, Overview and Description
The Columbus Crew is looking for a Senior Director, Event Services, responsible for the strategic leadership and oversight of all front-of-house and event-facing operations across the organization's venue portfolio. This role ensures the delivery of safe, efficient, and high-quality events through structured, repeatable, and system-driven processes, while maintaining a consistent, secure, and guest-ready environment across all venues on both event and non-event days.
This is a front-of-house leadership role, accountable for the guest environment, event execution, and public-facing operational standards. The Senior Director leads a team of functional leaders and serves as the executive front-of-house event command leader for major events, supporting approximately 300 events annually, including professional soccer, concerts, and large-scale external activations.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Lead and develop a team of leaders responsible for core front-of-house functions, including event execution, guest experience, and venue safety operations.
- Design and implement scalable, repeatable operational systems and event playbooks.
- Serve as the central leader aligning all internal stakeholders-including ticketing, partnerships, booking, and facility operations-within a unified event execution model.
- Assist in the continued development of the organization's event technology ecosystem, ensuring platforms support standardized workflows and data-driven decision making.
- Front-of-house Operations
- Develop and implement systems and standards that ensure a consistent, secure, and guest-ready front-of-house environment across all venues on both event and non-event days.
- Establish processes governing access control, credentialing, security presence, and guest-facing readiness, ensuring consistent execution through department leadership and partners.
- Create operational frameworks that ensure seamless transition between daily front-of-house operations and event-day execution.
- Develop a repeatable and scalable hospitality model that delivers consistent, high-quality experience.
- Ensure systems are in place for training, staffing, and performance management across event teams.
- Financial and Budget Oversight
- Develop and manage departmental operating budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and event demand.
- Establish financial frameworks that support efficient staffing models, vendor utilization, and resource allocation.
- Monitor event-related expenses and identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency without compromising operational standards or guest experience.
- Partner with VP to support forecasting, planning, and long-term operational investment decisions.
Minimum Qualifications
- 7+ years of leadership experience in stadium, arena, or large venue operations
- Proven ability to lead leaders and multi-functional teams
- Demonstrated success in building systems and scalable operational processes
- Experience overseeing front-of-house operations, event command, and guest environments
- Strong background in operational planning and process design
- Experience managing large staffing models and vendor ecosystems
- Professional sports or major entertainment venue experience preferred
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree
- Events-related certifications (CVE, CVP, CSSP, or equivalent)