Director, Operations - Fanatics Events

Fanatics Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and incentives

Health & wellness benefits

Leadership role in sports events

Career growth opportunities

Access to exclusive sporting events

Job summary

Fanatics Inc. is seeking an Operations Director for Fanatics Events who will own the technical and back-of-house engine behind major productions like Fanatics Fest and WWE World.

This leader will manage day-to-day AV operations, stage and Games execution, and BOH perimeter, partnering with Live Content, Exhibitor Success, and Fulfillment teams to ensure flawless setup and performance. The ideal candidate brings 8–10+ years in live event production, hands-on AV expertise, and a track record of

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years in live event production or operations for large-scale events.
• Hands-on AV production experience including staging, audio, video, and lighting coordination.
• Experience managing back-of-house logistics, perimeter or site security coordination.
• Advanced Airtable experience with building bases, forms, views, and automations.
• Experience supporting exhibitor services or pre-show planning processes; familiarity with industry tools is a plus.
• Strong vendor management skills and accountability for scope and costs.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day AV operations across all stages and activations, including inventory, vendor coordination, and real-time troubleshooting.
• Manage daily operations of event stages and Fanatics Games footprint, ensuring schedules and technical requirements meet specs.
• Coordinate run-of-show logistics, technical rehearsals, talent load-in/load-out, and show-calling support with the Live Content team.
• Plan and manage back-of-house perimeter, barricade layout, vendor load-in routes, and security coordination.
• Oversee end-to-end work order process for electrical, rigging, signage, and labor requests.
• Lead exhibitor pre-show planning and logistics alignment with Exhibitor Customer Success and Fulfillment.
• Own Airtable bases for stage schedules, work orders, vendor tracking, and pre-show planning; collaborate with vendors and internal teams.
• Track costs, flag variances, and coordinate invoicing and approvals; serve as onsite AV/stage/BOH lead during load-in/out.
• Maintain SOPs, schedules, and trackers; identify process improvements year over year.

Skills

Live event ops

Vendor management

Airtable

Project coordination

Communication

Travel readiness

Tools

Airtable

Map Your Show

EXPOCAD

a2z

Job description

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.
• 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.
• 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/

Voluntary Self‑Identification

As set forth in Fanatics Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.