VP of League Operations

Position Overview The VP of League Operations will be the senior executive responsible for all aspects of league competition, scheduling, rules, officiating, season management, and competitive operations. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will be the architect of the competition experience—ensuring fair, exciting, and professionally managed competitions across 12 sports and all age levels. This role combines strategic planning, operational execution, rules expertise, stakeholder management, and continuous improvement to deliver best‑in‑class competitive experiences for athletes, coaches, schools, and fans. Compensation Package Base Salary: $525,000 Performance Bonus: $175,000 (target, tied to operational KPIs and season execution) Equity Grant: $200,000 annually (vesting over 4 years) Total Compensation: $900,000 Key Responsibilities 1. Competition Structure & Format Design League Structure: Design and implement competition structure for all sports including: Regional Organization: 4 regions with 50 teams each (12‑13 teams per region in Year 1) League Configuration: 2 leagues per region with 25 teams each at full scale Division Structure: Determine division/conference alignments within leagues Season Format: Single round‑robin within leagues plus inter‑league matches Playoff Structure: Regional playoffs leading to national championships Youth Integration: Competition format for U10‑U23 age groups Season Length: Manage 9‑month season (mid‑August through mid‑May) Game Frequency: Determine optimal game frequency by sport and age level: Professional teams: 1‑3 games per week depending on sport Youth teams (U17‑U23): Travel with professional teams, similar frequency Youth teams (U10‑U16): Weekend competitions, local/regional focus Competitive Balance: Design systems to ensure competitive balance (draft, salary cap considerations, scheduling equity) Format Innovation: Explore innovative formats (tournaments, showcases, rivalry weeks, playoff formats) 2. Master Schedule Development Scheduling Responsibility: Lead creation of comprehensive master schedule across all sports, teams, and age levels Scheduling Complexity: Year 1: 2,500+ games across 50 schools and 12 sports Year 6: 5,000+ games across 300 schools Multi‑Sport: Coordinate 12 sports schedules to optimize travel and venue usage Youth Integration: Schedule U17‑U23 teams to travel with professional teams Regional Balance: Ensure competitive balance in scheduling across regions Scheduling Constraints: Venue availability and conflicts Travel optimization (minimize cost, maximize shared transportation) Weather considerations (outdoor sports) Broadcast windows and media partner requirements Holiday and academic calendars Competitive equity (home/away balance, rest days) Rivalry preservation (maintain traditional college rivalries) Schedule Release: Publish schedules 6‑12 months in advance for planning Technology: Implement scheduling software and optimization tools Flexibility: Build contingency plans for weather, rescheduling, and make‑up games 3. Rules, Regulations & Competition Policies Rules Framework: Establish comprehensive rules and regulations for all competitions Sport‑Specific Rules: Adapt or adopt international federation rules for each sport: Soccer (FIFA/U.S. Soccer rules) Volleyball (FIVB/USA Volleyball rules) Lacrosse (World Lacrosse/USA Lacrosse rules) Hockey (IIHF/USA Hockey rules) Baseball/Softball (WBSC/USA Baseball/USA Softball rules) Other sports as applicable League Modifications: Determine any league‑specific rule modifications or innovations Competition Policies: Develop policies for: Player eligibility and roster requirements Game‑day operations and protocols Postponements, cancellations, and rescheduling Forfeits and no‑shows Protest and appeal procedures Tiebreaker procedures Playoff qualification criteria Code of conduct for players, coaches, officials Rule Book: Publish comprehensive league rule book for each sport Rules Education: Train officials, coaches, and administrators on league rules 4. Officiating & Competition Standards Officiating Program: Build comprehensive officiating program for all sports Official Recruitment: Recruit, certify, and assign officials for all games Officiating Numbers: Year 1: 200‑300 officials across 12 sports Year 6: 500‑700 officials needed for 5,000+ games Certification: Establish certification standards and training programs Assignment System: Implement official assignment system (self‑assignment vs. assignor model) Officiating Standards: Set and enforce high officiating standards Evaluation: Create official evaluation and feedback systems Compensation: Design competitive official compensation structure Technology: Explore officiating technology (instant replay, VAR, tracking systems) Quality Control: Monitor officiating quality and address performance issues 5. Season Management & Game Day Operations Season Operations: Oversee all aspects of season operations from kickoff to championships Game Day Standards: Establish standards for professional game day operations: Pre‑game protocols (warm‑ups, team meetings, official briefings) National anthem and ceremonies In‑game operations (music, PA, video boards, timeout procedures) Halftime operations Post‑game protocols (handshakes, interviews, venue clearing) Emergency action plans Venue Coordination: Work with venues to ensure facilities meet league standards Weather Protocols: Establish weather delay/cancellation protocols for outdoor sports Medical Coverage: Coordinate with medical teams on game‑day medical coverage requirements Statistics & Scoring: Oversee live statistics, scoring, and official record‑keeping Media Operations: Coordinate