Manager, Event and Venue Management Central Planning

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

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 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. 

Manager, Event and Venue Management (EVM) Central Planning:

Working in close collaboration with all event/venue-related functional areas, the Event & Venue Management team is responsible for managing and integrating the operational planning and event delivery for all Games competition and other major non-competition venues (including the Olympic & Paralympic Village). As part of that process, the team is also responsible for managing all venue partner relationships as well as facilitating and participating in the negotiation process for all venue use agreements.    

The Manager, Event & Venue Management will act as a day-to-day point of contact and project manager within the department and across other LA28 functional areas. This role will be responsible for leading project and process management efforts across the venue planning teams, conducting venue related analysis, supporting senior management and their ongoing discussions with such venues, and leading internal & external back-end management across those venue engagements. 

The ideal candidate will have strong event production and project management skills with a primary focus on keeping tasks and projects organized, on-time and delivered efficiently. Analytical skills and familiarity with dashboards and other reporting mediums will be paramount to success. Adept at managing multiple concurrent projects and coordinating across complex organizations, they will ensure venue partner milestones are met, venue and legal issues are effectively and efficiently resolved, and communication with venues is consistent and direct. Relevant experience working within the sports and entertainment industry is desirable but not a requirement. 

This position will report to the lead of Event & Venue Management Central Planning team. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead project management efforts across multiple venue partners, ensuring seamless coordination and communication  
• Support venue agreement contracting process with venue partners through agreement reviews, risk and issue identification and management, and solution implementation  
• Create, manage, and maintain venue agreement status trackers, follow up on open matters, collate comments, and route agreements internally for resolution  
• Plan site visits for internal and external stakeholders, coordinate venue-related meetings, prepare materials, collate meeting notes, and identify action items for follow-up  
• Coordinate engagement of internal functional areas within venue partner discussions, scheduling meetings, and routing materials to relevant stakeholders  
• Support coordination, scheduling and materials preparation for cross-functional venue operational planning  
• Through a fully integrated, collaborative and iterative process, support the coordination and delivery of cross-functional venue operational planning  
• Manage the receipt, aggregation, and internal distribution of venue-related in-formation from venue partners to support functional area workstreams as needed  
• Monitor key dates, milestones, and deliverables across the venue partner group, ensuring timely progress and adherence to timelines  
• Assist with event/venue management budget development, tracking and analysis in line with financial objectives  
• Support the preparation and delivery or internal reporting and status tracking across various venue-related workstreams  
• Develop a strong understanding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) operational requirements for venue use agreements and venue delivery

Background & Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years of experience working in related roles in event and/or venue management or sports working on major events, venue operations and/or event production; direct experience with and understanding of event contracts preferred 
• Coordination: Demonstrated track record of successfully managing and executing events of varying sizes and complexities; Exceptional organizational skills, attention to details and the ability to manage multiple large-scale tasks and priorities simultaneously  
• Project Management: Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to anticipate challenges and resolve issues efficiently; Ability to implement and manage change effectively; Experience working within a complex, cross-functional organization  
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and concisely; strong team building and interpersonal skills  
• Collaboration: Proven leadership skills with the ability to motivate and guide team members to achieve common goals and foster people development
• Adaptability: Comfortable working in a fast-moving, evolving environment with flexibility to adapt to changing project requirements and priorities
• Tools: Fluent working with Microsoft Office suite of products, particularly Power-Point and Excel; Working knowledge of Smartsheet preferred  
•  Experience with Olympic or Paralympic events a plus  

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Available to work onsite in our Downtown Los Angeles-based office
• Majority of the work will be conducted in an office setting, requiring extended periods of time using computers, phones, and other office equipment
• Ability to travel occasionally to different venues across the Los Angeles region and possibly outside the Greater Los Angeles region when appropriate
• The LA28 office is an open floorplan working environment; employees must be able to work efficiently in an open cubicle environment

Expectations:

• Collaborative and flexible approach – Ability to roll with the transitional nature of the organization as it grows, adapting quickly to changing priorities and requirements 
• A committed team player with problem-solving skills, comfortable working cross-functionally with diverse stakeholder groups both internally and externally
• Confident self-starter – Takes initiative to identify challenges, gathering inputs from key stakeholders, takes action, and resolves challenges proactively
• Ability to work effectively and independently with experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and advancing the work forward with pace
• Influencing skills – ability to distill information and drive understanding and buy-in across multiple stakeholders and executives ·  
• Resourceful problem solver  
• Monitor industry trends and stay current with the latest developments to ensure a current and informed understanding of the sports and entertainment landscapes  
• Excitement for the role and opportunity to help shape the future of Los Angeles and the Olympic and Paralympic Movement 

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent work experience. 

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.

LA28 is committed to 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. LA28 will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance and all applicable laws. We strive to build a team that is inclusive and encourage qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.