Director, Event Project Management

Role Overview

An international sports rights organisation is looking for a senior Event Project Management Director to steer the planning, delivery, and operational execution of a worldwide calendar of live events. The role brings together event project management, venue infrastructure, temporary overlay, and on-site operations to ensure consistently high-quality delivery across complex international event settings.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams covering event planning, temporary structures, venue overlay, supplier coordination, and live event operations. The position calls for both strategic direction and practical delivery expertise, with the confidence to influence senior stakeholders while staying closely connected to the realities of event execution.

Key Responsibilities

Event Planning and Delivery

• Take ownership of event planning, delivery, and ongoing improvement across the full event lifecycle, from early concept stages through build, live operation, and dismantling.
• Set up and maintain structured event management frameworks, processes, and proven working practices across the business.
• Coordinate and align operational, commercial, and technical functions to ensure smooth delivery.
• Run event review meetings, planning sessions, and post-event debriefs to capture learning and improve efficiency.
• Act as a senior operational lead during live events, stepping in to support incident management where needed.
• Oversee budgets for the department and look for ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs across the event portfolio.
• Help manage relationships with external parties such as local organisers, agencies, suppliers, and technical partners.

Project Management

• Provide leadership and oversight for a portfolio of complex projects and event programmes.
• Ensure robust planning, reporting, milestone tracking, and risk management processes are in place.
• Track progress, interdependencies, and resource use to keep delivery on course.
• Improve project management tools, systems, and ways of working.
• Support project reviews, reporting cycles, and strategic planning workshops.

Venue Overlay and Event Operations

• Lead the delivery of venue overlay and temporary infrastructure for international events.
• Oversee the planning, installation, and removal of event infrastructure while meeting technical, safety, and regulatory standards.
• Work closely with technical, venue, and operations teams to build infrastructure and logistics requirements into delivery plans.
• Manage suppliers, contractors, and specialist delivery partners to maintain quality, efficiency, and consistency.
• Support infrastructure budgeting and procurement approaches that improve value and can scale across events.

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and grow a varied team across Event Project Management and Venue Overlay.
• Build a team culture centred on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Work with senior stakeholders to keep delivery programmes aligned.
• Provide wider strategic operational support when needed to help meet organisational goals.

Experience and Skills

This role needs extensive leadership background in large-scale event operations, project management, or venue delivery. Strong knowledge of venue infrastructure, overlay, temporary structures, and site delivery is essential, along with a track record of handling complex stakeholder groups, suppliers, and delivery partners. You should also bring strong programme and project management capability, commercial judgement, budget control experience, and resource planning skills.

Because the role operates in fast-moving, high-pressure live environments, you will need to lead teams confidently under pressure. Regular international travel is also required.

Opportunity

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity within a globally recognised organisation working at the centre of international sport and live events, with responsibility for delivering exceptional experiences across a varied global event portfolio.