Director, Event Location Strategy
The Director, Event Location Strategy shapes and executes the NFL's long-term host market strategy for the League's premier tentpole events, including the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, NFL Scouting Combine, NFL Flag Championships, and other strategic initiatives.
This leader owns the end-to-end evaluation, selection, negotiation, and governance process for future host locations and serves as the League's primary strategic liaison with host clubs, destination partners, and local organizing committees. Working across the NFL, the Director aligns business, operational, financial, sponsorship, media, public affairs, and fan engagement objectives to position each host market for long-term League impact and successful event delivery.
The successful candidate will bring strategic judgment, commercial and financial acumen, relationship leadership, and operational rigor to complex decisions that begin years in advance and extend through final event completion.
Responsibilities
Host Market Strategy & Selection
- Lead the NFL's long-range host market strategy and event location selection framework, aligning market recommendations with League growth objectives, event requirements, fan engagement goals, and commercial priorities.
- Develop recommended selection timelines, decision criteria, governance frameworks, and repeatable workflows for domestic tentpole events.
- Identify and assess established and emerging host market opportunities using financial, strategic, operational, infrastructure, partnership, and reputational considerations.
- Direct competitive host selection processes, including bid design, stakeholder engagement, proposal evaluation, diligence, recommendation development, and executive decision support.
- Prepare clear, executive-level recommendations and presentations that translate complex market analysis into actionable decisions.
Commercial, Financial & Risk Leadership
- Lead comparative financial and business-case analysis of host market proposals, including public- and private-sector commitments, operational obligations, revenue opportunities, and value to the League.
- Partner with Legal, Finance, Audit, and other stakeholders to structure and negotiate host agreements, clarify accountabilities, and identify and mitigate material risks.
- Balance long-term strategic value with near-term financial, operational, sponsorship, media, and partnership considerations throughout each selection and planning cycle.
Host Market Partnerships & Governance
- Serve as the senior day-to-day relationship lead for prospective and awarded host markets, managing a portfolio of approximately 10 active relationships at a time.
- Cultivate trusted partnerships with NFL clubs, local organizing committees, convention and visitors bureaus, venue operators, municipal leaders, government agencies, and economic development organizations.
- Establish clear governance, decision rights, milestones, and issue-escalation paths with host partners from award through event completion.
- Advise host clubs and market partners on League standards, commitments, planning dependencies, and cross-functional requirements.
- Collaborate with the NFL International team to support location strategy and strategic projects, as needed
Enterprise Collaboration & Event Integration
- Partner across Events and with Sponsorship, Legal, Finance, Marketing, Media and Broadcast, Communications, Government Affairs, Security, Football Operations, Club Business, and other functions to develop integrated market recommendations and execution plans.
- Maintain a strong working knowledge of each tentpole event's business model, operating requirements, stakeholder commitments, and critical dependencies.
- Provide host market guidance across the planning lifecycle and proactively surface trade-offs, risks, and opportunities for senior leaders and project teams.
- Create durable tools, templates, market intelligence, and institutional knowledge that improve future selection and planning cycles.
People Leadership
- Lead, coach, and develop a small team currently comprising one full-time employee and two to three temporary team members, such as interns and rotational program participants.
- Set clear priorities, roles, and performance expectations while fostering accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Allocate team resources across concurrent bids, host relationships, planning cycles, and event deliverables.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in sports, live events, venue or destination strategy, consulting, hospitality, or a related field.
- 5 years of management experience
- Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-year initiatives involving internal and external stakeholders.
- Proven success managing competitive proposal, procurement, bid, partnership, or location-selection processes.
- Experience developing business cases, evaluating financial proposals, managing budgets, and supporting complex negotiations.
Other Key Attributes / Characteristics
- Proven people leadership experience, including direct management, coaching, prioritization, and talent development.
- Exceptional executive communication, writing, presentation, and facilitation skills.
- Ability to influence without direct authority and drive alignment across a highly matrixed organization.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while maintaining sound judgment and attention to detail.
- Ability to travel approximately 25% of work time, including attendance at NFL tentpole events and planning meetings.
Salary / Pay Range
This job posting contains a pay range, which represents the range of salaries or hourly rates that the NFL believes, in good faith, at the time of this posting that it might be willing to pay for the posted job in the location(s) specified. The NFL expects to hire for this position near the middle of the range. Only in truly rare and exceptional circumstances, where an external candidate has experience, credentials or expertise that far exceed those required or expected for the position, would the NFL consider paying a salary or rate near the higher end of the range.
Terms / Expected Hours of Work
- NFL employees are expected to work 40 hours a week.
Benefits Information
To learn more about our comprehensive benefits offerings, please visit: NFL BENEFITS
At the NFL, in-person work at our offices is a top priority because it allows us to collaborate more effectively, build stronger connections, and maintain the culture that drives our success. This role requires onsite presence at an NFL office or stadium location, and remote and/or hybrid working options are not offered.
NO RELOCATION ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED.
The NFL is committed to building an inclusive work environment that reflects our incredible fan base. We provide an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all employees and applicants without regard to status as protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws.
WHO WE ARE:
NFL Core Values:
- Respect: Everyone matters. We celebrate diverse opinions, honor hard work, and value every contribution.
- Integrity: We do what's right, even when it's tough. We hold ourselves accountable and always follow through.
- Team Responsibility: We support each other and our communities. No one is bigger than the game, and every action impacts others.
- Resiliency: We set high standards, overcome adversity, and adapt to challenges, always striving for excellence.
NFL Leadership Attributes:
- Build Talent: We develop and nurture potential, empowering individuals to grow and succeed.
- Execute: We take action with precision, delivering results that drive our goals forward.
- Inspire: We motivate others through vision, energy, and a commitment to excellence.
- Live Our Values: We embody our core principles in every decision and action.
- Know the Business: We stay informed, understand our industry, and make decisions that strengthen our position.
- Think Big: We challenge the status quo, envision bold possibilities, and strive for transformative impact
WHO YOU ARE:
Talent Attributes: What we expect for our employees:
- Embody an enthusiastic, proactive can-do attitude
- Embrace grit, free from ego or entitlement
- Excel as a relationship builder, with the ability to influence
- Eager learner, driven by passion rather than just ambition
- Encompasses an incredible work ethic with an agile mindset
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