Head of Event Delivery (Sporting Events)

From the Olympic Games in London and Tokyo to the Cricket World Cup in England & Wales, and the Rugby World Cups in Japan, England, New Zealand, and France, our award-winning team operates globally, creating travel and hospitality programmes with one clear goal: to deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences for sports fans.

The STH Group partners with event owners to elevate the world’s most prestigious sporting events. We are now looking for a dynamic and proactive Head of Event Delivery to join our team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for orchestrating unforgettable sporting moments, with a specific focus on delivering premium experiences and hospitality services. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the operational excellence and innovation behind our global events.

As Head of Event Delivery, you will drive the development of risk-efficient operational plans aligned with the overall business strategy. With a proven track record of managing multi-venue operations and a background in hospitality, catering, travel, or accommodation, you will also oversee budget management and ensure top-tier service standards for hospitality packages and ticket + experience offerings. This is a fixed-term contract until December 2025, with three direct reports, based in our Richmond office three days per week.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Lead the execution of the STH UK business plan, ensuring operational fulfilment of premium experiences while actively managing financial forecasts to support programme profitability and success.
• Build and develop the Event Delivery team, fostering collaboration and enhancing their capabilities across multiple projects and venues.
• Ensure best practices are adopted across the STH Operations teams to maintain consistency and high-quality delivery across various regions.
• Lead the design and launch of premium experience products that maximise customer satisfaction, mitigate risk, and drive client retention and business growth.
• Maintain financial oversight by developing systems to accurately track expenditures, ensuring budget control and providing precise forecasts to support informed decision-making.
• Cultivate strong relationships with key partners and suppliers in relevant territories, ensuring seamless execution of events in line with operational objectives.
• Develop robust procurement processes for third-party suppliers, ensuring adherence to internal policies and facilitating timely, cost-efficient project completion.
• Ensure full compliance with all regulatory standards, including planning permissions, health and safety regulations, and building consents, mitigating any potential legal risks.
• Implement comprehensive reporting systems to monitor operational performance and risk, enabling data-driven improvements in project delivery.
• Build lasting relationships with internal and external stakeholders, aligning efforts to achieve STH’s goals for flawless event delivery.
• Contribute to the development of STH Group-wide standards for operational fulfilment of premium experiences, ensuring consistent, exceptional service across all events.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven expertise in a similar role, including extensive experience managing multi-venue operations, ideally in the hospitality, catering, travel, or accommodation sectors. Experience working with sports organising committees is highly desirable.
• A strong understanding of sports stadia operations and hospitality services, with a track record of overseeing large-scale events.
• Exceptional organisational and multitasking abilities, with an eye for detail to manage multiple operational aspects without compromising quality.
• Demonstrable experience in resource management, ensuring high standards are maintained within financial constraints.
• Solid experience in project management, including the use of tracking tools to ensure project efficiency.
• Strong relationship management skills, particularly with suppliers, organising committees, and regulatory bodies, to ensure successful collaboration.
• In-depth knowledge of the regulatory frameworks governing sports events and hospitality services, particularly regarding compliance with local regulations and permissions.
• A deep understanding of navigating diverse cultural landscapes, essential for success in international sports events.

What’s In It For You:

This role offers a competitive salary, a 10% annual company bonus, a fantastic pension scheme, private BUPA healthcare, access to a wide range of retailer discounts, a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme for mental health and wellbeing support, regular team socials, and 25 days of holiday plus bank holidays.

STH Group is a Sodexo Live! company, with offices in London, Auckland, and Melbourne, offering a truly global reach and exceptional service offerings.