Director of Venue Operations, HQ Events and Experiences

Stand Together • Arlington, VA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

As the Director, Venue Operations for HQ Events & Experiences, you will lead the operational backbone that enables 400+ events annually at Stand Together’s headquarters. This role is responsible for building and scaling the systems, standards, and vendor partnerships that ensure every event, from small meetings to large-scale experiences, is executed with consistency, high service quality, and operational excellence. You will operate like a venue general manager, bringing a hospitality-driven mindset to food & beverage, service ware, vendor management, and event execution. You’ll design the infrastructure behind the experience, owning tools, workflows, inventory, and analytics, so teams can deliver seamless, high-quality events that reflect our brand. Reporting to the Senior Director, HQ Events & Experiences and partnering closely with Guest Experience, event support teams including facilities, AV, IT, and Security, along with Procurement and external vendors, you will help bring structure to complexity, build scalable systems from the ground up, and continuously improving how we operate.

Requirements

• 8-12+ years of experience in venue operations, hospitality, event operations, or catering (hotel or conference center experience strongly preferred)
• Experience building or scaling operational systems in a high-volume, service-oriented environment
• Strong understanding of food & beverage operations, service standards, and back-of-house logistics
• Experience managing vendor relationships, contracts, and service-level agreements
• Proven ability to implement and optimize tools and systems (Tripleseat, Airtable, or similar platforms)
• Financial acumen, including budgeting, expense tracking, and identifying cost efficiencies
• A systems-thinking mindset with the ability to translate complexity into structured, scalable processes
• Strong leadership and coaching skills, with experience developing team members
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and building new infrastructure where none exists
• Enthusiasm to contribute to Stand Together's vision and principled approach to solving problems, and a commitment to stewarding our culture, which champions values including transformation and innovation, entrepreneurialism, humility, and respect.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a hotel, conference center, or catering operation with full ownership of service delivery
• Background in food & beverage management, banquet operations, or venue management
• Experience leading RFP processes and standing up new vendor partnerships
• Ability to blend hospitality with operational rigor and data-driven decision making
• Experience improving or replacing underperforming vendor models or operational systems

Responsibilities

• Design and implement end-to-end operational frameworks for event execution, including intake, planning, day-of operations, and post-event insights
• Establish clear roles, workflows, and service standards to ensure consistency across a high volume of events
• Lead configuration and optimization of event management systems to enable scalability and visibility
• Build and maintain SOPs, templates, and operational toolkits that standardize planning and execution
• Own vendor and catering relationships, including sourcing, RFPs, contract management, and performance oversight
• Oversee event setup and breakdown operations, ensuring quality, coverage, and adherence to service standards
• Establish and manage service ware, inventory systems, and procurement processes to ensure event readiness
• Develop and track key operational and financial metrics, identifying opportunities to improve cost, efficiency, and outcomes
• Create, maintain, and analyze reporting and dashboards that connect planning inputs to execution results, using business metrics, SLA performance, forecasting, and expense tracking to drive continuous improvement
• Lead training, knowledge sharing, and adoption of tools, processes, and service expectations across teams and partners
• Lead and develop one direct report, providing day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance management

Benefits

• Competitive benefits: Enjoy a 6% 401(k) match with immediate vesting, flexible time off, comprehensive health and dental plans, plus wellness and mental health support through Peloton and Talkspace.
• A meaningful career: Join a passionate community of over 1,300 employees dedicated to improving lives and driving innovative solutions to complex social challenges.
• Commitment to growth: Thrive in a non-hierarchical environment that empowers employees to discover, develop and apply their unique talents.
• Competitive compensation: Our approach rewards the value you create through competitive salaries and bonus opportunities, allowing you to share in the success you help drive.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees