Event/Project Director

Description

About Us

Davis Management Group (DMG) is a boutique event management and strategic communications firm built on a simple premise: to be indispensable to our clients. From complex communications strategy to high-stakes events, we do what we do better than anyone — simplifying the complexity so our clients can focus on what matters most to them.

We are calm over chaos. We are proactive rather than reactive. We deliver with excellence, without ego. These aren’t just words; they’re the standard we hold ourselves to every single day, in every client relationship and every deliverable we produce.

We are collaborative, curious, honest, and compassionate. We ask the hard questions, dig deeper than expected, and show up for each other and our clients with integrity. If you thrive in an environment where high standards meet genuine humanity, where the work is serious, but the culture is supportive, then DMG may be exactly where you belong.

Job Title: Event Director/Project Director

Salary Range: Firm-fixed price, contractor position, commensurate with experience

Location: Planning work is performed remotely; onsite presence in Georgia is required beginning three (3) days before the event through event close-out. Preferable location for contractor is the Atlanta/Perry, Georgia area. Contractors based outside of Georgia arrange and pay for their own travel and submit it to DMG for reimbursement, not to exceed the per diem rates applicable to Atlanta and Houston County.

Term: Period of Performance is approximately September 2026 through December 31, 2026. The recognition event is anchored to the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia (October 8–18, 2026); exact event dates will be confirmed by USDA. 

This position is contingent upon contract award.

Position Overview

DMG is seeking an Event/Project Director to serve as the single-named point of contact for a new recognition initiative honoring eleven (11) leading international agricultural buyers. You will own the multi-day program end to end to include all planning, vendor and venue management, lodging and international travel logistics, on-site execution, and post-event reporting across a roughly 60-person delegation of honorees, ambassadors and agricultural attachés, cooperators, and USDA and state officials. The work suits someone who can run a complex, protocol-sensitive, multi-city program (Atlanta and the Perry/Macon corridor) without losing the thread, and who stays calm when eleven VIP itineraries, a fairgrounds venue, and a formal awards ceremony all must land in the same 72 hours.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the single named Event/Project Director and primary point of contact for USDA designated staff for the duration of the Period of Performance

• Develop and maintain a master event timeline, RACI matrix, and risk register, updated on a bi-weekly cadence

• Convene and lead weekly status meetings with staff from contract award through event close-out, and deliver written status notes within two (2) business days of each meeting

• Source and secure venues in Atlanta for the Cultural Meet and Greet, the morning information program, and the Award Ceremony, and coordinate all venue, parking, security, and ingress/egress matters with the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter and the Georgia Department of Agriculture

• Negotiate and manage a 60-person lodging block across Atlanta and Perry-area properties at or below prevailing GSA per diem rates, including VIP rooms, early arrivals, and adjoining-room security requirements

• Manage all event planning and onsite execution team members

• Coordinate breakfast, lunches, and coffee service for approximately 60 attendees per meal, and manage the associated cost proposal line items

• Arrange international travel for all eleven (11) award recipients from their origin country to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

• Arrange and oversee all ground transportation — airport shuttles, minivans, and motorcoaches — between ATL, the Atlanta hotel, corridor stops, and the Perry/Macon-area hotel across the full event window

• Produce the morning informational program in Atlanta, including venue, AV, speaker logistics, and a run-of-show with timing windows and named on-site contacts

• Coordinate three to four substantive corridor site-visit stops along I-75 between Atlanta and Perry with the client, including signage, gratuities, photography support, tour fees, and contingency routing

• Produce the formal recognition event in Atlanta, including venue, staging, AV, USDA-branded decor, national flag arrangements, and a detailed run-of-show with individual recognition segments for each of the 11 honorees

• Arrange the Cultural Meet and Greet welcome event on the evening of arrival for up to 20 guests

• Manage production and delivery of commemorative coins and honoree certificates to the Atlanta venue not less than four (4) days before the event

• Engage and manage professional photography coverage across the two-day event window and deliver edited assets within two (2) days of event close

• Manage design, print, and delivery of all event programs, place cards, seating and wayfinding signage, and name badges, including translation of programs into up to eight languages

• Ensure event materials, the informational program, and any virtual components meet Section 508 accessibility requirements

• Ensure all music, talent, and third-party assets used in produced materials are fully cleared for unrestricted U.S. Government use in perpetuity

• Deliver an after-action report within 30 days of the event covering budget actuals against the IGCE, attendance and RSVP analytics, vendor and venue performance, lessons learned, and an asset inventory of video, photography, and graphic deliverables transferred to USDA

How We Work

DMG delivers with small teams, and technology is how we do it. AI handles first drafts, automation handles the repetitive work, and dashboards replace manual status reports — so your time goes to the parts of the job that need judgment. These are the tools this event runs on:

• Claude for first drafts of run-of-show documents, weekly status notes, RACI/risk register updates, and the after-action report

• Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint

Everything AI produces gets human review before it reaches USDA. Tools and data handling are set by the client contract. Contractors use only DMG-approved tools and follow the data handling rules for the engagement.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in event planning and management, including leading high-profile corporate and government events.

• Proven track record of directing complex, multi-city or multi-venue programs with international delegations and VIP guests.

• Experience managing hotel room blocks, group rates, and event budgets within federal cost rules, including GSA per diem limits.

• Experience coordinating international travel logistics for foreign nationals.

• Steady under pressure and under a difficult tone; able to manage multiple government and vendor stakeholders simultaneously without passing pressure to the team.

• Experience negotiating and managing vendor contracts, including venues, catering, ground transportation, AV/production, and photography.

• Comfortable working with AI and automation tools to speed up drafting, analysis, and reporting.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including federal officials and foreign dignitaries.

• Strong budget analysis and reporting skills, with the ability to track event costs against plan, explain variances, and turn post-event data into recommendations a client can act on.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and event management platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with federal government events, including protocol for senior officials, ambassadors, and other VIPs.

• Experience with agricultural, trade, or diplomatic-sector events.

• Hands-on experience with event management, CRM, and survey platforms.

• CMP, CGMP, PMP, or DES certification.

• Experience applying Section 508 accessibility requirements to event materials and virtual delivery.

• Experience coordinating with state government partners (e.g., state departments of agriculture) and fairground or convention venues.

Onsite Requirements

• Onsite presence in the Atlanta/Perry, Georgia corridor is required beginning three (3) days before the Cultural Meet and Greet Welcome Event through event close-out.

• Event days include early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends during load-in, execution, and load-out, including full-day corridor travel between Atlanta and Perry.

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and to lift and carry event materials weighing up to 25 pounds.

• Willingness to travel for up to one advance site-survey trip prior to the event.