We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
Job Description Summary
The Director, Stadium Operations for Sporting Kansas City is responsible for maximizing revenue and efficiency of all events related to Sporting Kansas City and Children’s Mercy park while providing an exceptional fan experience and execution of major events and day-to-day operations. The role has management and/or collaboration responsibility for all elements and personnel associated with the operations of events and activities taking place at Children’s Mercy Park and club-controlled events at Sporting Kansas City facilities.
Sporting Kansas City is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and equity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all associates. All associates are expected to positively collaborate with individuals of diverse backgrounds. We encourage all talented individuals looking for a challenge to apply.
Job Description
- Plan, develop and supervise large-scale events such as Sporting Kansas City matches, concerts & third-party events held at Children’s Mercy Park through effective communication and planning with both internal and external resources, partners and vendors.
- Liaise with internal departments, coordinate staffing plans, venue logistics and match day deliverables
- Serve as the primary Operations Department Liaison to the Major League Soccer Operations Department including staying up-to-date on League operational guidelines / policy and communicating those standards to the appropriate Club departments.
- Assist the Vice President, Operations in the process of vetting and bidding for potential future events.
- Conduct event settlements for major events, oversee settlement process for private events.
- Manage the workload and development of direct reports leading to consistent practices across all events.
- Lead the Stadium Operations Team through planning of events, match execution and day-to-day operations
- Lead Operations Team through FIFA World Cup, 2026 planning, initiatives and execution for Team Base Camps and Visiting Team Training Site development
- Effectively collaborate with department leadership to ensure a high level of communication well in advance of events.
- Prepare and maintain expenses within the annually approved department budget. Research, review, and recommend equipment, materials, and supplies required for the stadium operations department.
- Consistently inspect the facilities for anything that could potentially be unsafe or cause a problem.
- Stay current with industry best practices and recommend modifications to Operational plans based on feasibility.
- Maintain a high operational efficiency while always working to further enhance the overall fan experience.
- Utilize company resources to plan and direct appropriate training programs to all associates as needed.
- Represent Sporting Kansas City and its related affiliates in a professional manner at all times.
- Perform other related tasks as assigned.
Match Day Responsibilities
- Collaborate and lead weekly match operations meetings
- Distribute necessary event communications as necessary to internal and external partners
- Oversee Event Production Note preparation and communication with various internal departments and key internal and external stakeholders.
- Maintain constant communication with internal departments and leadership to ensure MLS compliance is achieved and documented.
- Act as primary point of contact for back-of-house operations including locker rooms, player movements, etc.
- Compile necessary reports and video footage to prepare a report for the MLS.
- Maintain consistent communication with the Vice President of Operations about all aspects of the building and event.
Personal Attributes
- Strong organizational, communications and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities.
- Exceptional time-management and multitasking skills.
- Remarkable leadership and motivational skills.
- Ability to analyze information and evaluate solutions to select the best option available to resolve problems with speed and efficiency.
- Ability to perform multifaceted projects in conjunction with daily activities.
- Professional appearance, demeanor and approach.
- Motivated self-starter, eager to work in a hands-on learning environment.
- Ability to work well under pressure, multitask, meet and comply with deadline expectations, and manage priorities for themselves and the Operations team.
Skills and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent venue management experience preferred.
- Minimum of five to seven (5-7) years of increasing operations responsibility in a stadium or public assembly facility including supervisory responsibility.
- Experience working in a stadium or arena atmosphere for various types of events and layouts including soccer, concerts, football, etc. required.
- Prior budgetary oversight of operational costs, event settlements and payroll expenses required.
- Must possess or be eligible to obtain certificates of completion in FEMA ICS 100, 200, & 700.
- Proficiency in Incident Management Systems.
- Experience analyzing stadium event budgets for the bidding process required.
- Trained in Crowd Management.
- Possession of, or ability to obtain a current AED/CPR/First Aid Certificate.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams.
- Familiar in Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.
- Proficient in AutoCad or similar drafting software.
Physical Abilities
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
- Required to sit, stand and walk for long periods of time.
- Frequent stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, as well as climbing and balancing.
- Reach with hands and arms.
- Required to talk and hear consistently.
- Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to one-hundred (100) pounds if necessary.
- Specific vision abilities required by the role include the ability to distinguish the nature of objects by using the eye, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus.
- Capable of working in outdoor weather conditions, including exposure to the sun and heat.
- Will be working near moving mechanical parts.
- Will be working in a loud work environment.
- Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays, as necessary.
