Director of Food & Beverage Strategy

The Games Delivery Revenue team oversees the Ticketing, Hospitality, Accommodations and Food & Beverage departments.  This department is responsible for securing key revenue streams for LA28, ensuring sold out and fully attended events, creating a robust and integrated accommodations strategy that supports our key stakeholders and operational needs, and delivering a comprehensive food and beverage plan for fans, stakeholders, the world’s press and broadcasters, workforce, and athletes. 

Reporting to the Head of Food and Beverage, the Director of Food & Beverage Strategy will be responsible for supporting the creation, planning, and execution of the food and beverage strategy for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will oversee the food and beverage partnerships at multiple Olympic and Paralympic competition and non-competition venues throughout Los Angeles and surrounding cities. They will be responsible for managing a significant portion of the Game’s overall 9-figure food and beverage budget and delivering millions of meals to fans, athletes, workforce, and other constituencies over the course of the Games. They will help to develop the strategic approach for partnerships, lead vendor selection processes, support operational implementation of F&B delivery, and work with selected partners to find revenue generation and cost savings opportunities. They will help to develop a food and beverage strategy that is both reflective and inclusive of Los Angeles’ diverse communities and peoples. As Director of Food & Beverage Strategy, they will oversee all aspects of unit-level operations for their, from planning and procurement to execution and guest satisfaction. This role requires meticulous planning, strong leadership, and a deep understanding of complex projects and hospitality standards. 

Strategic Leadership 

• Hire, train, motivate, and evaluate unit-level staff
• Directly supervise multiple sub-functions including retail strategy and operations, contract implementation, and amenity catering operations
• Develop, optimize, and adhere to unit budgets with clear steps to implement, monitor, and appropriately measure plan deliverables through financial metric and KPI tracking
• Develop a clear growth plan from present through Games time
• Stay updated on industry trends and innovations to continuously improve the food and beverage experience
• Develop and oversee training programs in conjunction with selected partners to deliver optimized revenues and customer service 

Commercial Strategy 

• Work with Head of F&B, key LA28 FAs, and external stakeholders to create overall food vision and strategy, integration with sustainability plan, menu development, and service levels by constituent group
• Manage/oversee RFP strategy, development, and execution for master catering deals
• Work with Director of Village F&B to determine approach to F&B at the Athlete Village
• Implement cost-control measures without compromising quality or guest satisfaction
• Manage assigned F&B budget 

Operations 

• Support the establishment of core planning principles, including operational and service design plan
• Develop inclusive hospitality strategies to create frictionless guest experiences to meet the needs of guests and stakeholders with diverse physical, cultural, and dietary requirements
• In conjunction with selected partners, support the development of spatial allocations for both BOH & FOH kitchens and serveries, and equipment needs to deliver required F&B services
• Support the development of the QA strategy, policies, and venue plans to ensure safe food handling
• Ensure integration with other key functional areas for seamless delivery of F&B services
• Implement sustainable practices in food sourcing, waste reduction, and energy efficiency 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Establish close working relationships with key functional areas (especially Venues & Infrastructure, Venue Management, Cleaning & Waste, and Integrated Operations) to ensure the Food & Beverage strategy maximizes revenue opportunities, minimizes costs, and works effectively within operational constraints
• Due to the evolving nature of both the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic games and the LA28 F&B team, all team members may be called upon to assist in areas of changing departmental focus and initiative. All team members will be required to approach their obligations with flexibility and a willingness to shift focus as needed 

• Minimum 7-years of relevant industry experience in catering and/or retail foodservice, preferably with 5 years of leadership experience in the sport or live event industry
• Experience managing high-volume food operations, particularly in sports and special events
• Experience building and implementing programs focused on maintaining the highest standards of food quality and guest experience
• A passion for telling stories through food and building an environment of authentic hospitality
• Experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders and proven success at building excellent working relationships
• Experience of delivering complex projects on time and within budget 
• Experience working with senior managers across multiple functional areas 
• Excellent leadership skills with track record of people development and budget achievement
• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
• Strong communication, team building, and interpersonal skills
• 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 where applicable
• A collaborative mindset; someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego
• An innovative viewpoint, challenging the status quo and thinking ahead to future years of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement 
• Ability to implement and manage change effectively
• Ability to communicate in multiple languages preferred
• Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) 

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions 

• Candidates should expect a 4-5-day workweek, primarily based in the LA28 Los Angeles office
• Ability to travel between units in crowded conditions to perform physical operational audits 
• Ability to stand, walk, and move for extended periods, particularly during event days and site visits.
• Willingness to travel within the Los Angeles area and occasionally beyond for partner meetings, vendor negotiations, and site inspections. 

Education / Training / Certifications 

• Bachelor’s degree or culinary degree preferred