Senior Manager, Global Hospitality

Senior Manager, Global Hospitality & Experiences

Requisition #: 3234

Location:

Louisville, KY, US, 40208

Property:
Churchill Downs Racetrack

Pay Range:

Churchill Downs Racetrack ("CDRT"), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September and Fall.

CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility.

The Senior Manager, Global Hospitality & Experiences is responsible for the end-to-end procurement, planning, fulfillment, and service delivery of onsite and destination-based amenities for the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs. This role oversees the sourcing, contracting, and execution of premium (both domestic and international) guest experiences including hotels, ground transportation, dining reservations, horse farm tours, bourbon tours, and other curated local attractions.

In addition to leading high-touch hospitality offerings, this role owns broader service-related operations that support the full customer base, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across all guest segments. The Senior Manager serves as the operational owner of the premium guest experience supply chain, balancing premium service standards, scalability, fiscal discipline, and operational excellence. This role (or their delegate) will serve as the primary point of contact for VIP guests upon their arrival at Churchill Downs.

The ideal candidate should possess the ability to anticipate, respond to, and consistently meet or exceed the needs of visiting guests.

• Develop and execute the hospitality and guest services strategy aligned with event objectives, brand standards, and customer expectations across all segments
• Establish scalable VIP service frameworks that deliver a complete, A-to-Z experience for premium guests
• Design scalable service models that support premium guest experiences
• Partner with sponsorship, marketing, and operations teams to align hospitality and service offerings with sales, ticketing, and sponsorship commitments
• Source, evaluate, and negotiate contracts with hotels, transportation providers, restaurants, tour operators, attractions, and service vendors
• Own supplier relationships, pricing structures, service level agreements, and capacity planning
• Ensure vendors meet defined service, operational, and brand standards for all customer tiers
• Oversee end-to-end fulfillment of hospitality amenities and guest services before, during, and after the event
• Lead on-site execution, escalation management, and real-time issue resolution impacting guest experience
• Develop contingency and staffing plans to mitigate operational risks and service disruptions

• Provide operational leadership for general service functions supporting the full customer base, including guest assistance, service desks, and experience coordination
• Partner with customer service, CRM, and call center teams to ensure alignment between pre-event communications and on-site service delivery
• Establish service workflows, escalation paths, and resolution standards for guest inquiries and issues
• Use guest feedback, service data, and post-event insights to improve service processes and reduce friction

• Own the hospitality and guest services budget including forecasting, cost controls, and reconciliation
• Balance premium experience delivery with scalable, cost-effective service solutions
• Identify opportunities for operational efficiencies and vendor optimization

• Define and maintain service standards across hospitality offerings and…