with media partners on broadcast requirements and access Issue Resolution: Serve as primary escalation point for in‑season operational issues 6. Championship Tournaments Tournament Operations: Plan and execute regional and national championship tournaments Tournament Structure: Regional Championships: 4 regional tournaments per sport (top teams from each region) National Championships: National tournament with regional champions plus at‑large bids Youth Championships: Age‑group specific championship tournaments Venue Selection: Select championship tournament venues Bid Process: Develop bid process for cities/venues to host championships Tournament Format: Design tournament formats (single elimination, double elimination, pool play) Seeding: Develop seeding and selection criteria Tournament Operations: Manage all aspects of tournament operations: Scheduling and bracket management Venue operations and setup Official assignment Team logistics and hospitality Media operations and credentials Awards ceremonies and celebrations Fan Experience: Create exceptional fan experience at championship events 7. Competitive Integrity & Compliance Competitive Integrity: Protect integrity of competition through policies and monitoring Anti‑Doping: Partner with USADA or similar organization on anti‑doping program Match‑Fixing Prevention: Implement monitoring systems to detect potential match‑fixing Gambling Policies: Establish policies regarding gambling and sports betting Disciplinary System: Develop and administer disciplinary system for violations: Player conduct violations Coach conduct violations Rule violations Safety violations Unsportsmanlike conduct Suspension & Fines: Administer suspensions, fines, and other disciplinary measures Appeals Process: Establish fair appeals process for disciplinary decisions Compliance Monitoring: Monitor team and athlete compliance with league rules 8. Data, Statistics & Records Statistics Program: Build comprehensive statistics and records program Data Collection: Implement systems for collecting game statistics across all sports Official Statistics: Designate official statisticians or use technology platforms Statistics Platform: Select and implement statistics platform (Genius Sports, STATS, others) Record‑Keeping: Maintain official league records including: Team records (wins, losses, championships) Individual records (goals, points, achievements) All‑time records and milestones Historical data and archives Data Distribution: Distribute statistics to media, teams, schools, and fans Analytics Support: Provide data and analytics to teams for competitive improvement Historical Archives: Build comprehensive historical archive of league competition 9. Team & Coach Support Team Operations Support: Support team operations across all sports and regions Operations Manual: Create comprehensive team operations manual Coach Education: Provide ongoing education and support for coaches Best Practices: Share operational best practices across teams Resources: Provide teams with resources, templates, and tools Regular Communication: Establish regular communication cadence with team operations staff Feedback Loop: Solicit feedback from teams and coaches to improve operations Problem Solving: Help teams troubleshoot operational challenges 10. League Calendar & Coordination Master Calendar: Maintain comprehensive league calendar including: Regular season dates Playoff dates Championship tournament dates All‑star events or showcase events League meetings and workshops Deadlines (roster submission, facility certification, etc.) Cross‑Functional Coordination: Coordinate with other departments: Transportation team on travel schedules Broadcast team on media windows Marketing team on promotional opportunities Facilities team on venue readiness Medical team on coverage requirements Conflict Management: Identify and resolve scheduling conflicts across departments Planning Rhythm: Establish annual planning rhythm and milestone reviews 11. Technology & Innovation League Management Platform: Implement comprehensive league management technology: Scheduling software Officials assignment system Statistics platform Team management portal Communication platform Competition Innovation: Explore technology innovations for better competition: Video replay and review systems Live tracking and player monitoring Virtual coaching and analysis tools Fan engagement technology Broadcast enhancement technology Data Analytics: Use analytics to optimize scheduling, officiating, and competition formats Mobile Apps: Develop or integrate apps for schedules, scores, standings, statistics 12. Team Building & Leadership Build Operations Team: Recruit and lead comprehensive league operations organization Team Structure: Year 1: 20‑25 professionals Year 3: 40‑50 professionals Year 6: 60‑80 professionals Team Roles: Sport Directors: Sport‑specific operations leaders (12 sports) Regional Operations Managers: Regional coordinators (4 regions) Scheduling Coordinator Officials Coordinator (may be sport‑specific) Competition Compliance Manager Statistics & Records Manager Tournament Operations Manager Technology & Systems Manager Regional Presence: Deploy operations staff to support regional operations Team Development: Develop high‑performing team with clear goals and career paths Required Qualifications 15+ years of progressive experience in sports league operations, competition management, or sports administration 7+ years in senior operations leadership roles (VP, SVP, or Director level) Proven track record managing complex multi‑sport or multi‑level competitions Experience with scheduling, officiating, rules administration, and season management Demonstrated success in