Director, Operations - Fanatics Events

Fanatics; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Leadership role

Career growth

Exclusive sporting events

Job summary

Fanatics is seeking an Operations Director to own the technical and back-of-house engine behind Fanatics Fest, WWE World, and flagship Fanatics Events productions. You will lead day-to-day AV operations, stage management, and the BOH perimeter while partnering with Live Content, Exhibitor Customer Success, and Fulfillment to keep every stage running smoothly.

The role requires travel and onsite presence for load-in, show days, and load-out, including nights and weekends as needed.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years in live event production or operations.
• Hands-on AV production experience across multi-stage environments.
• Experience managing back-of-house logistics and perimeter security.
• Advanced Airtable experience with scheduling, tracking, and automation.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day AV operations across all stages and activations.
• Coordinate run-of-show logistics, rehearsals, load-in/load-out.
• Oversee BOH perimeter planning, fencing, routes, and security coordination.
• Manage work orders from submission to close-out with cross-functional teams.
• Support exhibitor pre-show planning and on-site needs.
• Maintain SOPs, schedules, and process improvements.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams on stage builds and budgets.
• Lead on-site issues during load-in, shows, and load-out.

Skills

Live event ops

Operations leadership

Vendor management

Airtable expertise

Communication skills

Tools

Airtable

Map Your Show

EXPOCAD

a2z

Job description

About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

About Fanatics Events

Fanatics is a global leader in licensed sports merchandise, collectibles, and fan experiences. Our newest platform, Fanatics Events, creates large-scale consumer festivals and live experiences that bring fans, athletes, and partners together.

Our Flagship Productions Include

• Fanatics Fest – A first-of-its-kind multi-day fan festival hosted at the world-class Javits Center, combining sports, collectibles, athlete appearances, and immersive activations.
• WWE World – A multi-day consumer event produced in partnership with WWE, bringing fans closer to superstars, storylines, and experiences during major tentpole weekends.

The Role

The Operations Director owns the technical and back of house engine behind Fanatics Fest, WWE World, and other flagship Fanatics Events productions. Reporting to the Senior Director of Operations, this leader manages day-to-day AV operations, stage and Fanatics Games execution, and the back of house perimeter, while partnering closely with the Live Content, Exhibitor Customer Success, and Fulfillment teams to keep every stage and every exhibitor set up for success.

The ideal candidate is highly detail oriented, thrives in a fast-paced live event environment, and is comfortable being the go-to problem solver onsite when a curveball comes their way. This role requires travel and onsite presence for load-in, show days, and load-out, including nights and weekends as needed.

What You'll Do

AV & Stage Operations

• Own the day-to-day audio visual operations across all stages and activations, including equipment inventory, vendor coordination, and real-time troubleshooting.
• Manage the daily operations of all event stages and the Fanatics Games footprint, ensuring schedules, staging, and technical requirements are executed on time and to spec.

Live Content Support

• Partner with and support the Live Content team across every stage, coordinating run-of-show logistics, technical rehearsals, talent load-in/load-out, and show-calling support.

Back of House (BOH) Perimeter Management

• Own the planning and day-to-day management of the back of house perimeter, including fencing and barricade layout, vendor load-in routes, and coordination with security.
• Manage barricade and bike rack vendors, ensuring correct placement, delivery, and breakdown across the event footprint.

Work Order Process

• Work alongside the broader operations team to manage the end-to-end work order process - covering electrical, rigging, signage, and labor requests - from submission through fulfillment and close-out.

Exhibitor Experience & Pre-Show Planning

• Partner closely on exhibitor needs and exhibitor pre-show planning, serving as a key operational point of contact to ensure exhibitors are fully prepared and supported ahead of show days.
• Coordinate with the Exhibitor Customer Success and Fulfillment teams to align logistics, floor plans, and onsite requirements.

Airtable & Systems Management

• Serve as the primary owner of Airtable bases used for stage schedules, work orders, vendor tracking, and exhibitor pre-show planning; build and maintain views, forms, and automations that keep the broader team aligned and informed.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with the General Service Contractor, AV, security, and production vendors, as well as internal marketing and content teams, to align on stage builds, BOH logistics, and work order fulfillment.

Budget Support

• Track AV and stage-related costs, flag variances, and coordinate invoicing and approvals with the budget team.

Onsite Leadership

• Serve as the onsite point of contact for AV, stages, and BOH perimeter issues during load-in, show days, and load-out, resolving issues in real time.

Documentation & Process Improvement

• Maintain detailed SOPs, schedules, and trackers, and identify opportunities to streamline the work order and BOH processes year over year.

What We're Looking For

• 8-10+ years of experience in live event production or operations, ideally with large-scale festivals, tradeshows, or multi-stage events.
• Hands-on AV production experience, including staging, audio, video, and lighting coordination.
• Experience managing back of house logistics and perimeter or site security coordination.
• Advanced Airtable experience - comfortable building bases, forms, views, and automations from scratch.
• Experience supporting exhibitor services or pre-show planning processes; familiarity with Map Your Show, EXPOCAD, or a2z is a plus.
• Highly detail oriented with strong organizational, documentation, and process-management skills.
• Strong vendor management skills, with experience negotiating and holding vendors accountable to scope.
• Willingness to travel and work onsite for multi-day event builds, including nights and weekends.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; calm and clear-headed under pressure.
• A genuine passion for sports and live events, and pride in the details that make a show run smoothly.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• A leadership role shaping the most ambitious consumer events in sports & entertainment.
• Opportunities for career growth as the Fanatics Events portfolio expands.
• Access to exclusive sporting events and experiences.

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. When determining base pay as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/

Salary Range

$150,000 - $175,000 USD

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