Sport Manager, Open Water Swimming

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

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LA28 is the independent, non-profit, privately funded organizing committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are on a singular mission to create an Olympic and Paralympic Games that celebrate all that this city and country have to offer, delivering an unparalleled experience for athletes, fans, partners and our community.  

The 2028 Games mark the return of the Summer Games to the U.S. for the first time in 32 years and Los Angeles’ third time hosting an Olympic Games and first time welcoming the Paralympic Games. This presents the unique and exciting opportunity to celebrate our legacy with the Games and push the Olympic and Paralympic Movements forward, writing a new chapter of Games history in Los Angeles.  

Putting on an Olympic and Paralympic Games is a team sport. To build a Games unlike any the world has seen before, we need the best team in place–a team full of diverse perspectives, experiences and expertise. We are guided by the following set of values and behaviors–optimism, integrity, excellence, inclusion, co-creation and boldness–and look forward to hearing about how your past experiences align with them. 

Sport Manager, Open Water Swimming

LA28 is looking to identify a Sport Manager for Open Water Swimming for the 2028 program. Please make sure you highlight your open water swimming specific experience, including the level of events you have managed and delivered (e.g. club, collegiate, national, international), in your resume. 

The Sport Manager – Open Water Swimming will play a critical role within the LA28 Sport team, reporting to Head of Competition Management while leading all aspects of operational planning for Open Water Swimming. This role will liaise directly with World Aquatics for open water swimming. As well, the position will also be expected to collaborate with the centralized Sport Planning team as well as other LA28 functions (i.e. Venues and Infrastructure, Venue Management, Ticketing and Hospitality, Games services, Transport, Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Accreditation, etc.), and across the organization (including but not limited to Athlete Relations, Strategy, Marketing, Commercial, Technology, HR, and Finance).  

Key Responsibilities:

Competition and Training Venue(s) Design  

• Liaise with World Aquatics for the development and design of competition and training venues  

• Coordinate with LA28 Venues and Infrastructure and Event Management and other sport/discipline specific input into the development and design of competition and training venues   

Competition Management & Planning  

• Act as the subject matter expert for open water swimming within the organization and especially in the development and refinement of Event Operating Plans   

• Collaborate with World Aquatics on the development of the competition schedule and training schedules for open water swimming  

• Validate sport equipment requirements for open water swimming ensuring that all World Aquatics requirements have been scoped   

• Provide sport specific feedback as required for all pre-Games, testing and Games-time planning across the organization via centralized planning activities lead by Sport Planning including relevant Sport Delivery Plans as well as venue specific planning activities with other functions   

• Provide input to Sport Planning on the development of sport testing and readiness events  

• Coordinate with Timing, Scoring & Results to ensure all World Aquatics requirements are integrated into planning for both systems and infrastructure related to managing the competition  

Competition Management Workforce  

• Collaborate on the Sport Workforce strategy and planning for open water swimming, liaising USA Swimming and the local sport community where relevant to identify paid staff, National Technical Officials and Sport Skilled Volunteers currently engaged in local and regional events  

• Lead the recruitment process for roles within Competition Management for open water swimming   

• On-boarding and day-to-day leadership of all Competition Management workforce within open water swimming  

• Support the development of open water swimming specific testing and Games-time training workforce  

IF, NGB & Sport Community Relations  

• Act as the point of entry to LA28 and the stakeholder manager for World Aquatics  

• Liaise with World Aquatics and coordinate with other Sport Managers to ensure clear and coordinated communication when managing a multi-discipline sport  

• Manage and track all World Aquatics communication and brief Head of Competition Management and VP of Sport on the status of relations and Games-time planning   

• Manage Pre-Games IF Site visits for open water swimming, developing an effective agenda, liaising with FAs and Stakeholders on their participation and producing site visit reports and presentations   

• Manage the completion and tracking of all inputs to each Sport Delivery Plan (SDP) for open water swimming  

Administration & Program Management  

• Provide reports and updates on the status of deliverables and tasks to communicate overall progress in the planning for open water swimming  

• Support the development of budgets and projects plans with well researched and validated sport and discipline specific information and planning assumptions  

Competition Management – Testing & Games-Time  

• Lead all competition management workforce for open water swimming to ensure a seamless and world class delivery of operations to support the competition, athlete and IF spaces within the competition and training venues  

• Act as the integration point within the organization for all IF related requirements for delivery of the competition and training for open water swimming 

Background & Qualifications:

• Minimum 5+ years’ experience delivering national and international level open water swimming events in a leadership role  

• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills  

• Strong communication, team building, and interpersonal skill  

• Well-developed problem-solving skills and ability to work independently to resolve issues  

• Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint  

• Self-starter with experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work  

• Required proven ability of building good interpersonal relationships with people across the organization and with external stakeholders, while balancing assertiveness with diplomacy  

• A collaborative mindset; someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego  

• An innovative viewpoint, willing to challenge the status quo and thinking ahead to the future possibilities within the Movement  

• Ability to implement and manage change effectively  

• Extensive knowledge of open water swimming and event operations experience and exposure at multiple levels, including professional leagues or teams, federations, universities, and grassroots  

• Direct Olympic and Paralympic sport experience at a previous OCOG, multi-sport Games or experience delivering IF level events is a significant asset  

• Understanding and expertise within open water swimming at the international and national level as well as coordination with international and US Sport governing bodies  

• Understanding and expertise within open water swimming at the international and national level as well as coordination with international and US Sport governing bodies  

• Experience collaborating with colleagues on venue design, event planning, management and delivery across multiple functional areas  

Position Requirements:

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions 

• Available to work onsite in our Downtown Los Angeles-based office  
• The majority of work may be conducted in an office setting, requiring extended periods of time using computers, phones, and other office equipment.    
• This position will require international, domestic, and local trips for IF and NGB events/congresses, as well as venue tours in the Los Angeles area during official IF site visits. 
• International travel may involve travelling to different countries to observe global sporting events and will require a valid Passport. International travel may be up to 1 - 2 times per year for 1 - 2 week intervals. Approximately 20% or less of working hours.   
• Domestic travel may involve traveling within the United States to observe global sporting events. Anticipated travel can be 0-3 times per year.   
• Local travel will consist of visiting local venues that LA28 is considering using as a competition and training venue as well as competition and training venues in Co-host Cities. Attendance and meetings with local sport clubs, colleges and related organizations may also require local travel as well as observing local sport events. Anticipated travel can be 0-2 times per month and can increase as 2028 approaches.    

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience  

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

The annual base salary range for this position is $88,000.00 - $115,000.00. 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.

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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.