Event Operations Manager - Portland Expo Center

Event Operations Manager

Metro is dedicated to shaping a better future for the greater Portland region. The work the people of Metro do every day benefits the lives of the people who live here, today, and tomorrow.

The Portland Expo Center is seeking an Event Operations Manager to provide operational leadership during evenings and weekends. The Expo Center hosts a variety of large-scale events, including consumer shows, trade shows, sporting events, and community gatherings that bring people together from across the region.

As the on-site leader, you'll help ensure events are delivered safely and successfully by coordinating staff, contractors, and event partners while maintaining a welcoming environment for clients and guests. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced setting, approaches challenges with a solutions-focused mindset, and enjoys leading teams to achieve shared goals.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced or emerging leader who wants to work in a fast-paced event environment, support a wide variety of large-scale events, and make a visible impact on the experience of clients, guests, and employees. If you enjoy solving problems, leading teams, and helping people perform at their best, we'd love to see what you can bring to this role.

As the Event Operations Manager you will:

• Oversee evening and weekend venue operations, ensuring the facility is safe, welcoming, and prepared for staff, clients, and guests. Conduct regular building rounds to monitor operations, staff, vendors, and client needs, and provide on-site problem-solving support.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for staff and client concerns during shift, ensuring timely resolution and documentation, including nightly Event Operations Manager (EOM) reports, event summaries, and other required communications.
• Manage and coordinate client services during events, including contracted services such as catering, A/V, telecom, guest experience, and parking. Support load-in and load-out activities, troubleshoot operational and technical issues, and coordinate service adjustments as needed.
• Provide operational leadership and support to staff by conducting regular check-ins to ensure work is progressing effectively and resources are available; assisting department managers with real-time coaching and direction; supporting team members through change; adjusting work plans to best meet client and venue needs; and maintaining open communication with management regarding staff performance and event execution.
• Participate in event planning and logistics meetings, including production meetings, three-month look ahead meetings, and event lifecycle meetings.
• Evaluate operational practices to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and alignment with industry standards, recommending and implementing improvements where appropriate.
• Support venue financial responsibilities by monitoring and controlling costs related to labor, supplies, and materials to ensure service quality and operational effectiveness.

Attributes for success:

• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop teams while fostering positive and collaborative work environment.
• Sound judgment and ability to make timely, effective decisions in a fast-paced and high-pressure situations.
• Ability to resolve conflict, resolve issues, and address escalated concerns with professionalism and tact.
• Proven ability to balance multiple priorities while maintaining high standards for safety, service and operational effectiveness.
• Strong verbal and written communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and event management technology.
• Professionalism and discretion when addressing employee matters, client concerns, and confidential information.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Metro, we strive to cultivate diversity, advance equity, and practice inclusion in all of its work. This means attracting and empowering a workforce that is inclusive of a broad range of human qualities. Workplace diversity is both a moral imperative and a business strength, essential to providing quality support and services to our region. Metro's goal is to hire, develop and retain highly skilled and talented individuals across all departments and programs who best reflect the diversity of our community.

To qualify

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific in your application materials on how your background is relevant.

• High school diploma plus at least one year of specialized training from college or technical school, and
• Three years of relevant experience in event, venue or hotel management, and
• Two years of supervisory experience, or
• Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.

• Current and valid driver's license
• Finalist will need to be able to successfully pass a background check.
• Must have availability to work an evening and weekend, event driven schedule.

Like to have qualifications

• Experience working in a public assembly facility, such as a convention center, exposition center, arena, stadium, performing arts venue, or similar event facility.
• Experience leading venue or event operations, including coordinating staff, contractors, and operational services during events.
• Experience developing, implementing, or improving operational procedures and service standards.
• Knowledge of workplace safety, crowd management, emergency response, or other safety practices applicable to public assembly facilities.

Screening and Evaluation

The application packet: The application packet consists of the following required documents. Please ensure that you upload these documents in your online application. Make sure your application is complete, missing any part of these items could result in an incomplete application and will not be moved forward in the recruitment.

• Attachment of a resume that includes the following details for each employer: Name of employer, Working title, Dates of employment; including if the work was full-time or part-time, Number of employees supervised, Detailed summary of your responsibilities
• Responses to supplemental questions

The selection process: We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows. The selection process is subject to change.

• Initial review of minimum qualifications
• In-depth evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates
• Consideration of top candidates/interviews
• Testing/assessments
• Reference check
• Background and driving records check for finalist candidate

Compensation, Benefits and Representation

The full-salary range for this position is step 1: $89,563.73 to step 7: $ 120,023.26 annually. However, unless a candidate's qualifications justify, based on the Oregon Pay Equity Act requirements and Metro's internal equity review process, the appointment will likely be made between step 1: $ 89,563.73 to the equity range step 5: $108,864.39 annually.

This position is not eligible for overtime and is not represented by a union. It is classified as an Event Operations Manager.

Classification descriptions are typically written broadly and do not include the specific duties and responsibilities of the positions. View the classification description.