Sport Manager

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what's next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community's diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors.

Our Vision is to collectively create what's next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Paralympic and Olympic Games for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people.

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn't easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Sport Manager

LA28 is looking to identify Sport Managers for all Olympic and Paralympic sports included on the program in 2028. The posting below is generic, and responsibilities listed are applicable to each sport. In coordination with each respective International Federation, LA28 will identify and onboard Sport Managers in a staggered approach throughout 2025 and 2026. Please make sure you highlight your sport-specific experience, including the level of events you have managed and delivered (e.g., club, collegiate, national, international), in your resume. Please note, due to the number of applicants across all sports, we expect this recruitment process to take longer than other LA28 roles. 

The Sport Manager will play a critical role within the LA28 Sport team, reporting to a Sport Group Senior Manager while leading all aspects of operational planning for specific Olympic and Paralympic sports and/or disciplines. This role will liaise directly with the relevant International Federations (IFs) and the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for their sports/disciplines. As well, the position will also be expected to collaborate with the centralized Sport Planning team as well as other LA28 functions (i.e. Venues and Infrastructure, Venue Management, Ticketing and Hospitality, Games services, Transport, Accommodations, Food and Beverage, Accreditation, etc.), and across the organization (including but not limited to Athlete Relations, Strategy, Marketing, Commercial, Technology, HR, and Finance). 

Key Responsibilities:

Competition and Training Venue(s) Design 

• Liaise with the Olympic and Paralympic IFs for the assigned sport/disciplines on the development and design of competition and training venues 

• Coordinate with LA28 Venues and Infrastructure and Event Management and other FAs internal to LA28 to provide sport/discipline specific input into the development and design of competition and training venues  

Competition Management & Planning 

• Act as the subject matter expert for the specific sport/discipline within the organization and especially in the development and refinement of Event Operating Plans  

• Collaborate with Olympic and Paralympic IFs on the development of the competition schedule and training schedules for assigned sports/disciplines 

• Validate sport equipment requirements for assigned sports/disciplines ensuring that all Olympic and Paralympic IF requirements have been scoped 

• Provide sport specific feedback as required for all pre-Games, testing and Games-time planning across the organization via centralized planning activities lead by Sport Planning including relevant Sport Delivery Plans as well as venue specific planning activities with other functions 

• Provide input to Sport Planning on the development of the test event calendar 

• Coordinate with Timing, Scoring & Results to ensure all IF requirements are integrated into planning for both systems and infrastructure related to managing the competition 

Competition Management Workforce 

• Collaborate on the Sport Workforce strategy and planning for assigned sports/disciplines, liaising with the NGB and local sport community where relevant to identify paid staff, National Technical Officials and Sport Skilled Volunteers currently engaged in local and regional events 

• Lead the recruitment process for roles within Competition Management for the assigned sports/disciplines 

• On-boarding and day-to-day leadership of all Competition Management workforce within assigned Olympic and Paralympic sports/disciplines 

• Support the development of sport/discipline specific testing and Games-time training workforce

IF, NGB & Sport Community Relations 

• Act as the point of entry to LA28 and the stakeholder manager for assigned International Federation(s) 

• Liaise with relevant Olympic and Paralympic IFs and NGBs, local sport communities, for assigned sports/disciplines, and coordinate with other Sport Managers to ensure clear and coordinated communication when managing a multi-discipline sport 

• Manage and track all Olympic and Paralympic IF and NGB communication and brief Sport Group Manager and Senior Sport Director on the status of relations and Games-time planning 

• Manage Pre-Games IF Site visits for assigned sports/disciplines, developing an effective agenda, liaising with FAs and Stakeholders on their participation and producing site visit reports and presentations 

• Manage the completion and tracking of all inputs to each Sport Delivery Plan (SDP) for assigned sports/disciplines  

Administration & Program Management 

• Provide reports and updates on the status of deliverables and tasks to communicate overall progress in the planning for assigned sports/disciplines 

• Support the development of budgets and projects plans with well researched and validated sport and discipline specific information and planning assumptions 

Competition Management – Testing & Games-Time 

• Lead all competition management workforce for assigned sport/discipline(s) to ensure a seamless and world class delivery of operations to support the competition, athlete and IF spaces within the competition and training venues 

• Act as the integration point within the organization for all IF related requirements for delivery of the competition and training for assigned sports/disciplines 

Background & Qualifications:

• 5-7 years' experience delivering national and international level sporting events in a leadership role 
• Extensive knowledge of the assigned sport/discipline and event operations experience and exposure at multiple levels, including professional leagues or teams, federations, universities, and grassroots  
• Direct Olympic and Paralympic sport experience at a previous OCOG, multi-sport Games or experience delivering IF level events is a significant asset 
• Understanding and expertise within assigned sport/disciplines at the international and national level as well as coordination with international and US Sport governing bodies  
• A clear understanding of IF rules and regulations for assigned sports/disciplines 
• Experience collaborating with colleagues on venue design, event planning, management and delivery across multiple functional areas  
• Extensive experience recruiting, training and leading a large and diverse workforce for the delivery of sporting events  
• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
• Well-developed problem-solving skills and ability to work independently to resolve issues
• Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Self-starter with experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work
• Required proven ability of building good interpersonal relationships with people across the organization and with external stakeholders, while balancing assertiveness with diplomacy
• Ability to implement and manage change effectively
• Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
• Experience considering diverse groups of athletes in Sport planning and delivery, with special attention to how ability, gender, and other identities impact different athletes' experiences.

Position Requirements:

• Ability to work in an office environment, based in Los Angeles, CA
• The majority of work may be conducted in an office setting, requiring extended periods of time using computers, phones, and other office equipment
• This position will require international, domestic, and local trips for IF and NGB events/congresses, as well as venue tours in the Los Angeles area during official IF site visits
• International travel may involve travelling to different countries to observe global sporting events and will require a valid Passport. We anticipate International travel to be 1 - 2 times per year for 1 - 2 week intervals. Approximately 20% or less of working hours.
• Domestic travel may involve traveling within the United States to observe global sporting events. Anticipated travel can be 0-3 times per year.
• Local travel will consist of visiting local venues that LA28 is considering using as a competition and training venue as well as competition and training venues in Co-host Cities. Attendance and meetings with local sport clubs, colleges and related organizations may also require local travel as well as observing at local sport events. Anticipated travel can be 0-2 times per month and can increase as 2028 approaches.
• All of the travel will require the candidate to bring their own luggage.
• When not travelling, this role is based at the LA28 office.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent work experience

Expectations:

• Ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge of International Federations and their role within the Olympic and Paralympic Movements
• Strong communication, team building, and interpersonal skills
• A collaborative mindset: someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego
• An innovative viewpoint, willing to challenge the status quo and thinking ahead to the future possibilities within the Movement
• Ability to work effectively in a close team environment

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

The annual base salary range for this position is $85,000.00 - $105,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28's operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.