Group Director, Event Production (IVH) – Olympic & Paralympic Games

About the Role

Group Director, Event Production - In Venue Hospitality (IVH) is a key role with a primary responsibility for providing strategic and operational support across multiple IVH programs occurring within various Olympic Sporting Venues during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Group Director works closely with: The Sr. Director, Event Production; the other Group Directors (to share best practices and problem solve); On Location internal Functional Areas (FAs) and primarily with Commercial Product, Commercial Strategy and Finance; and LA28 relevant interlocutors, in particular, the Venue & Hospitality team(s).

The Group Director will focus on delivering the most exceptional hospitality experiences for On Location guests inside Olympic Sporting Venues within his/her assigned group. Experiences will take place inside temporary or permanent lounge spaces and may include: food and beverage, photo opportunities, games broadcast viewing and other information touchpoints within a curated Olympic sports themed environment. All planning will be done centrally, from On Location LA Offices with site visits if/when necessary. The IVH Team will transition from Group to Cluster in January 2027 and Cluster to Venue in March 2028. The Group Director will remain the point of contact for her/his group and will manage the staff within her/his cluster and venue(s).

Group Director, Event Production – In Venue Hospitality, will be assigned one of the four groups listed below based upon experience, level of interest and familiarity with the respective venue(s): Group 1: Downtown LA & Hills: DTLA Arena, Peacock Theater, LA Convention Center, Dodger Stadium & Santa Anita Park Group 2: Inglewood: 2028 Stadium (SoFi Stadium) and Intuit Dome Group 3: Carson, Expo Park & Football Cities: Carson Stadium / Courts / Velodrome / Field, LA Memorial Coliseum, Exposition Park Stadium, Galen Center & Rose Bowl Stadium Group 4: Greater LA, Long Beach, Valley & Coastal: Fairgrounds Cricket Stadium, Riviera Country Club, Honda Center, Universal Studio, Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, Long Beach Convention Center, Alamitos Beach, Port of LA, Marine Stadium and Belmont Shore

Responsibilities

• Work in collaboration and coordination with Sr. Director, Event Production to ensure hospitality experiences meet brand, quality, operational and financial standards.
• Build, lead and manage hospitality delivery teams.
• Negotiate contracts and manage vendor performance.
• Update Sr. Director, Event Production of day-to-day progresses and challenges; and request input and advice for key decisions.
• Work in partnership with the commercial product architecture team to define and/or adjust service levels and manage budget per Olympic venue based upon sport, demand, sessions and sales levels.
• Work in partnership with all FAs involved specifically those having an impact on Event Production hospitality delivery – including but not limited to: Food & Beverage, Art and Design, Entertainment, Overlay, Workforce, Accreditation, Logistics and Gifting.
• Be the representative and ambassador of the hospitality unit in the LA28 venue department.
• Manage overall project milestones and timelines.
• Manage P&L and track expenditures.
• Manage suppliers and vendors.
• Encourage and support use of sustainable products, when available.
• Attend all meetings (virtual/in person) in relation with his/her group and report on behalf of the Event Production team(s) as it relates to the IVH hospitality programs.
• Main point of contact on-site, representing the Event Production Team and more globally, the company.
• Develop the overall operational planning at the Competition Venues as it relates to the On Location guest experience.
• Update existing or upcoming operational tools.
• Facilitate and lead production meetings with key staff.
• Troubleshoot, anticipate and act proactively on event aspects of role, leading up and following turn over to production implementation team.
• Forecast, qualify and maintain budget.
• Support budget tracking, invoice processing and expense reconciliation.
• Maintain organized documentation, trackers and shared files.
• Prepare presentations, reports and internal communications.
• Maintain databases and reporting dashboards.
• Interview, hire, and train employees; plan, assign, and direct work; appraise performance; reward and discipline employees; address complaints and resolve problems, alone or alongside other managers and/or the Sr. Director, Event Production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in hospitality management, Sports Management, Event Management or a related field, or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in managing (and producing) events and/or brand activations and/or event teams.
• Experience in managing and producing events in Stadium and Temporary Structure environments.
• Track record in creating commercially viable experiences and delivering them at large scale.
• Prior experience with large-scale (sports) events, a plus.
• Speaks and writes fluent business English.
• Proficient user of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of SharePoint, Smartsheets, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Airtable.
• Highly organized and process oriented.
• Ability to multi-task, remain calm in high-pressure situations, and work in a moving environment.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Creative thinker and solution oriented person placing the guest at the center of the process.
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and directed, requiring minimal supervision.
• Good timekeeping and work ethic that is characterized by commitment, motivation, and energy.
• Presently resides and/or is willing to relocate to Los Angeles, California.
• Flexibility and positive attitude to work long days, evenings, weekends and holidays when necessary.
• Must be adaptable with work and travel schedule. Available to travel for work, sometimes during holidays and key event times.

Pay

Hiring Rate Minimum $112,500 annually (minimum will not fall below the applicable State/local minimum salary thresholds). Hiring Rate Maximum $150,000 annually.