Senior Director, Event Services

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)