Senior Operations Manager

Position Overview

The Senior Operations Manager, at CT United FC, is responsible for leading the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of all gameday and event operations, with a primary focus on delivering a best-in-class fan experience. This role serves as the on-site operational lead on matchdays and oversees cross-department coordination, staffing, safety, and execution to ensure seamless, engaging, and compliant events.

This position plays a critical role in shaping the club’s in-stadium experience, operational standards, and culture of excellence across matchday and non-matchday activations.

• Lead the end-to-end planning and execution of all game day operations, with an emphasis on fan experience, in-stadium activation, and engagement.
• Own the game day run-of-show, including timelines, staffing plans, cue sheets, and operational workflows.
• Serve as the primary on-site operations lead on matchdays, providing real-time decision-making, issue resolution, and leadership across all functional areas.
• Coordinate closely with Soccer Operations, Marketing, Ticketing, Partnerships, Security, Broadcast, Vendors, and League representatives to ensure seamless execution.
• Partner with Marketing and Partnerships teams to deliver branded experiences and sponsorship activations that align with club values, league standards, and partner objectives.
• Ensure a consistently high-quality, welcoming, and engaging fan environment from gate-open through post-match.
• Oversee game day staff, volunteers, and vendors, including recruiting, training, scheduling, and performance standards.
• Serve as the primary liaison with venue partners to ensure operational readiness, facility standards, safety compliance, and smooth coordination.
• Develop staffing models and workflows that support operational efficiency and scalable growth.
• Develop, maintain, and execute game day policies, procedures, and contingency plans.
• Develop and implement emergency procedures and safety protocols for staff, players, and fans.
• Ensure compliance with all league, venue, and regulatory requirements, including player safety and health protocols.
• Lead pre-event briefings and post-event debriefs to address risks, lessons learned, and improvements.
• Monitor fan feedback, operational KPIs, and post-event reports to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation.
• Support special events, community initiatives, and non-matchday activations as required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5–7 years of experience in live event operations, sports operations, venue management, or large-scale event production.
• Proven experience leading game day or live event operations in a professional or high-performance environment.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders under tight timelines.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills in fast-paced environments.
• Experience working with venues, security teams, vendors, and league or governing bodies.
• Knowledge of safety planning, emergency response, and compliance standards.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by the operational schedule.