Senior Manager, Venue Operations & Projects

Calgary Stampeder Football Club•Calgary, AB

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Venue Operations and Projects provides strategic leadership and oversight for venue operations and facility-related projects across a large, multi-use sports and entertainment venue. This role is accountable for ensuring the venue operates safely, efficiently, and at a high standard while leading a portfolio of operationally focused capital, refurbishment, and improvement projects that support long-term venue performance and fan experience. This position operates at a senior leadership level, balancing day-to-day operational excellence with longer-term planning, stakeholder alignment, and continuous improvement. The role focuses on operations leadership and integration, with project management as a supporting function rather than the primary emphasis.

Requirements

8–10+ years of progressive experience in venue operations, building operations, or facility leadership, ideally within sports, entertainment, or large public assembly venues.
Demonstrated senior leadership experience with accountability for teams, budgets, and cross-functional outcomes.
Working knowledge of capital projects and facility improvements, with experience providing oversight rather than day-to-day project execution.
Strong business acumen with the ability to balance operational needs, financial constraints, and stakeholder expectations.
Strategic & operational leadership
Operational risk management and decision-making
Stakeholder influence and collaboration
Financial and resource stewardship
Systems thinking and continuous improvement
Clear, executive-level communication

Nice To Haves

Post-secondary education in Facilities Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or a related discipline; equivalent experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Provide senior-level leadership for venue operations functions, ensuring safe, efficient, and seamless building performance for sports, entertainment, and live events.
Partner with Building Operations, Maintenance, Events, Engineering, IT, Food & Beverage, and Fan Experience teams to align operational priorities with event and business needs.
Ensure venue readiness, operational consistency, and rapid issue resolution during live events and day-to-day operations.
Champion a strong safety culture, ensuring compliance with occupational health & safety standards, building codes, and internal policies.
Contribute to long-term operational strategies that enhance reliability, sustainability, and guest experience.
Lead, mentor, and develop operational leaders and project resources, providing coaching, performance feedback, and succession planning support.
Foster a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Establish clear expectations, priorities, and decision-making authority within the operations and projects portfolio.
Provide oversight and direction for building operations projects, capital improvements, refurbishments, and facility enhancements.
Ensure projects are scoped appropriately, aligned with operational priorities, and executed with minimal disruption to events and daily operations.
Guide project governance rather than acting as the primary hands-on project manager.
Review and endorse project plans, schedules, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies in partnership with Directors and senior leaders.
Ensure lessons learned from projects are incorporated into operational standards and future planning.
Serve as a senior point of contact for internal stakeholders regarding operational impacts of projects and facility initiatives.
Oversee external relationships with consultants, contractors, and vendors to ensure service quality, safety compliance, and value for investment.
Support procurement processes including RFP development, bid evaluation, and contract oversight at a governance level.
Provide senior oversight of operational and project budgets, ensuring appropriate financial controls and cost stewardship.
Review financial reporting, forecasts, and performance metrics; provide recommendations to improve efficiency and outcomes.
Support development of long-term capital and facility improvement plans.
Ensure all operational activities and projects comply with applicable legislation, codes, and safety standards.
Identify operational and project-related risks and ensure mitigation strategies are in place.
Actively support and model safe work practices and organizational health and safety programs.