Director, Ports of Entry 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, Ports of Entry Operations

The Director, Ports of Entry Operations sits within the Arrivals and Departures (AND) Functional Area (FA) and is responsible for designing and delivering a robust, efficient, secure and comprehensive ports of entry/exit operations program. This program will drive the execution of entry/exit processes for athletes, officials, media and other Games stakeholders arriving in the United States for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Reporting to the Head of Arrivals and Departures, this individual will be responsible for coordinating with federal and local government agencies (e.g., U.S. Customs and Border Protection, TSA, DHS, State Department) and other key internal LA28 FAs (e.g., Government Relations, Transportation) to streamline processing and ensure a seamless and secure arrivals and departures process. 

The AND team will follow the Olympic Charter and data protection regulations. By Games-time, the AND FA will deliver the operational strategy, including operational/ space planning, operations, service provider oversight, workforce planning, and budget.

Key Responsibilities:

Port of Entry/Exit operations

• Work with airports, other ports of entry and associated agencies to develop and streamline operational plans for the processing of NOC/NPCs, Athletes, Olympic and Paralympic Family, Media, IFs and other stakeholders including the staging area lease requirements
• Collaborate closely with LA28 FAs - National Olympic/Paralympic Committee Services, Accreditation, Government and Security teams on immigration, streamlining arrivals entry/exit scheduling and operations
• Establish the peak departure plan, including Off-Airport Processing operations
• Define service levels, timelines, and coordination requirements in collaboration with LA28 stakeholders

Arrivals and Departures Data, Analysis and Information System

• Develop Origins and Modality analysis to identify all stakeholder journey pathways from initial point of origin to return
• Provide delivery partners and LA28 FAs with consolidated analysis data for planning, including sport equipment and movement patterns
• Develop the Arrivals and Departures Information System (ADS)
• Establish reporting and data management protocols

Operations Management

• Establish a business plan for ports of entry operations
• Participate in operational planning, ensuring ports of entry strategy, policies, and procedures are executable during Games time
• Ensure arrivals and departures processes are inclusive, accessible, and culturally sensitive for all stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, staff, and international delegations
• Ensure accessibility considerations are embedded in planning, particularly for Paralympic athletes, people with disabilities, and other stakeholders requiring additional support
• Monitor stakeholder service levels across the end-to-end journey with delivery partners and LA28 FAs, identify and manage issues during Games-time operations
• Supervise pre-game, during and post Games-time operations, including arrival and departure workforce management, training on policies, procedures, and policy enforcement 
• Develop communication and engagement strategy for all ports of entry policies and procedures in partnership with LA28 FAs 
• Oversee milestone deadlines, material distribution, information gathering for key stakeholder groups

Background & Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in major event arrival and departure planning and delivery
• Experience Olympic and Paralympic Games, or equivalent large-scale sporting or similar global events
• Experience working with government authorities in defining entry requirements and protocols
• Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel
• Demonstrated commitment to co-creation and collaborative decision-making

Position Requirements:

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Ability to work on-site in an open office environment based in Los Angeles, CA
• Must be able to travel frequently, including to various ports of entry, Olympic/Paralympic venues, and stakeholder locations.

Expectations:

Arrival and Departure Operations Expertise 

• Arrival and Departure Operations Expertise
• Deep understanding of all aspects of arrival and departure planning associated with major event planning in collaboration with multiple stakeholders
• Deep understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic arrival and departure processes, programs and principles
• Demonstrated success driving an arrivals and departures program at a major event, coordinating service providers, venue teams, cross-functional resources, timelines and processes
• Demonstrated success in leading large cross-functional and operational teams

Leadership and Stakeholder Management Expertise

• Experience in a leadership role, building teams, and working across various functions
• Excellent communication and human relations skills, including experience communicating with international communities
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively work with a diverse population, including, but not limited to, athletes, coaches, public agencies, volunteers, workforce, and international communities
• A collaborative mindset: someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego
• Executive presence and communication skills, including ability to package and present insights in a relevant, cohesive, and succinct storylines
• Experience leading and managing multi-million-dollar budgets
• Solid communication, team building, and interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to innovate and achieve results through strategic, forward-thinking planning 

Organizational Skills

• Highly detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills 
• Ability to implement and manage change effectively
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently to resolve issues, and experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work

Education / Training / Certifications

• Master’s degree or relevant work experience required
• Experience delivering arrival and departure programs for Olympic and/or Paralympic Games preferred 

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

The annual base salary range for this position is $126,000.00 - $160,000.00. 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.

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.