Director, Football Cities - Columbus, Ohio

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate cross-functionally, lead the development, optimization, and delivery of venue-based Event Operations plans for the venue.
• Lead the venue team to achieve objectives, venue readiness, and deliverables to stakeholders, and venue owner / operator.
• Build strong, productive, and respectful relationships with the venue partner, related stakeholders and local government agencies and serve as the day-to-day venue leadership contact.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure an efficient and effective engagement process with venue partners including managing meeting cadence, stakeholder site visits, venue planning, and operational readiness.
• Work closely with the venue infrastructure and other technical teams to track deliverables.
• Manage venue service levels, identify risks, developing risk mitigation strategies, and leveraging opportunities for creating efficiencies and savings.
• Hire, train, motivate, and lead a diverse, high-performing venue team capable of developing and executing venue operations plans efficiently and effectively.
• Coordinate with venue owners and local authorities to manage the Venue Use Agreement (VUA), ensuring compliance with contractual terms and operational requirements.
• Prepare and deliver written and oral reports on venue agreement and operating planning status to senior leaders and other stakeholders as required including tracking, reporting and solving issues at all phases of the project (planning and operational).
• Manage venue operations collaborating with all stakeholders including athletes, workforce, spectators, partners, and media focusing on a comprehensive, inclusive, fully accessible venue.
• Establish working relationships and coordinate activities with local authorities and security representatives specific to the venue and the venue approach.
• Lead Functional Areas to create the Event Operations Plan and other tools for planning and delivery for not just the competition venue but also training sites, stakeholder hotels and airport.
• Champion and embed the LA28 values and behaviors into all facets of engagement, planning and delivery.

Background & Requirements

• Minimum 8+ years of experience working in relevant roles in the sports and/or event management industry, working on major Games delivery, or major event properties, or event production companies.
• Proven track record of leading the planning and delivery of large-scale, complex event operations across multiple project phases including planning, readiness, and operation.
• Past Games or international football (soccer) experience is a plus
• Skill working with executives and building cross-functional partnerships and influencing stakeholders across multiple functional areas
• Experience building and leading diverse, high-performing teams
• Negotiation skills and diplomacy in balancing competing interests
• Experience working within a complex, cross-functional organization
• Strong communication skills both written and oral
• Ability to identify issues, analyze problems, and think creatively and innovatively to develop solutions-based approaches
• Experience creating, developing, and refining business process and structure
• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
• High EQ and strong interpersonal skills with a proven track record as a relationship builder
• A high energy level, entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to manage through a period of growth and change
• Demonstrated commitment to co-creation and collaborative decision making