About the job Operations Manager // Match Hospitality
About the Company:
The Company is seeking to fill this role, is one of the world’s leading sports event management companies established since 1991 and has had a presence in Qatar for over five years.
Role & Responsibilities Summary:
The Operations Manager in the Hospitality Division plays a critical role in supporting the delivery of operations across key events within the company’s portfolio.
Reporting to the Senior Operations Manager, this role is responsible for collaborating with project planning, contract management, mobilisation and demobilisation, and operational delivery of different event services and elements.
During the Planning Phase, the Operations Manager will prepare operational plans and documentation for multiple venues, supporting the Senior Operations Managers with broader planning tasks across all events and projects. This may involve managing certain aspects of contracts with Service Providers, ensuring that all necessary resources and logistical details are in place. The Operations Manager will work closely with specific hospitality functions, such as Catering (operational planning, menu development, F&B logistics), Guest Experience (access control, hosting, security, gifts, entertainment), or General Operations (space allocation, venue setup, staff coordination), all of which require strong supplier coordination and on-the-ground support.
During the Mobilisation & Operational Phase, the Operations Manager will take on- site responsibility for specific venues or venue clusters, ensuring that all services and operations are running smoothly and to the highest standard.
Operational Planning
- Development of operational plans and documentation for several projects and events, developing detailed plans for the delivery of different service providers functional areas such as: catering, hosting services, entertainment, gift programme, security, cleaning, others.
- Analyze and plan for any front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) spaces requirement, studying options for space allocation and operational routes related to storage facilities, kitchens, infrastructure, utilities, equipment layout design, workforce areas, services and hospitality lounges or private suites areas.
- Develop comprehensive event operational documentation and collaterals, including standard operating procedures (SOPs), operational narratives, daily run sheets, policies & procedures, reporting systems, and event-specific planning materials. Ensure material is kept organized in SharePoint/OneDrive and that all necessary team members have access to it.
- Implement tracking systems and report processes including monthly progress report, timelines, key performance indicators (KPIs), handover forms, and post-event reporting, etc.
- Develop and maintain sound professional relationships with partners, event organizers, Local Organizing Committees, Host Cities, and any other project and events stakeholder relating to the delivery of the event planning and operations.
Service Provider
- In collaboration with Senior Operations Managers, support the overall planning implementation and project deliverables across all event sites and Services Providers, including:
- - Guest Experience: hosting team, guest check-in operations process and materials, event gifts distribution, security services, entertainment, workforce dot plan, etc..
- Catering: menu development and culinary expertise, beverage services and logistics, staffing training and service quality control, uniforms and printed materials, light and heavy equipment, technical infrastructure, etc.
- Cleaning: service levels, timesheets and shifts analysis, processes, materials, etc.
- Develop project planning deliverables, ensuring that Service Providers receive clear guidelines, infrastructure, and access to meet their contractual obligations.
- Coordinate equipment needs and staffing plans for different service functional areas, ensuring proper resource allocation and operational readiness.
- Act as the central liaison between Service Providers, internal departments, and external stakeholders, facilitating effective communication and resolving operational issues as needed.
- Ensure Service Providers adhere to all relevant health, safety, sustainability, and food safety regulations, and support their compliance with contract terms, company policies, and local regulations, maintaining a high standard of operational integrity.
Project Management
- Identify key project timelines, milestones, deliverables and tasks, building a project plan for each event, and ensuring the progress is tracked, and specific reports are generated to the Hospitality Division team members and to external suppliers.
- In collaboration with the Procurement Team, identify best available suppliers in the local and international market, and coordinate the contract management process from initial project scoping to mobilization and delivery.
- Ensure that service suppliers meet its critical project deliverables and are in line with the overall project plan, whilst proactively identifying risks and solutions for minimizing issues.
- Assist with the development and delivery of workshops and educational sessions for Service Providers, promoting collaboration and alignment with project goals and standards.
- Liaise post-event reviews with suppliers to assess performance, gather feedback, and identify areas for improvement to ensure continuous enhancement of service delivery.
Team Leadership
- Work in close collaboration with Senior Operations Managers to contract, train, mentor and manage the respective on-site Events Teams for each project, ensuring they have the necessary information, support and equipment to deliver exceptional services.
- Liaise with other operational areas to implement a cohesive and positive approach to team management, working on the internal communication for all planning, training and operational requirements and ensuring that all team members have accesses to shared documents.
- Create and develop training programs for Event Teams and other team members of the Hospitality Division, ensuring newcomers are welcomed and receive the necessary onboard training.
Event Mobilisation and Delivery
- Liaise with Events Delivery and Operations Team to ensure event spaces are delivered in accordance to maps & drawings, defined overlay infrastructure, legacy FF&E, and inventory lists.
- Ensure services contractors have onboarded and respected the necessary policies and procedures for access and deliveries to event sites, including personnel and vehicles accreditation and permits, Master Delivery Schedules, “Keys to the Gate”, etc
Cross-functional operations
- Work closely with the Senior Operations Managers, and key functions in developing required event operations training, reporting, and operational collateral covers all cross functional requirements of operations.
