Head of Hospitality & Events Operations

Sporting Group International; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Sporting Group International is seeking a Head of Hospitality & Events Operations for a leading football club in the North West. This role involves overseeing operational delivery at matchdays and non-matchdays, ensuring exceptional experiences for supporters and corporate clients.

The ideal candidate will bring significant leadership experience in hospitality and a strong commercial acumen. This is a chance to shape the future of the club's hospitality offerings and contribute to its growth strategy.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience within hospitality or events.
• Strong budget and forecasting management skills.
• Ability to deliver high standards in demanding environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations for hospitality and events.
• Ensure events meet high service standards.
• Manage operational budgets and performance.

Skills

Leadership experience

Operational excellence

Commercial awareness

Customer service

Project management

Job description

Head of Hospitality & Events Operations | Professional Football

Sporting Jobs are exclusively partnering with an ambitious professional football club in the North West to recruit a Head of Hospitality & Events Operations.

This is an outstanding opportunity to join a progressive football club that is continuing to invest in its matchday experience, hospitality offering and non‑matchday events business. As the club looks to maximise the potential of its stadium and grow commercial revenues, this appointment will play a central role in delivering exceptional experiences for supporters, partners and corporate clients alike.

Sporting Jobs has built a reputation for delivering executive search and recruitment solutions across the global sports industry, partnering with clubs, governing bodies, rightsholders and brands to appoint outstanding talent. We’re delighted to be leading the search for this senior operational appointment on behalf of one of English football's most recognisable clubs.

We’re looking for an experienced hospitality leader who understands what great service looks like. Someone who can balance operational excellence with commercial awareness, lead large and diverse teams, and consistently deliver first‑class experiences across both matchdays and non‑matchday events.

Reporting into the senior commercial leadership team, you’ll oversee all hospitality and events operations across the stadium, ensuring every event is delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest possible standard.

This is a role for someone who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, enjoys leading people and takes genuine pride in delivering memorable customer experiences.

The Role

As Head of Hospitality & Events Operations you’ll be responsible for the operational delivery of every hospitality and events experience hosted at the stadium.

From premium matchday hospitality and executive lounges through to conferences, exhibitions, dinners, concerts and corporate events you’ll ensure every guest receives an exceptional experience whilst maintaining strong operational controls and commercial performance.

Working closely with colleagues across commercial, marketing, facilities, finance and football operations, you’ll lead a multi‑disciplinary team and continually identify opportunities to improve efficiency, service standards and profitability.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands‑on operational management, making it ideal for someone who enjoys developing people, improving processes and delivering outstanding events at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day‑to‑day operation of all hospitality and events across both matchdays and non‑matchdays.
• Ensure every event is delivered safely, efficiently and in line with the highest service standards.
• Take ownership of operational budgets, forecasting and financial performance across the department.
• Monitor costs, margins and operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve profitability.
• Lead, develop and inspire teams across hospitality, catering, events and public concourse operations.
• Work collaboratively with commercial teams to support revenue growth and enhance customer experiences.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers, contractors, partners, promoters and corporate clients.
• Champion a culture of outstanding customer service across every area of the operation.
• Introduce new processes and best practice to improve operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.
• Ensure full compliance with health and safety, licensing and all relevant operational regulations.
• Contribute to the club's long‑term hospitality and events strategy, supporting continued commercial growth.

About You

You’ll already have significant leadership experience within hospitality, venue operations, events or stadium management and understand the importance of delivering consistently high standards in demanding environments.

Whether your background comes from professional sport, hotels, arenas, conference venues or live events, you’ll have a proven ability to lead people, manage budgets and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Experience leading hospitality or events operations within a large venue or customer‑facing environment.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing budgets, forecasts and operational performance.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop high‑performing teams.
• Outstanding organisational and project management skills.
• A collaborative approach, building strong relationships with colleagues, suppliers and external partners.
• Confidence working under pressure while managing multiple priorities.
• A proactive mindset with a continuous improvement approach to operations.

Experience within professional sport, football, major venues or premium hospitality environments would be highly advantageous.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to join a football club with ambitious plans for growth, where hospitality and events are viewed as a key part of its long‑term commercial strategy.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape how thousands of supporters, guests and corporate clients experience the stadium throughout the year, while leading an experienced operational team and helping drive continued improvements across the business.

If you enjoy leading people, creating memorable experiences and delivering operational excellence in a fast‑moving environment, this is an opportunity to make a genuine impact within one of football's most exciting sectors.

Reference VAC-3067

Salary Competitive, dependent on experience