Affiliate Village Operations Manager - FIFA World Cup 2026™

On Location•New York, NY

50d•Onsite

About The Position

Who We Are: TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organization. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality. Role Summary: Reporting directly to the Venue Infrastructure Manager and Venue Manager, the Affiliate Village Operations/Production Manager will be a key member of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Venue Management team with On Location and work in close collaboration with the Infrastructure and Venue Management Teams, focusing primarily on the Affiliate Village at the stadium This role is responsible for the planning, integration, execution, and seamless delivery of all temporary outdoor Village hospitality spaces and activations. This role requires strong operational oversight, production management expertise, and close collaboration with internal functional areas and production partners to ensure all Affiliate products are delivered to standard. Please note that candidates must be local to this city and venue.

Requirements

Significant experience in operations and/or production management for large-scale outdoor temporary event builds around sporting events, festivals, or touring shows.
Strong track record of managing multiple vendors, activations, and hospitality spaces in complex environments.
Experience coordinating cross-functional teams under tight deadlines.
Knowledge of Union Labor and Policies
Occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 lbs. with or without reasonable accommodation (modify based on country form of measurement)
The ability to remain in a standing position for extended periods, except where sitting is permitted by law or reasonable accommodation is required.
Ability to work outdoors for extended periods in a variety of weather conditions.
Must be fluent in English, both written and verbal proficiency
Legally able to work with no assistance in sponsorship in the assigned country.
Ability to pass Accreditation process.

Responsibilities

Act as the primary point of contact for all Affiliate Village work products at the assigned venue, ensuring smooth planning, installation, operation, and dismantling phases in alignment with all On Location FA’s, especially Infrastructure.
Oversee day-to-day operations [Bump In, Reset, Bump Out] within the Affiliate Villages, ensuring timelines, safety standards, and quality requirements are met.
Ensure timely production and updates of diagrams and comply with fire marshal codes/permitting requirements in alignment with the On Location Architecture Team.
Coordinate with Infrastructure Supervisor, Venue Manager, Assistant/Deputy Venue Manager, FIFA Venue Manager, and all functional area leads to align operations across the venue.
Maintain and monitor a high level and detailed, minute by minute production schedules for activations, installations, and operations in line with FIFA delivery timelines.
Serve as the on-site decision maker for Affiliate Village operations, escalating issues per the established plan while assessing how unforeseen challenges affect contractor progress and providing real-time solutions to keep the project on schedule and within budget.
Support stakeholder communications, ensuring clear, timely updates and issue resolution across internal teams and external partners.
Identify ADA and fire-safety compliance issues early and coordinate with team members and onsite contractors to implement solutions, while overseeing health & safety, permitting submissions, and all compliance processes for Affiliate Village installations.
Identify any changes in graphics, structures, or other event assets during installation that differ from approved drawings or client-approved documents.
Ensure that all Affiliate Village areas are properly broken-down post event, while supervising strike and site restoration processes are completed on time and to standard as part of venue handover.
Empowered to make day-to-day operational and production decisions regarding Affiliate Village activations.
Escalate issues to Venue Infrastructure Manager and/or FIFA counterparts as per the agreed escalation plan.
Anticipate and address ADA compliance, fire egress requirements, and potential issues affecting Emergency Action Management plans (EAP) to ensure all public-facing areas meet safety and accessibility standards.