Senior Director, Event Services

Columbus Crew•Columbus, OH

About The Position

The Columbus Crew is looking for a Senior Director, Event Services, responsible for the strategic leadership and oversight of all front-of-house and event-facing operations across the organization's venue portfolio. This role ensures the delivery of safe, efficient, and high-quality events through structured, repeatable, and system-driven processes, while maintaining a consistent, secure, and guest-ready environment across all venues on both event and non-event days. This is a front-of-house leadership role, accountable for the guest environment, event execution, and public-facing operational standards. The Senior Director leads a team of functional leaders and serves as the executive front-of-house event command leader for major events, supporting approximately 300 events annually, including professional soccer, concerts, and large-scale external activations.

Requirements

7+ years of leadership experience in stadium, arena, or large venue operations
Proven ability to lead leaders and multi-functional teams
Demonstrated success in building systems and scalable operational processes
Experience overseeing front-of-house operations, event command, and guest environments
Strong background in operational planning and process design
Experience managing large staffing models and vendor ecosystems
Professional sports or major entertainment venue experience preferred

Nice To Haves

Master's degree
Events-related certifications (CVE, CVP, CSSP, or equivalent)

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a team of leaders responsible for core front-of-house functions, including event execution, guest experience, and venue safety operations.
Design and implement scalable, repeatable operational systems and event playbooks.
Serve as the central leader aligning all internal stakeholders-including ticketing, partnerships, booking, and facility operations-within a unified event execution model.
Assist in the continued development of the organization's event technology ecosystem, ensuring platforms support standardized workflows and data-driven decision making.
Develop and implement systems and standards that ensure a consistent, secure, and guest-ready front-of-house environment across all venues on both event and non-event days.
Establish processes governing access control, credentialing, security presence, and guest-facing readiness, ensuring consistent execution through department leadership and partners.
Create operational frameworks that ensure seamless transition between daily front-of-house operations and event-day execution.
Develop a repeatable and scalable hospitality model that delivers consistent, high-quality experience.
Ensure systems are in place for training, staffing, and performance management across event teams.
Develop and manage departmental operating budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and event demand.
Establish financial frameworks that support efficient staffing models, vendor utilization, and resource allocation.
Monitor event-related expenses and identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency without compromising operational standards or guest experience.
Partner with VP to support forecasting, planning, and long-term operational investment decisions.