launching new competitions or scaling existing operations League Operations Expertise Deep expertise in sports competition management and operations Strong knowledge of Olympic sports rules, formats, and competitive standards Experience with scheduling complex competitions (multi‑team, multi‑sport, multi‑location) Understanding of officiating programs, certification, and assignment Knowledge of competitive integrity, compliance, and disciplinary systems Project Management & Execution Exceptional project management skills with ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously Strong attention to detail and commitment to operational excellence Proven ability to execute flawlessly under pressure during competitive seasons Crisis management experience handling unexpected operational issues Process‑oriented mindset with focus on documentation and continuous improvement Leadership & Collaboration Outstanding leadership skills with ability to build and manage large, distributed teams Strong collaborative skills working across departments (transportation, facilities, medical, media, marketing) Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) Ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders (teams, coaches, officials, schools) Problem‑solving mindset with ability to make sound decisions quickly Education Bachelor’s degree required (Sports Management, Business Administration, or related field) Master’s degree preferred (Sports Administration, MBA, or related field) Preferred Qualifications Professional League Experience: Previous operations leadership in professional sports leagues (MLS, NWSL, USL, minor leagues, international leagues) Multi‑Sport Experience: Experience managing operations for multiple sports simultaneously Olympic Sports: Deep expertise in Olympic sports operations, rules, and competitive formats College Sports: Experience with NCAA or college athletics operations Youth Sports: Experience with youth sports leagues or development programs International Experience: Experience with international sports federations or competitions Technology: Experience implementing league management technology and scheduling software Startup/Launch: Experience launching new leagues or competitions from scratch Championships: Experience planning and executing championship tournaments or major events Success Metrics – First 18 Months First 90 Days Complete competition format design for all 12 sports (league structure, playoff format, season length) Build core league operations team (12‑15 initial hires including sport directors and regional managers) Develop master scheduling framework and constraints Create initial rulebooks for all sports Establish officiating recruitment strategy Design game day operations standards Create league operations manual (version 1.0) Select and begin implementation of league management technology Months 4‑6 (Q2) Publish complete Year 1 master schedule (all games, all sports, all levels) Recruit and certify 200+ officials across all sports Finalize all rules, policies, and procedures Complete league management platform implementation Establish statistics and data collection systems Design regional and national championship tournament formats Conduct coach and team training on rules and operations Test operational readiness (scrimmages, preseason) Months 7‑12 (Q3‑Q4) Flawless Season Launch: Successfully launch inaugural season across all sports Operational Excellence: Achieve 95%+ on‑time game execution (no cancellations/major delays due to operational issues) Schedule Completion: Complete 2,500+ games with 98%+ schedule adherence Officiating Quality: Achieve 90%+ satisfaction with officiating from coaches and teams Statistics Accuracy: 99%+ accuracy in official statistics and records Zero Competitive Integrity Issues: No major violations or competitive integrity breaches Execute Championships: Flawlessly execute 12+ championship tournaments (regional and national) Team Satisfaction: Achieve 85%+ satisfaction from teams on league operations Months 13‑18 (Year 2, Q1‑Q2) Successfully plan and publish Year 2 master schedule (100 schools, expanded competition) Scale operations team to 30‑35 professionals Implement Year 1 learnings and operational improvements Achieve 97%+ schedule adherence Improve officiating satisfaction to 92%+ Expand officiating pool to 350+ certified officials Enhance league management technology based on Year 1 feedback Launch all‑star events or showcase competitions Begin Year 3 planning (150 schools, further scale) Why This Role is Exceptional Build From Scratch This is the largest multi‑sport league launch in modern history You’ll design competition formats for 12 sports simultaneously Opportunity to create operational standards that become industry best practices Greenfield opportunity to build everything from the ground up Unprecedented Operational Challenge Manage 5,000+ games annually at full scale across 12 sports Coordinate operations across 4 regions and 300 schools Integrate professional and youth competition (U10‑U23) Build officiating programs for 12 different sports Impact on Sports Create the operational foundation for Olympic sports’ future in America Establish competitive standards that will influence the sports for decades Provide world‑class competition experience for 15,000+ athletes Build pathways from youth through professional level in Olympic sports Equal Opportunity Employer We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization that reflects the communities we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. This is a once‑in‑a‑career opportunity to build world‑class league operations. Let’s create something extraordinary together. #J-18808-Ljbffr