Director of Event Planning and Venues Operations

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Our Vision is to collectively create what’s next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Paralympic and Olympic Games for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people.

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Director of Event Planning and Venues Operations:

LA28 has multiple openings for Director of Event Planning and Venues Operations (known internally as Event & Venue Management Cluster Director). 

The Event and Venue Management (EVM) team is responsible for leading the integrated event operational planning at the venue level for all competition and training venues and some major non-competition venues. The venues are assigned to specific Event and Venue Management “Groups”.  Each group is responsible for managing and coordinating the negotiation of venue agreements, site visits, the collation and organization of venue-related documentation and data, and the maintenance of strong working relationships with all venue partners.  At Games Time, the Event and Venue Management team leads and manages the event teams at venues, event delivery, venue communication, and venue issue resolution.   
  
The Director of Event Planning and Venues Operations will be responsible for leading the operational planning and delivery for a group (known internally as a "cluster") of competition venues. They will also support in the negotiation of venue use agreements, driving cross-functional operational integration, and leading venue teams at Games-time. The role will require significant stakeholder management and major large scale, multi-venue event planning and operational delivery experience.  

This role report to the Director, Venue Group Planning. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate cross-functionally, lead the development, optimization, and delivery of venue-based Event Operations plans for a designated group of competition venues.   
• Build strong, productive, and respectful relationships with venue partners and related stakeholders. Act as the day-to-day venue leadership contact with designated venue partners until Event Venue General Managers are onboarded.  
• 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 other Event and Venue Management leaders, as well as the legal and finance teams, play a role in managing the negotiations for the venue use agreements with venue partners. 
• Manage venue operating budgets clearly identifying risks, developing risk mitigation strategies, and leveraging opportunities for creating efficiencies and savings. 
• Hire, train, motivate, and lead diverse, high-performing venue teams capable of developing and executing venue operations plans efficiently and effectively. 
• Collaborate with Event and Venue Management leadership to support the design and development of a comprehensive testing and readiness plan across all designated venues. 
• Prepare and deliver written and oral reports on venue agreement and operating planning status to senior leaders and other stakeholders as required. 
• Manage venue operations collaborating with all stakeholders including athletes, workforce, spectators, partners, and media focusing on a comprehensive, inclusive, fully accessible venue. 
• Support the development of the venue concept of operations, venue operating templates, the establishment of venue policies and procedures and other operational planning tools. 
• Support the development of lifetime business plans including defining scope, resourcing plans, work-planning, budget development and stakeholder management. 
• Ensure inclusive principles are integrated into all aspects of venue operations planning and execution, fostering an inclusive environment for both internal teams and external partners. This includes actively seeking opportunities to engage with and support communities in venue-related initiatives 

Position Requirements:

Background & Qualifications:

• 5+ years' experience of full-cycle leadership (planning, readiness, and execution) of large-scale multi-venue (at least 3 venues) events.  
• Experience reviewing and fulfilling contracts associated with sporting and/or entertainment events including venue hire and event operations.
• Experience building cross-functional partnerships and influencing stakeholders across multiple functional areas.
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams.
• Proficient creating in and using Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint), and Smartsheet

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Prior event planning and venue operations experience in the Olympics/Paralympics, FIFA World Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, and/or FISU World University Games (Universiade).
• Experience managing temporary event spaces and/or venues.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent work experience  

Expectations:

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate plans into efficient operational delivery
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a solutions-oriented mindset
• Innovative and entrepreneurial, able to identify opportunities and execute creative ideas within constraints
• Skilled in developing, refining, and optimizing business processes and structures
• Proven leadership in building, motivating, and managing diverse, high-performing teams
• Strong influencing skills to drive alignment and buy-in across stakeholders
• Committed to co-creation, collaborative decision-making, and fostering inclusive team environments
• Team player with a flexible, can-do attitude and adaptability to change
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• High emotional intelligence (EQ) and interpersonal skills with a track record of relationship building
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively across functions
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with strong time management skills
• Self-starter with initiative and autonomy in fast-paced, dynamic environments
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and managing through growth and change
• Excited about shaping the future of Los Angeles and the Olympic & Paralympic Movement
• Demonstrates resilience, energy, and a proactive approach to challenges

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: 

• Available to work in-person five days a week in our Los Angeles-based office
• The majority of work will be conducted in an office setting, requiring extended periods of time using computers, phones, and other office equipment
• Ability to travel occasionally to different venues across the Los Angeles region and possibly outside the Greater Los Angeles region.   

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

The annual base salary range for this position is $126,000-$165,000. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.