - able to work with customers pre event, manage technicians onsite, and present business performance to internal stakeholders
- Comfortable working independently and remotely, while being responsive and decisive when things move fast onsite
- Familiarity with tools like Salesforce, Google Sheets, and project tracking systems is a plus
What Success Looks Like
- Events are delivered on time, on spec, and without technical failures
- Customers are well briefed, confident, and satisfied
- Margin targets across hardware, badge stock, and onsite support are met or exceeded
- Operational processes are documented, repeatable, and scalable
- Grip Onsite grows its event count and client base quarter over quarter
Working Arrangements
- Freelance / contract engagement
- Remote for business unit and operational planning work
- Travel required for White Glove events (international travel may be needed)
- Flexible hours with clear on call expectations during live event windows