Senior Director, Hospitality

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Florida; On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits eligibility

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

Excel Sports Management seeks a strategic leader to own client hospitality programmes, shaping experiences and driving growth. You will partner with account teams to align hospitality with client objectives and lead end-to-end execution through vendors and internal resources.

The role requires 8+ years in hospitality or events, strong budget and vendor management, and the ability to travel and work non-standard hours. You will mentor teams and ensure excellence across all programmes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8+ years in hospitality, events, or experiential marketing.
• Proven leader of corporate hospitality programmes.
• Experience managing client relationships, budgets and cross-functional teams.
• Strong vendor networks and contract negotiation.
• Ability to travel frequently and work evenings/weekends.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of client hospitality strategies and annual hosting plans.
• Analyse event portfolios to inform strategic recommendations.
• Oversee end-to-end planning and on-site execution of experiences.
• Provide on-site leadership at key events and ensure brand alignment.
• Build strong client relationships and identify expansion opportunities.
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts and performance.
• Develop and reconcile budgets; track ROI and forecast performance.
• Mentor hospitality team and establish best practices.

Skills

Leadership

Client hospitality

Budget management

Vendor management

Strategic thinking

Operational execution

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About the Role

The role is the strategic and executional lead for client hospitality programmes, responsible for designing, developing and delivering best-in-class experiences that drive meaningful business impact. It partners closely with Account teams to shape hospitality strategies aligned with client objectives and leads end-to-end execution through vendor partnerships, disciplined planning and operational excellence. The role requires a balance of strategic thinking, creative ideation and hands-on leadership to strengthen client relationships and unlock new opportunities for growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of client hospitality strategies, including annual hosting plans and event calendars aligned to business objectives; identify and recommend high-impact hospitality opportunities, experiences and environments; bring forward innovative, culturally relevant ideas.
• Conduct event portfolio analysis to inform strategic recommendations and optimise programme performance.
• Oversee end-to-end planning and execution of hospitality experiences from concept through recap, including event concepts, branding, guest experience and on-site execution plans.
• Provide on-site leadership for key events and ensure all experiences align with client expectations, brand standards and programme goals.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships; partner with Account teams to align hospitality programmes with broader account goals and growth opportunities; identify opportunities to expand scope, deepen partnerships and drive incremental revenue.
• Ensure hospitality efforts are connected to overall sponsorship, marketing and business strategies.
• Leverage deep vendor relationships across venues, hotels, catering, transportation and experiential production partners; negotiate contracts and secure services; collaborate with experiential production teams and internal resources; manage vendor performance.
• Develop, manage and reconcile budgets across hospitality programmes; provide clients with ongoing visibility into budgets, forecasting and programme performance; lead ROI tracking and measurement; ensure scope is managed and opportunities for efficiency or optimisation are identified.
• Lead and mentor hospitality team members; manage internal resources and cross-functional teams; establish and reinforce best practices, tools and workflows; contribute to a culture of collaboration, accountability and excellence.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8+ years of experience in hospitality, event planning, experiential marketing or a related field.
• Proven experience leading high-level corporate hospitality programmes and events.
• Experience managing client relationships, vendors, budgets and cross-functional teams.
• Strong vendor network across hospitality and experiential environments.
• Deep expertise in hospitality, event planning and experiential programme execution.
• Strong network of vendor and industry relationships across hospitality and production.
• Ability to think strategically while executing with precision and attention to detail.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and contract negotiation.
• Exceptional client service and relationship management skills.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to guide teams and influence stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to manage multiple complex programmes simultaneously.
• Passion for creating high-quality, memorable experiences that drive business results.
• Ability to travel frequently and work nights, weekends and holidays.

Preferred Skills

• Agency, sports marketing or sponsorship experience preferred.

Workplace

• This role can be based in Excel's New York, Charlotte, Miami, West Hollywood or Chicago offices.

Salary

• Salary may vary based upon relevant experience, time in role, business sector, geographic location and other criteria.

Benefits & Perks

• Eligible for benefits and discretionary bonus.

About the Company

Excel Sports Management is an industry-leading sports agency representing top-tier talent, blue-chip brands and marquee properties.