Off-Ice Official | Part-Time | Coachella Valley Firebirds

Oak View Group; Palm Desert (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 33,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Savings Plan and 401(k) match

Job summary

Oak View Group is seeking an Off-Ice Official for the Coachella Valley Firebirds games at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, CA. The role supports pre-season through playoffs, focusing on timing, penalties, and scoring accuracy in a fast-paced venue.

The position is part-time, pays an hourly rate, and requires flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Benefits include a 401(k) plan and matching for eligible staff.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; Associate degree preferred.
• 2+ years of hockey officiating experience preferred.
• Strong communication and reporting skills required.

Responsibilities

• Time game stoppages, reset clocks, and supervise intermissions.
• Record penalties accurately and coordinate with referees.
• Manage penalty box operations and game clock backups.
• Coordinate with broadcasters and officials during timeouts and reviews.
• Verify goals with on-ice and video review for accuracy.
• Arrive 1–2 hours before game time and be available for all games.

Skills

Hockey officiating

Strong communication

Report writing

Team player

Problem solving

Time management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate's degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

Salesforce

Ticketmaster/Archtics

Job description

Oak View Group

Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents.

Oak View Group

Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents.

Position Summary

The primary responsibility of an Off-Ice Official is to function as a contributing member of a team of officials assigned to a variety of tasks for pre-season, regular season, and playoff games played in connection with the Firebirds Hockey Sports Team.

This role will pay an hourly rate of $20.00 - $24.00

Benefits for Part-Time roles

• 401(k) Savings Plan and 401(k) matching.

This position will remain open until November 20, 2026.

About The Venue

Acrisure Arena is the premier sports and entertainment venue in the greater Palm Springs area, a 11,000+ seat building hosting the biggest artists and acts on the planet. The arena is home to the Coachella Valley Firebirds, an AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, who reached the Calder Cup Finals in each of their first two seasons and have established one of the best game-night atmospheres in minor league hockey. Beginning in 2026-27, Acrisure Arena also becomes home to the Coachella Valley Lakers of the NBA G League, expanding the building's year-round sports calendar. We are building a championship organization that serves our fans, community, and business partners through exceptional sports and entertainment. Winning matters. Fans come first. Great teams achieve unimaginable results. And we honor the culture and diversity of the cities that make up the Coachella Valley.

Responsibilities

• Timing the game from stoppage to stoppage. Resetting the clock when necessary. Monitoring that the clock is functioning properly. Timing of intermissions. Timing of both official and commercial time-outs.
• Timing of all penalties assessed by the referees. Ensuring that penalties are recorded accurately in the AHL records. Ensuring players are released at the appropriate times from the penalty box. Assisting the referees with determining the on-ice strength when multiple penalties are assessed.
• Responsible for the penalty box area in conjunction with the penalty timekeeper. Releasing players at the appropriate time at the expiration of their penalties. Replacing game pucks when they leave the ice surface and/or at other times per league guidelines. Maintaining a backup stopwatch for the game clock. Monitoring the video replay headset in case there are video reviews required and/or game clock adjustments.
• Handling the commercial time-outs based on established League guidelines. Communicating with the broadcasters, the on-ice officials, and fellow off-ice officials when commercial timeouts are upcoming and when they are about to be completed.
• Illuminating the red light when the referee signals that a goal has been scored.
• Making the official decision on all goals, including the goal scorer and those worthy of receiving an assist. Report this information to the off-ice official responsible for entering information into the scoring system and to the public address announcer. Reviewing all scoring plays on video to ensure accuracy.
• Accurately interpreting the events of the game and recording them in the League scoring system. Making instantaneous decisions on hits, shots, missed shots, blocked shots, giveaways, takeaways, goals and assists, penalties, and other pertinent game events.
• Verbalizing events so that nothing is missed by those entering them into the scoring system computers. Reviewing events on video to verify decisions or to make changes for accuracy.
• Reviewing all close plays at the net and communicating effectively with the technician, the on-ice officials, and the AHL Situation Room to accurately determine the legitimacy of all goals and potential goals.
• Arrive one-two hours prior to game time and until the game reports are completed and must be available for all pre-season, regular and post-season games (October to June)
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hockey officiating experience is highly preferred
• High school diploma or GED. Associate's degree is preferred. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence
• Highly organized with good coordinating/project management skills.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work in a high-pressure environment
• Ability to analyze problems involving many variables
• Proficient in MS Office with Salesforce or similar CRM experience - Ticketmaster platform experience preferred - Archtics
• High level of demonstrated professionalism, integrity and ability to maintain sensitive information and appropriate decorum
• Team player with a positive attitude, professionalism, resourcefulness, integrity, motivation, and a strong work ethic
• Competitive, self-motivated, and creative-thinking skills and a team-first attitude
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays

Strengthened by our Differences. United to Make a Difference

At OVG, we understand that to continue positively disrupting the sports and live entertainment industry, we need a diverse team to help us do it. We also believe that inclusivity drives innovation, strengthens our people, improves our service, and raises our excellence. Our success is rooted in creating environments that reflect and celebrate the diverse communities in which we operate and serve, and this is the reason we are committed to amplifying voices from all different backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Oak View Group is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.