Operations Manager

Leopardstown Racecourse; Dublin; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Leopardstown Racecourse is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day operations, ensuring safe, cost-effective raceday and event experiences for customers, participants and staff. You will be a core member of the Leadership Team, driving operational excellence and continuous improvement across the campus.

The role requires strong operational leadership, people management, and a commitment to delivering world-class customer experiences on racedays and events.

Qualifications

• Minimum of four years' management experience in a venue, events, operations or related environment.
• Experience managing complex operations with multiple stakeholders and service providers.
• Strong leadership with proven staff development capabilities.
• Track record delivering exceptional customer experiences in fast-paced settings.
• Solid understanding of health and safety legislation and best practice.
• Excellent planning and project management with strong attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills across levels and functions.
• Financial awareness with experience managing budgets and costs.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operation to deliver high-quality raceday and event experiences, efficiently and cost effectively.
• Coordinate and oversee all raceday operations and non-raceday events from planning to post-event review.
• Deliver race day logistics with third-party providers, facilities, staffing and support services.
• Liaise with IHRB and industry stakeholders to ensure compliance with racing and operational requirements.
• Develop and implement operational plans, processes and procedures to support the racecourse calendar.
• Line manage the Operations Executive and recruit/deploy casual raceday staff with appropriate readiness.
• Foster accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and customer focus across teams.
• Support Sales and Marketing by ensuring operational delivery aligns with customer promises.

Skills

People leadership

Stakeholder management

Operations management

Health & safety

Budgeting & cost control

Staffing & scheduling

Customer service

Job description

Role Purpose

Reporting to the CEO, the Operations Manager is responsible for the efficient, safe, and cost-effective management of the day-to-day operations of Leopardstown Racecourse, ensuring the delivery of exceptional raceday and event experiences for customers, participants, stakeholders, and staff. As a member of the Leopardstown Racecourse Leadership Team, the Operations Manager will contribute to the development and achievement of the racecourse's strategic objectives, operational excellence standards, financial targets, and continuous improvement initiatives.

The role requires strong operational leadership, stakeholder engagement, people management, and a commitment to delivering world-class customer experiences across all racedays, events, and racecourse activities.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operation of Leopardstown Racecourse to deliver high-quality raceday and event experiences for everyone, efficiently and cost effectively.
• Coordinate and oversee all raceday operations and non-raceday events, ensuring seamless planning, execution, and post-event review.
• Manage the delivery of all race day logistics, including third-party service providers, racecourse facilities, staffing requirements, and operational support services.
• Liaise closely with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) and other industry stakeholders to ensure compliance with all racing and operational requirements.
• Ensure all operational activities are delivered in a cost-effective manner while maintaining exceptional service standards.
• Develop and implement operational plans, processes, and procedures that support the successful delivery of the racecourse calendar.

Leadership and People Management

• Line manage and support the Operations Executive, providing leadership, coaching, development, and performance management.
• Oversee the recruitment, deployment, briefing, and management of casual raceday staff, ensuring appropriate staffing levels and operational readiness at all times.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer focus across all operational teams.
• Deliver and support customer service training initiatives for front-line staff to ensure a consistently high-quality customer experience.

Stakeholder and Contractor Management

• Manage relationships with contractors, suppliers, service providers, and key operational partners, ensuring service delivery standards are achieved.
• Work collaboratively with racecourse tenants and campus stakeholders to ensure smooth operation of the wider Leopardstown campus.
• Develop strong relationships with internal departments, ensuring alignment and effective communication in the delivery of racedays and events.
• Support Sales and Marketing teams by ensuring operational delivery reflects and enhances the customer promise communicated through marketing and commercial activities.

Health, Safety and Compliance

• Champion a strong health, safety, and risk management culture across the racecourse.
• Partner with the Health and Safety function to ensure all operational activities are planned and delivered in accordance with legislative, regulatory, and company requirements.
• Ensure compliance with all Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) policies, procedures, and operational standards.
• Identify operational risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures to protect employees, customers, contractors, and visitors.

Facilities and Capital Projects

• Work closely with Facilities and Horticultural teams to ensure the racecourse environment is maintained to the highest standards.
• Lead and support operational and facilities-related projects, coordinating internal stakeholders and external contractors.
• Play a key role in the planning and delivery of capital investment projects, ensuring operational continuity and customer experience remain priorities throughout implementation.
• Monitor and manage operational budgets, ensuring effective financial control and value for money

Strategic Contribution

• Contribute proactively as a member of the Leadership Team to the development and execution of Leopardstown Racecourse's strategic goals.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness, customer satisfaction, sustainability, and commercial performance.
• Collaborate across Horse Racing Ireland's Racecourse Division and provide support to other racecourses and business units as required.
• Undertake other duties and responsibilities as may reasonably be assigned by the CEO.

Skills & Experience

• Minimum of four years' management experience in a venue, events, operations, hospitality, leisure, sport, or related environment.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex operations involving multiple stakeholders, contractors, and service providers.
• Strong people leadership skills with experience managing teams and developing high-performing colleagues.
• Proven ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
• Strong understanding of health and safety legislation and best practice.
• Excellent planning, organisational, and project management skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels.
• Financial and commercial awareness, including experience managing budgets and controlling costs.
• Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and operational management systems.
• Flexible and adaptable, with a willingness to work outside normal business hours to support racedays and events.

Key Capabilities

• Customer Focus
• Creates an environment where the team is empowered to put the customer first.
• Supports the team in managing their workload to ensure customer needs are met.
• Role models customer focus and drives and develops customer focused initiatives.
• Ensures customer satisfaction is a priority.

Developing Self

• Is self-aware and proactively seeks feedback, using it for personal and professional development.
• Role models development by developing themselves and others.
• Reflects on behaviour, adapting approach to different situations.
• Is open to new ideas, drives continuous improvement with team and across the business.

Energy & Pace

• Sets and delivers against SMART objectives for their area/team.
• Is accountable and delivers sustainable results, using resources effectively.
• Understands the wider business and its goals, onward communicates this to team.
• Empowers others to deliver their goals and projects with energy and pace.
• Is a flexible and adaptable to the needs of the business and delivers accordingly.

Innovation & Change

• Reviews processes and ways of working always striving for best practice and improving industry standards.
• Is creative and innovative and supports others to develop opportunities for creative thinking and innovation.
• Looks for innovative ways to provide a better service to our stakeholders.
• Implements change in a supportive, reassuring way, bringing ours on the journey with them.

Leadership

• Motivates and empowers others through a 'can do' approach.
• Understands strategic intent and aligns objectives and messages accordingly.
• Role models leadership and our core values.
• Develops, motivates and inspires others.

Team

• Creates team environments where everyone contributes to the team objectives and is stretched accordingly.
• Ensures productive and positive communication is taking place across all teams.
• Harnesses team capability to ensure teams are performing to a high standard.

HRI is an equal opportunities employer. Interview candidates will be provided with any necessary reasonable accommodations when called for interview.