Assistant General Manager | Events & Operations

Oak View Group

Oak View Group is the global leader in venue development, management, and premium hospitality services for the live event industry. Offering an unmatched, 360-degree solution set for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster that includes the most influential, highest attended arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions on the planet.

Position Summary

The Asst General Manager / Director of Events & Operations assists the General Manager in the efficient, professional, and profitable operation of the University of Kansas (“KU”) Gateway Stadium project and Conference Center. The purpose of this role is to manage, in conjunction with KU and Kansas Athletics, Inc. (“KAI”), all aspects of Events & Operations for the Stadium and Conference Center, making it a high profile, commercial public venue suitable for conducting national, international and community sporting and entertainment events, in a way that enhances the University’s and venue’s reputations along with the city of Lawrence and Douglas County.

This position reports to the General Manager and oversees all day-to-day operations at the venue including maintenance, groundskeeping/field management, engineering, conversions, cleaning, system operations and events. Assists in providing overall administrative planning, direction, policies to staff, assuring the highest quality service program to assure booking and rebooking of events. Provides overall administrative planning, direction, and policies to staff, assuring the highest quality service program to assure booking/rebooking of events. This position will oversee the events department, manage every aspect of events in the facility from the advance planning stages through the end of the event; position will recruit, train, motivate, and evaluate all front of house event staff including building security, guest services, medical staff, coordination of police presence, and parking issues and interact with local public safety officials to ensure events run smoothly; coordinate communication between event related staff and delegate assignments; be responsible for and ensure overall customer and lessee satisfaction. Ensures an effective and cost-efficient program by controlling the departmental operating budget. Provides highly responsible staff assistance to the General Manager.

 

This role will pay a salary of $100,000 to $135,000 and is bonus eligible.

For FT roles: Benefits: Health, Dental and Vision insurance, 401(k) savings plan, 401(k) matching, and paid time off (vacation days, sick days, and 12 holidays)

 

This position will remain open until Dec 31, 2024.

About the Venue

The Oak View Group (OVG), a leader in global sports and entertainment, will be the stadium operator for the Gateway District and reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. In its new partnership with KU, Oak View Group will oversee the day-to-day operations of both the football stadium and conference center when Phase I of the Gateway District opens in August 2025. The group will lead the bookings of conference events, special events and concerts, while operating a membership-only dining club in one of the club levels of the stadium.

 

The Gateway District will transform the north entrance to campus in a profound way to drive student enrollment and economic benefit to Kansas. The project will develop a new campus gateway, multi-use space and upgraded football facilities, all of which will enhance KU’s ability to recruit and retain students.

The most innovative component of this project is the development of multi-use facilities to be used throughout the year to generate revenue for academic programming and student success. In addition to the conference center, and as suggested by the project consultant, the project will potentially include a mix of arts and entertainment, dining, retail, office space, lodging and other uses that support economic development and the university’s academic mission.

Responsibilities

• Oversees overall daily operation and maintenance of the stadium and all systems. This includes HAVC, sound, lighting, scoreboards/videoboards, fire protection, life safety, workplace safety and others.
• Assists with advancing and communicating event information to the appropriate departments and staff.
• Oversees the conversion of the stadium from one event use to the next.
• Oversee custodial services (contractor) for the venue.
• Administers and negotiates contracts with outside vendors including pest control, HVAC, scoreboard systems and other services.
• Develop and update comprehensive management reports and manuals (i.e. Operations Manual, Annual Preventive Maintenance Plan, Annual Facility Report, Fire Code Rules & Regulat