Director, Food & Beverage Operations

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

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 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. 

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 Food and Beverage Operations:

Position Summary

The Games Delivery Revenue team oversees the Ticketing, Hospitality, and Food & Beverage departments.  This department is responsible for securing key revenue streams for LA28, ensuring sold out and fully attended events, 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 Operations will be responsible for supporting the creation, planning, and execution of the food and beverage program for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will oversee the food and beverage operations across all Olympic and Paralympic 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 partner operations, 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 and implement a food and beverage operational 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 competition venue F&B operations, 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. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership 
• Hire, train, motivate, and evaluate unit-level staff 
• Directly supervise multiple sub-functions including retail concessions operations, contract implementation, and amenity catering operations 
• Adhere to unit budgets with clear steps to implement, monitor, and appropriately measure plan deliverables through financial metrics and KPI tracking 
• Identify areas of opportunity within venue operations for increased revenue 
• 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 
• Work with Head of F&B, key LA28 Functional Areas, and external stakeholders to help create overall food vision and strategy, integration with sustainability plan, menu development, and service levels by constituent group 
• Implement cost-control measures without compromising quality or guest satisfaction 

Operations 

• Oversee implementation of negotiated contractual terms with partners at all competition venues  
• Support the establishment of core planning principles, including operational and service design plan 
• Assess and develop iterative architectural plans and renderings in conjunction with various LA28 Functional Areas to ensure appropriate allocation of resources according to venue and sport specific F&B needs  
• Develop inclusive service strategies to deliver frictionless guest experiences to meet the needs of guests and stakeholders with diverse physical, cultural, and dietary requirements 
• Collaborate with various LA28 Functional Areas to design, develop, and procure infrastructure needs for both existing venue overlay and temporary venue builds 
• In conjunction with selected partners, support the development of spatial allocations for both BOH & FOH kitchens and serveries, as well as equipment needs to deliver required F&B services 
• Support the development and implementation of the venue QA strategy, policies, documentation, and tracking systems to ensure safe food handling and incident response 
• 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 

Background & Qualifications:

• Minimum 7-years of relevant industry experience in catering and retail foodservice, preferably with 5 years of leadership experience in the live sport industry 
• Experience managing high-volume concessions operations, particularly in large professional sports stadiums and arenas 
• Experience managing premier suite and lounge catering services to prestigious clientele 
• 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 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 

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Ability to travel between units in crowded conditions to perform physical operational audits  
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with fluctuating demands leading up to and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 
• Must be able to travel frequently to various venues throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas, including large-scale event environments with high foot traffic and variable conditions. 
• Work on-site at the LA28 office in Los Angeles on a regular basis, in alignment with organizational in-office expectations. 

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or culinary degree preferred 

The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000 - $170,000. 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.