Events Oversight Director – World Rugby

World Rugby is the world governing and law-making body for the sport of Rugby Union based in Dublin. In addition to its governance functions World Rugby has established a new part of its organisation – World Rugby Events (Events Co) – which is charged with organising and delivering major international events such as the Rugby World Cups – men’s and women’s, the annual World Rugby Sevens Series and the developmental Women’s XV international tournament.

World Rugby is now on a mission to innovate to excite, inspire and engage new audiences in existing and new rugby markets to grow the sport for all. Through World Rugby Events, the delivery of these major tournaments under a new model will be key to the success of a ten-year strategic plan which will culminate in ground-breaking tournaments in the USA in 2031 and 2033 played by men and women respectively. And as part of this mission the Sevens World Series will be relaunched for the 2023-24 season as a vibrant festival with rugby at the centre, surrounded by music, premium food experiences and participation opportunities. This new Sevens World Series will show case rugby in its Olympic Games format and will act a crucial front door for existing and new fans to experience the wonder of the sport in a fabulous festival atmosphere.

Under the new model, World Rugby will have a more direct role in the setting up, running and delivery of its events and aims to be the leader in the delivery of major international events. There is an exciting transition from the old hosting model, and the new – with Events Co Local Operating Companies (LOCs) in each of the respective territories for Rugby World Cups and a Sevens World Series Business Unit for leading the delivery of the World Series events.

OBJECTIVE:

With the focus on the Sevens World Series, World Rugby intends to appoint an Event Oversight Director, reporting to the Head of Sevens Event Planning and Delivery. The position will play a critical role in the delivery of operational plans, standards and guidance rolled out and utilised across all Sevens World Series events and will have the responsibility of overseeing the planning and delivery of the rugby, participation, and experiential elements of the events in each host city to the highest possible quality and safety.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Event Planning and Delivery oversight

  • Reporting to the Head of Sevens Event Planning and Delivery, ensure proactive oversight of the operational delivery of designated Sevens World Series events in allocated cities
  • Build effective relationships with all stakeholders involved in the designated events in cities allocated to the role – Event Delivery Partners, venue owner staff, local city authorities, contractors, commercial partners, suppliers
  • Liaise with internal World Rugby Functional Areas – Competitions, Ticketing, Commercial, Marketing, Content and Brand teams
  • Support the co-ordination of delivery requirements for all Sevens World Series events across internal World Rugby Functional Areas and Event Delivery Partners, contractors and suppliers – rugby, participation elements and experiential elements to ensure the full integration of activity and successful integrated delivery
  • Oversee the conduct of effective Integrated Venue and Event operational planning sessions with all key stakeholders – to ensure quality outcomes and safe delivery are achieved by the Event Delivery partners and other stakeholders to World Rugby standards
  • Ensure that Event Day C3 (Command, Co-ordination and Communication) arrangements meet with World Rugby expectations, standards and frameworks for successful event delivery

2. Participating Team Mobility oversight

  • Provide oversight for the logistical arrangements put in place by World Rugby for international travel for the teams and officials and with the Event Delivery Partners for local transport, logistics and accommodation arrangements
  • Liaise with EventsCo internal Functional Areas to ensure the appropriate management and administration for the Teams mobility arrangements

3. Workforce Delivery oversight

  • Working with EventsCo Workforce Planning and Operations department to ensure appropriate workforce resources are planned by each of the Event Delivery Partners, contractors and commercial partners plus local emergency services staff and other represented bodies
  • Oversee the arrangements for achievement of recruitment and training targets by the Event delivery Partners, contractors and commercial partners as well as the required levels of appropriately accredited staff

4. Venue and Facility co-ordination

  • Oversee the creation of detailed operational plans, budgets and forward planning schedules, including the coordination of build schedules and site planning
  • Co-ordinate with all relevant parties to ensure accurate space allocations, client flows and key equipment placements are fully understood and represented on CADs and Maps
  • Co-ordinate to ensure event security, health and safety obligations are being met in accordance with the laws of the territory

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

  • Experience in major international events management, specifically in the planning and delivery of complex events involving multiple stakeholders, requiring integrated planning and execution – across multiple client groups including elite sporting teams and officials, international broadcasters, media, spectators, guests,
  • Demonstrable success in planning and delivering at venue and event level – preferably with multiple activations occurring on the same site
  • Demonstrable success in working in a collegiate manner to achieve outstanding outcomes at specific event level – with an emphasis on delivery of experiential elements
  • Experience in a fast-paced environment and capable of moving seamlessly between strategic, tactical and operational levels of activity
  • Experience dealing with budgets, enterprise system tools and project management tools.

COMPETENCIES:

  • Positive, outgoing personality – collaborative, persistent, resilient and diplomatic.
  • Ability to forge strong relationships and a team player
  • Extensive relevant working experience in the events industry
  • Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills
  • Insightful understanding of the mechanics of sporting organizations and key senior stakeholder management
  • A team player who takes pride in delivering world class events and will contribute to a high-performing team
  • Ability to work autonomously, under pressure and make sound decisions fast
  • Share and embrace World Rugby’s core values; Discipline, Respect, Integrity, Passion and Solidarity through teamwork
  • Excellent planning and organisation skills
  • Experienced in all MS Office programmes (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

3×3 Events Entertainment Manager – Barcelona Basketball

The 3×3 Events Entertainement Manager reports the 3×3 Events Senior Manager.

