Sport Manager, Water Polo

LA28•Los Angeles, CA

1d•$88,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

LA28 is the independent, non-profit, privately funded organizing committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are on a singular mission to create an Olympic and Paralympic Games that celebrate all that this city and country have to offer, delivering an unparalleled experience for athletes, fans, partners and our community. The 2028 Games mark the return of the Summer Games to the U.S. for the first time in 32 years and Los Angeles’ third time hosting an Olympic Games and first time welcoming the Paralympic Games. This presents the unique and exciting opportunity to celebrate our legacy with the Games and push the Olympic and Paralympic Movements forward, writing a new chapter of Games history in Los Angeles. Putting on an Olympic and Paralympic Games is a team sport. To build a Games unlike any the world has seen before, we need the best team in place–a team full of diverse perspectives, experiences and expertise. We are guided by the following set of values and behaviors–optimism, integrity, excellence, inclusion, co-creation and boldness–and look forward to hearing about how your past experiences align with them. LA28 is looking to identify a Sport Manager for Water Polo for the 2028 program. Please make sure you highlight your water polo specific experience, including the level of events you have managed and delivered (e.g. club, collegiate, national, international), in your resume. The Sport Manager – Water Polo will play a critical role within the LA28 Sport team, reporting to Sport Manager – Aquatics, while leading all aspects of operational planning for Water Polo. This role will liaise directly with World Aquatics for water polo. As well, the position will also be expected to collaborate with the centralized Sport Planning team as well as other LA28 functions (i.e. Venues and Infrastructure, Venue Management, Ticketing and Hospitality, Games services, Transport, Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Accreditation, etc.), and across the organization (including but not limited to Athlete Relations, Strategy, Marketing, Commercial, Technology, HR, and Finance). In the interim, this sport manager will also cover Open Water Swim until a suitable candidate for this discipline is identified.

Requirements

Minimum 5+ years’ experience delivering national and international level water polo events in a leadership role
Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
Strong communication, team building, and interpersonal skill
Well-developed problem-solving skills and ability to work independently to resolve issues
Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
Self-starter with experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work
Required proven ability of building good interpersonal relationships with people across the organization and with external stakeholders, while balancing assertiveness with diplomacy
A collaborative mindset; someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego
An innovative viewpoint, willing to challenge the status quo and thinking ahead to the future possibilities within the Movement
Ability to implement and manage change effectively
Extensive knowledge of water poloi and event operations experience and exposure at multiple levels, including professional leagues or teams, federations, universities, and grassroots
Understanding and expertise within water polo at the international and national level as well as coordination with international and US Sport governing bodies
Experience collaborating with colleagues on venue design, event planning, management and delivery across multiple functional areas
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
Ability to work in an office environment, based in Los Angeles, CA.
The majority of work may be conducted in an office setting, requiring extended periods of time using computers, phones, and other office equipment.
This position will require international, domestic, and local trips for IF and NGB events/congresses, as well as venue tours in the Los Angeles area during official IF site visits.
International travel may involve travelling to different countries to observe global sporting events and will require a valid Passport. International travel may be up to 1 - 2 times per year for 1 - 2 week intervals. Approximately 20% or less of working hours.
Domestic travel may involve traveling within the United States to observe global sporting events.
Local travel will consist of visiting local venues that LA28 is considering using as a competition and training venue as well as competition and training venues in Co-host Cities. Attendance and meetings with local sport clubs, colleges and related organizations may also require local travel as well as observing local sport events.
All of the travel will require the candidate to bring their own luggage.

Nice To Haves

Direct Olympic and Paralympic sport experience at a previous OCOG, multi-sport Games or experience delivering IF level events is a significant asset

Responsibilities

Liaise with World Aquatics for the development and design of competition and training venues
Coordinate with LA28 Venues and Infrastructure and Event Management and other sport/discipline specific input into the development and design of competition and training venues
Act as the subject matter expert for water polo within the organization and especially in the development and refinement of Event Operating Plans
Collaborate with World Aquatics on the development of the competition schedule and training schedules for water polo
Validate sport equipment requirements for water polo ensuring that all World Aquatics requirements have been scoped
Provide sport specific feedback as required for all pre-Games, testing and Games-time planning across the organization via centralized planning activities lead by Sport Planning including relevant Sport Delivery Plans as well as venue specific planning activities with other functions
Provide input to Sport Planning on the development of sport testing and readiness events
Coordinate with Timing, Scoring & Results to ensure all World Aquatics requirements are integrated into planning for both systems and infrastructure related to managing the competition
Collaborate on the Sport Workforce strategy and planning for water polo, liaising USA Water Polo and the local sport community where relevant to identify paid staff, National Technical Officials and Sport Skilled Volunteers currently engaged in local and regional events
Lead the recruitment process for roles within Competition Management for water polo
On-boarding and day-to-day leadership of all Competition Management workforce within water polo
Support the development of water polo specific testing and Games-time training workforce
Act as the point of entry to LA28 and the stakeholder manager for World Aquatics
Liaise with World Aquatics and coordinate with other Sport Managers to ensure clear and coordinated communication when managing a multi-discipline sport
Manage and track all World Aquatics communication and brief Head of Competition Management and VP of Sport on the status of relations and Games-time planning
Manage Pre-Games IF Site visits for water polo, developing an effective agenda, liaising with FAs and Stakeholders on their participation and producing site visit reports and presentations
Manage the completion and tracking of all inputs to each Sport Delivery Plan (SDP) for water polo
Provide reports and updates on the status of deliverables and tasks to communicate overall progress in the planning for water polo
Support the development of budgets and projects plans with well researched and validated sport and discipline specific information and planning assumptions
Lead all competition management workforce for water polo to ensure a seamless and world class delivery of operations to support the competition, athlete and IF spaces within the competition and training venues
Act as the integration point within the organization for all IF related requirements for delivery of the competition and training for water polo