Post Events Reconciliation
- Work closely with HQ and Procurement teams to complete the reconciliation of all services related costs, providing detailed reports on services performance, supplier evaluations, team performance, and guest feedback when applicable.
- Assess the effectiveness of the different event elements and services, creating a comprehensive post-event report by identifying areas for improvement and capturing lessons learned.
- Analyze and list assets from venues and event offices that require a dissolution strategy, identifying cost-savings strategies, potential resale of items, and storage requirements. Support the Operations and the Event Delivery Team on implementing the dissolution processes and consolidating any information and documentation required.
General Operations Management
- The position will be required to oversee the operations for multiple events throughout the annual calendar, ensuring smooth execution and coordination across various sites.
- As per the requirement of each event, this role will either oversee a cluster of venues or perform a specific Event Team role, acting as the key liaison for the operational services and deliverables of the project. This includes managing and coordinating multiple service providers and stakeholders, ensuring timely and efficiency on the delivery of all services, and performing the role as per the Event Team Job Description.
Event Operations Function Areas
- Together with the Senior Operations Team, manage the operations and Event Team in leading the event deliverables across all functional areas: Catering Operations, Technical Operations, Guest Services Operations, Inventory & Fulfilment, Ticketing & Customer Service Operations.
Guest Services:
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Manage the successful implementation of the Guest Services operational plan across all event sites, ensuring the assigned teams execute the entertainment, wayfinding, security, access control, and hosting functions to the highest standards. This includes welcome desks operations, wristbands and gift distribution, guest check-in tracking system, and guaranteeing that staff is fully equipped to manage their guest interactions, stock control, and attendance reporting processes.
Catering and Service Provider (CSP) Management:
- Manage the planning and execution of the catering operations (CSP), ensuring the coordination of service providers in line with the operational plans and meeting health and safety, hygiene, and food safety standards, intervening when necessary to address any service gaps or operational challenges.
- Provide leadership to teams managing the mobilisation of catering service providers, guaranteeing the timely distribution and installation of all equipment and infrastructure needed for food and beverage delivery.
Cleaning and Waste:
- Coordinate and manage cleaning services in line with required and agreed service levels, ensuring supplier is set up and have the necessary equipment to perform its services.
Technical Setup and Infrastructure Leadership:
- Support the Event Delivery, infrastructure and operational teams, ensuring smooth integration of all mobilization of technical and infrastructure setup across all event sites, including Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH) are fully operational and compliant with event standards prior to the event start.
- Collaborate with Events Delivery and the Event Teams on managing the execution and installations of furniture, branding, wayfinding signage, and décor to align with event standards and timelines.
Inventory, Fulfillment, and Customer Service Governance:
- Ensure accountability across Event Teams for the effective event operational management of customer service operations, including ticket issue resolution, guest seating concerns, and handling customer feedback promptly and professionally, liaising with the respective departmental leaders.
Issue Resolution & Reporting
- Proactively implement services levels quality control, collaborating with all Event Team to manage customers feedback and expectations, handling crisis management, swiftly addressing any operational challenges or emergencies to ensure minimal disruption to event proceedings.
- Provide real-time reporting including issue logs and risk assessment, to the Hospitality Division, covering operational performance, service delivery, and any incidents, ensuring continuous improvement and accountability.
- Execute and consolidate the service providers’ Key Performance Indicators (KPI) as well as any required consumption reconciliations after an event.
General
- Until otherwise agreed, this position is based in the Doha office (Qatar) but requires intermittent travel to the GCC region and potentially other countries.
- The nature of our business is such that it may be necessary to amend or add the responsibilities and you may be required to perform other tasks that are allocated to you, specific to the projects at hand.
- Act in compliance with the company's contract terms, policies and procedures.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential Experience:
- Considerable experience in large scale international events, preferably in the field of Hospitality, and with experience in different events site’s type.
- Knowledge of international and localized food and beverage cultures relating to Hospitality services at major events.
- Experience and understanding of FOH and BOH operations required to deliver premium hospitality guest experience
- Understanding and experience of international event procurement and contract management from tender design to execution
- Ability to coordinate operational teams composed of direct reports, multiple contractors and services suppliers in delivering high level hospitality programmes
- Experience in working in a multicultural organization and with international stakeholders such as Government Organisations, Sporting Federations and Local Organising Committees
Essential Skills:
- Ability to work calmly under pressure and meet multiple deadlines flexible in a constantly evolving environment with good proactive problem-solving skills
Strong project management and time management skills
- Good administration and IT skills including Microsoft Office and Cloud based programmes
- Strong verbal and written communications skills, fluent in both written and spoken English
Excellent team leader and developer of management team
Experience in Qatar or GCC
Desirable:
Qualifications in Food Safety (CIEH), Culinary and or Food Technology
Qualification in IOSH Managing Safety
Arabic speaking
Expected Contract Length:
From January 2025 to 10th March 2027