VTI Studios

Job Description Position Title: Experiential Cost Strategist Reports To: VP, Head of Experiential Sales Works with Daily: Experiential Sales Team, Production Team, Project Managers, Operations Team Collaborates With: Fabrication, Logistics, Creative, Procurement, Client Experience Team (CET), Accounting, and Executive Leadership Effective Start Date: TBD Position Overview VTI Studios is a leader within the experiential marketing industry, specializing in mobile tours, custom fabrication, branded activations, experiential vehicles, and nationwide live event campaigns for agencies and global brands. We are seeking a highly strategic, detail-oriented, and financially minded Head of Experiential Pricing / Experiential Cost Strategist to lead the development of project estimates and pricing strategy across all experiential campaigns and fabrication efforts. This role is one of the most important positions within VTI Studios and serves as the bridge between Sales, Production, Operations, and Finance. The ideal candidate understands how to build accurate and profitable experiential estimates while balancing creativity, executional realities, vendor relationships, and client expectations. The primary focus of this role is quoting and cost strategy for experiential campaigns, mobile tours, custom fabrication builds, staffing, logistics, storage, transportation, permitting, and live event activations. This individual will help ensure VTI Studios maintains healthy margins while remaining competitive and agile within the experiential marketplace. This role is ideal for someone with strong estimating, operational, fabrication, production, procurement, or experiential marketing experience who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys building complex project budgets from the ground up. Key Responsibilities - (High-level daily duties below, but not limited to the following. Further details of these duties will be showcased throughout this document and during training at VTI Studios HQ) Experiential Pricing & Estimating • Lead all pricing, quoting and estimating efforts across experiential campaign projects • Develop detailed project estimates for experiential activations, mobile tours, custom vehicle builds, fabrication efforts, staffing programs, logistics, storage, permitting, and event operations • Work directly with the Sales Team and VP, Head of Experiential Sales to translate client ideas and RFPs into accurate project estimates • Build and manage estimate templates, pricing systems, and internal budgeting standards • Analyze labor costs, fabrication timelines, transportation costs, staffing models, and operational requirements to ensure accurate quoting • Review vendor pricing, subcontractor quotes, fabrication costs, and procurement opportunities to maximize profitability • Collaborate closely with Operations and Production teams to validate project scope and operational feasibility prior to final proposal delivery • Maintain margin targets and profitability standards across all campaigns and production efforts during quoting • Provide real-time budget adjustments and revisions throughout project quoting phases • Create scalable pricing structures for repeatable services and experiential offerings • Assist in developing internal SOPs and estimating workflows to streamline the proposal development process Vendor & Procurement Management • Build and maintain strong vendor relationships nationwide with the CET and Production teams • Maintain organized vendor databases, pricing trackers, and procurement systems • Collaborate with Operations and Production teams to identify cost-saving opportunities without sacrificing quality Project Financial Oversight • Work alongside Project Managers and leadership teams to monitor campaign budgets throughout execution • Conduct pre- and post-campaign cost analysis reporting with the assistance of CET and Production • Identify areas of overspend, operational inefficiencies, or margin risks • Assist in developing financial reporting systems and profitability dashboards • Support invoicing accuracy and internal budget reconciliation efforts Cross-Department Collaboration • Work daily with Sales, Client Experience, Production, Operations, Fabrication, and Leadership teams • Participate in project kickoff meetings, RFP reviews, brainstorming sessions, and operational planning discussions • Support strategic pricing conversations during client proposal development • Assist in creating operationally realistic budgets that align with creative concepts and client expectations System & Process Management • Utilize project management and budgeting tools such as Smartsheet, Monday.com, Google Workspace, QuickBooks, and related estimating systems • Develop organized tracking systems for estimates, proposal revisions, procurement, and project profitability • Maintain accurate and organized project documentation for all pricing-related efforts • Assist in refining and improving internal pricing workflows and operational systems Business Development & Lead Generation Support • Assist in generating sales-qualified leads for VTI Studios’ Experiential Team during slower estimating and quoting periods • Research prospective client accounts, identify key decision-makers, and support outbound prospecting efforts • Build and maintain relationships with marketing agencies, PR firms, experiential agencies, and brand-side marketing teams • Support outreach initiatives through email campaigns, LinkedIn networking, and outbound communication efforts • Schedule qualified introductory meetings and discovery calls for leadership and sales team members • Collaborate with the VP, Head of Experiential Strategy and Sales Team on pipeline development strategies and growth initiatives • Assist in maintaining and organizing CRM systems, lead tracking databases, and outbound sales reporting • Research industry trends, experiential campaigns, agency partnerships, and new business opportunities to support company growth efforts • Support proposal development by gathering preliminary client information, budget ranges, activation goals, and operational requirements which will prepare you to help create sales proposals, when needed • Help identify opportunities for upselling additional VTI Studios services including staffing, fabrication, logistics, mobile tours, permitting, storage, experiential technology, and production support Key Performance Indicators Pricing Accuracy • Maintain highly accurate project estimates aligned with operational realities and project scope • Minimize budget discrepancies and unexpected project overruns Profitability Management • Assist in maintaining company profit margin goals across all experiential campaigns • Identify cost-saving opportunities while preserving execution quality Proposal Turnaround • Deliver estimates and proposal pricing within requested timelines • Support rapid-turnaround RFP development when applicable Vendor Management • Build and maintain strong vendor relationships and procurement systems • Negotiate competitive pricing structures across key service categories, when/where applicable Operational Collaboration • Maintain strong communication across departments • Assist in creating smooth handoffs between Sales, Production, Operations, and Project Management teams System Utilization • Maintain accurate documentation and budget tracking systems • Ensure estimate revisions and financial updates are consistently organized and accessible Who is highly qualified for this position • 3–7+ years of experience in estimating, experiential marketing, fabrication, live events, production management, procurement, logistics, operations, or related industries • Strong understanding of experiential marketing budgets, fabrication workflows, logistics, staffing, and live event production • Experience building detailed project estimates and managing budgets • Ability to analyze operational scope and translate it into accurate pricing models • Strong negotiation and vendor management skills • Exceptional organizational and time-management abilities • Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment • Strong communication and collaboration skills across departments • Experience with Smartsheet, Monday.com, QuickBooks, Google Workspace, Excel, or similar budgeting/project management platforms • Detail-oriented mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities • Experience in fabrication, touring, mobile marketing, live events, or experiential production is highly preferred Employment Terms • 1099 Part-time position for up to the first 90 days, and then, W2 Full-time position if all KPI’s are met during training period after the up to 90-day evaluation. A performance review will be conducted at the end of the training period and then performed annually with KPIs assessed and could provide advancement and pay increase opportunities where/when applicable • This position is a role that requires Monday – Friday in-office presence in East Brunswick, NJ. Limited to no remote options available • Compensation structure will be based on experience level, industry background, and strategic capabilities • Performance reviews will be conducted annually with KPI assessments and advancement opportunities where applicable • Must be available during standard business hours with flexibility based on project demands and proposal timelines • Additional responsibilities may be assigned where applicable based on company growth and operational needs