Freelance Game Engine Developer Jobs in Illinois

Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents. 

The Director of Live Production leads the creative vision, planning, and execution of gameday presentation and in-venue entertainment at the New Ryan Field and Welsh Ryan Arena. This role creates a distinctive, innovative, emotionally engaging experience that reflects New Ryan Field and Northwestern University's brand, traditions, and competitive environment while aiming to deliver the best gameday experience in collegiate sports. The Director is responsible for presentations from concept development and scripting through rehearsal, show-calling, and post-event evaluation while also managing event-day staff, production workflows, budgets, systems, vendors, and production oversight for concerts, commencements, rentals, and other third-party events.

This role pays an annual salary of $115,000 - $120,000 and is bonus eligible.

Benefits for Full-Time roles: Health, Dental and Vision Insurance, 401(k) Savings Plan, 401(k) matching, and Paid Time Off (vacation days, sick days, and 11 holidays).

This position will remain open until October 30, 2026.

Creative Vision and Gameday Experience

• Develop memorable moments that create energy, strengthen fan connection, and enhance home-field advantage.
• Lead the evolution of team entrances, opening sequences, music, lighting, fan prompts, recognitions, traditions, and situational entertainment.
• Identify new ideas, technologies, and industry trends that can elevate the overall experience.
• Keep the presentation fresh, intentional, and engaging throughout the season.

Show Planning and Live Execution

• Lead the full planning process for Northwestern University football and basketball games, including scripts, rundowns, timing, rehearsals, and contingency plans.
• Regularly serve as the lead show caller for football games, men's basketball games, and other priority productions.
• Lead production meetings, event-day briefings, rehearsals, and post-event reviews.
• Ensure all productions meet university, conference, league, broadcast, safety, and venue requirements.

Content and Entertainment Direction

• Collaborate with internal creative teams and outside partners on intro videos, hype content, graphics, features, and event-specific assets.
• Review and approve content for creative quality, brand alignment, accuracy, and technical readiness.
• Oversee music strategy, entertainment booking, hosts, performers, student groups, recognitions, and specialty acts.

University and Stakeholder Collaboration

• Build strong relationships across athletics, marketing, communications, creative services, spirit programs, bands, student groups, alumni relations, development, campus leadership, stadium operations, and other university departments.
• Manage expectations, communicate deadlines and production needs, and align multiple stakeholders around a cohesive vision.
• Advise leadership on fan experience, creative strategy, presentation opportunities, and industry trends.

Event-Day Staff Leadership

• Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, and evaluate student workers, freelancers, contractors, and control room personnel.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and development opportunities.
• Foster a culture of preparation, creativity, accountability, teamwork, and calm execution under pressure.

Stadium Systems and Production Operations

• Oversee the operational readiness of videoboards, LED displays, replay, graphics, audio, IPTV, cameras, intercom, lighting, and show-control systems.
• Coordinate with engineering, information technology, stadium operations, and vendors to ensure systems are tested and event-ready.
• Identify opportunities for workflow improvements, system upgrades, and capital investment.

Partnerships and Sponsored Integration

• Collaborate with corporate partnerships and marketing teams to integrate sponsored elements into the gameday experience.
• Ensure partner activations are accurate, entertaining, and aligned with the overall presentation.
• Help identify new presentation assets and fan-engagement opportunities that may support revenue goals.
• Balance commercial obligations with show pacing and audience experience.

External and Non-University Events

• Provide production oversight for concerts, commencements, ceremonies, rentals, and other stadium events.
• Serve as an operational liaison for promoters, production companies, outside clients, and vendors.
• Review staffing, technical requirements, schedules, and use of stadium systems.

Budget and Vendor Management

• Develop and manage budgets for game presentation, staffing, entertainment, production support, content, and equipment.
• Manage relationships with production vendors, creative partners, entertainment providers, and freelancers.
• Recommend future investments based on creative impact, operational need, and audience experience.

• Bachelor's degree in live event production, broadcasting, communications, media production, sports management, marketing, entertainment, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5-7+ years of progressively responsible experience in game presentation, live sports entertainment, stadium production, broadcast production, or major live events.
• Proven experience developing creative game-presentation strategies and producing high-profile live events.
• Strong show-calling experience and knowledge of scripting, timing, control room operations, rehearsals, and contingency planning.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, stakeholders, and event details simultaneously.
• Experience directing student workers, freelancers, contractors, vendors, or event-day crews.
• Strong creative judgment, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to remain calm, decisive, and solutions-oriented in high-pressure live environments.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and production resources.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and irregular hours based on the event calendar.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in major collegiate athletics, professional sports, a large stadium or arena, or a nationally recognized live-entertainment organization.
• Experience participating in production-system upgrades, control room projects, or stadium technology planning.

At OVG, we understand that to continue positively disrupting the sports and live entertainment industry, we need a diverse team to help us do it. We also believe that inclusivity drives innovation, strengthens our people, improves our service, and raises our excellence. Our success is rooted in creating environments that reflect and celebrate the diverse communities in which we operate and serve, and this is the reason we are committed to amplifying voices from all different backgrounds.

Oak View Group is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis ("protected class") including, but not limited to veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.

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