Chief of Events

USA Volleyball•Irvine, CA

1d•$290,000 - $360,000

About The Position

The incumbent Chief of Events is responsible for strategically leading an innovative vision, driving premium experiences across the comprehensive events portfolio. (Indoor Junior National Championships, qualifiers, beach, sitting, grass, city, and internationally hosted domestic competitions). Critical will be a deep knowledge of facility availability and ownership, aligned to the competitive landscape of youth volleyball. The role will be expected to significantly elevate USAV's event capabilities, measured by the outcome of creative and premium experiences, built upon continued attention to detail and first-class customer centric service. The position requires a proven leader who can balance the operational excellence of existing large-scale events with the entrepreneurial vision needed to pioneer USAV's entry into grass volleyball programming. Critical will be developing a premium events philosophy, framework, and long-term relationships with venues, cities, regional volleyball associations (RVAs), and local community organizations with a primary intent to provide better experiences for more athletes and families, while aligned to participation cost reduction (balance national and local experiences). Essential is to champion a sense of inclusion, safety, and collaborative behavior across the organization, developing a culture that manifests integrity, humility, and consummate professionalism. The position is located in Southern California; flexibility may be accommodated aligned to job requirements.

Requirements

Executive-level experience leading large-scale events operations, with progressive responsibility in sports, entertainment, or related industries (consumer centric focus).
Deep understanding of sports event management, including facility location, venue operations, logistics, technology platforms catering to participant/attendees satisfaction.
Comprehensive understanding of youth sports programming, tournament operations, and/or national championship events preferred.
Proven track record of managing multi-event portfolios with demonstrated success in financial management, operational excellence, and participant satisfaction.
Demonstrated understanding of new market development, business planning, and launching innovative programs or revenue streams.
Exceptional people and staff management skills in order to create a premium consumer experience with first class customer service.
MBA or advanced degree in Sports Management, Business Administration, or related operational experience.
Must successfully pass a USAV background screen (prior to hire date).
Must complete SafeSport training within two weeks of hire date and keep current as a condition of continued employment.

Responsibilities

Events Leadership Own the end-to-end strategic vision for USAV's events portfolio, ensuring alignment with organizational mission, brand standards, and commercial objectives.
Develop and implement a comprehensive 3-5 year USAV strategic plan that includes all event and tournament experiences, aligned to an in-depth facility analysis (owned/partner/leased).
Ignite market entry for USAV's Grass Volleyball initiative, including feasibility studies, pilot programs, partnership development, and growth models.
Engineer innovative event formats and premium experiences that differentiate USAV events in an increasingly competitive youth sports marketplace replicable across the event portfolio.
Establish clear KPIs, performance metrics, and accountability measures for all events, with regular evaluation against strategic and financial benchmarks.
Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership Cultivate primary relationships with RVAs, club directors, Junior Assembly, Officials Assembly, and other key constituent stakeholders, constantly driving quality operational solutions.
Foster cross-functional collaboration with all departments to ensure integrated premium event delivery. Importance of regular communication.
Indoor Junior & Qualifier Events Operations Elevate the unparalleled authenticity of USAV through high performance quality experiences (Importance of balancing local and national tournaments and qualifier events).
Oversee facility selection processes, venue negotiations, and multi-year partnership agreements with host cities, convention centers, and housing companies.
Deliver seamless integration across all functional areas (officiating, SafeSport, membership, technology, marketing, creative) to deliver quality event experiences.
Ensure operational excellence, safety, and exceptional athlete/family experiences throughout all Indoor Junior National Championships and Qualifiers.
Rigor of budget development, resource allocation, and P&L management across the entire events portfolio, balancing experience, financial sustainability, and revenue growth.
International Events & Global Partnerships Manage all internationally sanctioned events hosted domestically, ensuring compliance with FIVB regulations and required execution standards.
Cultivate relationships with FIVB, NORCECA, and international volleyball federations to secure and successfully host prestigious international competitions.
Coordinate with national team staff, international delegations, and broadcasting partners, to leverage full visibility.
Develop hospitality programs for international guests, sponsors, and VIP stakeholders that reflect USAV's world-class positioning.
Ensure collaboration with USAV Foundation.
Grass Volleyball Market Development Develop business models, revenue projections, and investment requirements for grass volleyball events and championships.
Identify and cultivate partnerships with venues, parks and recreation departments, universities, and community organizations to establish grass volleyball event sites.
Create pilot programs and proof-of-concept events to test formats, gather feedback, and refine the grass volleyball value proposition.
Establish grass volleyball rules, age divisions, qualification pathways, and integration with USAV's existing development programs.
Build fresh awareness and demand for grass volleyball through strategic marketing partnerships with Creative and Revenue & Marketing teams.
Revenue Generation & Commercial Integration Drive revenue growth through event registrations, sponsorship activations, vendor partnerships, and ancillary revenue streams.
Collaborate with Revenue & Marketing Officer to ensure events deliver on sponsorship commitments and create compelling commercial platforms.
Develop innovative monetization strategies including premium seating, VIP experiences, live streaming, content licensing, and direct-to-consumer offerings.
Negotiate master service agreements with key vendors (technology, flooring, decorators, housing, security) to optimize costs and service quality.
Risk Management, Safety & Compliance Ensure comprehensive risk management protocols are established for all events, including emergency response, medical services, security, and weather contingencies.
Maintain strict compliance with SafeSport requirements, background screening protocols, and USOPC governance standards.
Oversee insurance, liability management, and contractual protections for all event operations.
Establish and monitor safety standards for venues, equipment, and operations.

Benefits

Paid Time Off (accrues 12 hours each pay period up to a maximum of 19.33 days)
Up to 15.5 paid holidays per year
403B retirement plan (currently matching up to 8%)
Health Benefits (medical, dental, vision)
No monthly premiums are deducted for employee only health benefit. An opt-out rebate is provided for employees waiving coverage should they already have coverage with a qualified group health plan
Paid Parental leave
Director Life Insurance
Robust EAP and wellness program
Employer paid life insurance
DEI, Social and Wellness Committees
Benefits may be modified or discontinued from time to time at the company’s discretion as permitted by law