Main tasks and responsibilities: 

  • Develop, identify and coordinate a full SPP programme to be executed at top FIBA 3×3 Events, including World Tour and World Cup
  • Maxime value of expenditure in entertainment
  • Participate in design of run-down of events together with Competition and TV departments
  • Ensure a top in class entertainment, welcoming out of the box ideas
  • Keep and enlarge network of entertainers
  • Manage relationship with various entertainment providers (as well as identifying potential new ones)

o MD

o DJ

o Dunkers

o Acrobatic dunkers

o Dancing groups

o etc

  • Develop software tools for entertainment
  • Ensure a best-in-class onsite experience
  • Standardize entertainment programmes for various event levels
  • Attendance of events is required in order to execute (up to 50% of time)

Business: 

  • Generate profitable revenues of partnerships with entertainment providers (such as other int’l federations or competitions), identifying win-win cases (case studies will be provided as examples)
  • Generate entertainment that is marketable to sponsors and by promoters

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: From 30,000.00€ per year

Ability to commute/relocate:

  • Barcelona, Barcelona: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

  • Sport’s Industry: 5 years (Required)

Language:

  • English (Required)

Expected Start Date: 09/01/2023

Client Relationships Manager – The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race takes place every three to five years and is the world’s longest professional sporting event and leading offshore sailing competition with professional crews racing around the world.

Sitting at the intersection of top-level sport and sustainability, The Ocean Race is a relevant and authentic storytelling platform – the ocean is our racetrack, and nature drives us. In 2017–18, The Ocean Race helped to spark a global movement for ocean health – and sustainability remains at the heart of everything we do.

The 14th edition of the race will start in Alicante, Spain. The Race travels around the world for 7 months managed and supervised from the race control located in Alicante and with stopovers in 8 different countries, before the finish in Genova, Italy.

Role 

We are recruiting for an enthusiastic, energetic and hardworking Client Relationships Manager to join our friendly and professional Commercial Relationships & Operations department. We are looking for an experienced profile to work with a portfolio of accounts and guide our partners to develop best-in-class, innovative and impactful activation programmes within the Race and our sustainability programme: Racing with Purpose. This is a fantastic opportunity for the right person. 

This role will run from September 2022 to July 2023. It will be a full-time position based in Alicante with international travel during the Race.

Responsibilities

  • Take ownership of a portfolio of accounts, serving as day-to-day contact for all partnership matters and ensuring smooth delivery of their contractual rights and benefits leading up to and during the 14th edition of The Ocean Race
  • Quickly build and maintain client relationships, earning the trust of stakeholders of all levels to develop the account towards renewal
  • Work closely with Communications, Racing with Purpose, Operations and other departments to counsel clients across a range of matters related to their partnership delivery
  • Ensure the financial success of projects, driving efficiencies and monitoring service levels 
  • Maintain momentum both internally and with stakeholders, using project timelines and weekly meetings, monitoring quality and deadline adherence and advising the management of any perceived issues in a timely manner. 
  • Define partnership objectives as well as KPIs and, in coordination with the Research team, develop measurement and reporting processes.
  • Assist partners in developing best-in-class, innovative and impactful activation programmes including conceptualization, planning, content creation, promotional development, media execution and event supervision.
  • Attend stopover events in the role of Client Liaison and as a key member of the core delivery team 
  • Manage the partnership activation budget and closely monitor that costs are aligned within approved budgets.
  • Collaborate in bringing in new revenue for The Ocean Race, mainly by identifying upselling opportunities to existing sponsors, working jointly with the Business Development team. 
  • Provide expertise on the optimization of the partnership benefits as well as identify additional partnership growth opportunities (broadcast, digital, licensing,..).
  • Work closely with the rest of the departments at The Ocean Race, especially with the Race Village Project Manager and the Communications and Marketing team to be aware of potential endorsable projects, stories and other activities to be used as sales assets.
  • Develop comprehensive executive summaries and reports of contractual deliverables of the partnerships for key stakeholders, analysing sponsorship activity and demonstrating ROI, working closely with the Research team to ensure the right data/insights.
  • Provide support to any other departments of The Ocean Race requested from time to time like events, hospitality…

Experience

  • 6+yrs in an commercial account management or project management role within professional sport
  • Extensive experience of commercial partnerships, events and hospitality at global sports events 
  • Good understanding of sports marketing principles and delivery for B2B and B2C brands
  • Previous large scale sporting event experience 
  • Working knowledge of sustainability principles and sustainable event practices
  • Previous The Ocean Race / sailing event experience a plus but not essential
  • Strong IT skills including knowledge and experience using Mac environment, Keynote, Google sheets
  • Experienced with creating reports and presentations

Attributes

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

  • Exceptional communication skills
  • Service-oriented attitude with A focus on excellence
  • A good balance between a strong team player / self-starter with lots of energy and enthusiasm as you will need to work cross-department to deliver a range of projects
  • Highly confident, organised, client focused, proactive, detail oriented, conscientious 
  • Excellent presentation, interpersonal and problem solving skills
  • Ability to work independently under pressure in a fast paced environment, handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines
  • Good sense of humour
  • Interest in major sports events and / or sailing 
  • Be a team player and comply with the values of The Ocean Race: Trust, Excellence & Care.
  • Proficiency in English, other languages a plus
  • Willing to relocate to Alicante pre-race and to be onsite in all host cities during the race
  • EU national or valid EU resident card;