Chief Operating Officer, Mission-Campus & Events Leader

National Western Center group; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision coverage

PTO

Paid parental leave

401k plan with company match

Life, personal accident, and disable­d

Community involvement support

Job summary

National Western Center is seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer to translate strategy into operational excellence across a mission-driven campus and events venue in Denver. You’ll lead organizational vision, financial planning, and sustainability initiatives while guiding facilities, services, and partner relationships to support growth.

You will oversee event sales, campus operations, and a growing team, with a focus on delivering world-class venues and services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, or related field.
• 8–10 years of senior leadership in a multi-faceted business including facilities operations, events, and organizational leadership.
• 5+ years growing and leading teams across functions.
• Deep understanding of venue management including event sales, marketing, production, operations, guest services, budgets and proformas.
• Proven strategic mind with ability to see multiple outcomes, scenario planning, and risk assessment.
• Knowledge of local government and ability to navigate political environments effectively.
• High EQ and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the CEO to set and drive organizational vision and operational strategy.
• Translate strategy into actionable goals and manage annual operations planning.
• Prepare short- and long-range plans and budgets; coordinate with CFO on budgets.
• Evaluate overall operations and report results to CEO and Board.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and systems for daily operations.
• Foster a strong organizational culture.
• Lead facilities operations, maintenance, programming, and KPI benchmarking.
• Scale and lead a team of facility managers and building engineers.
• Oversee technology systems for efficient information flow.
• Manage staff and contractors delivering core operations functions.
• Lead sustainability programs to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Build relationships with campus partners, clients, and stakeholders; manage contracts and vendor relationships.
• Drive revenue growth through event sales and on-campus activity; manage lifecycle from client cultivation to closeout.
• Model event activity with pipelines and financial forecasts.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Facilities operations

Event venue sales & operations

Strategic planning & budgeting

Team building & mentorship

Knowledge of local government

High emotional intelligence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration

Job description

National Western Center is seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer to translate strategy into operational excellence across a mission-driven campus and events venue in Denver. You’ll lead organizational vision, financial planning, and sustainability initiatives while guiding facilities, services, and partner relationships to support growth.

You will oversee event sales, campus operations, and a growing team, with a focus on delivering world-class venues and services.