Senior Director, Tour Operations

Senior Director Of Tour Operations

PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. More than 1,000 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR's international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, PBR launched the nationally televised PBR Teams league—eight teams of the world's best bull riders competing for a new championship expanding to 10 teams in 2024—as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 60 annual events nationwide. The organization's digital assets include PBR RidePass on Pluto TV, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world's premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world's premier bull riding organization. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans.

The Senior Director of Tour Operations is responsible for leading the strategy, execution, and continuous improvement of all operational aspects of Professional Bull Riders (PBR) events across all US national tours. This role reports to the Chief Production Officer, and provides senior-level oversight of event logistics, arena transformation, livestock coordination, and back-of-house operations—ensuring every event is delivered safely, efficiently, and at a best-in-class standard.

As a key leader within the organization, the Director sets operational frameworks, manages high-performing teams, and oversees complex touring logistics across multiple markets. This role partners closely with executive leadership and cross-functional departments to align operational execution with organizational goals, fan experience standards, and business performance.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Vision & Strategy

• Develop and implement the overarching operational strategy for all PBR events.
• Establish standardized processes, playbooks, and best practices to ensure consistency across all tour stops.
• Lead long-term planning for tour scalability, infrastructure improvements, and operational innovation.
• Serve as the senior on-site operations leader for marquee events and high-profile weekends.

Event Execution Oversight

• Provide executive oversight of all event operations including load-in, event days, and load-out.
• Ensure all tour stops meet PBR standards for safety, efficiency, and quality.
• Guide teams in developing detailed run-of-show logistics, production schedules, and contingency plans.
• Act as the primary escalation point for operational challenges and critical decision-making.

Livestock & Arena Operations

• Oversee all livestock-related logistics in partnership with Competition and Livestock leadership, ensuring safety, welfare, and operational flow.
• Direct strategy and execution for temporary arena builds, including structural elements, back-of-house layouts, and venue integration.
• Oversee dirt installation and removal operations, including vendor strategy, cost control, and environmental/venue compliance.

Back-of-House Operations

• Provide oversight of backstage catering, ensuring consistent quality and operational execution across markets within budget constraints.
• Assist with security strategy in partnership with PBR Director of Security, venues, and local agencies, including staffing plans and risk mitigation.
• Oversee credentialing systems and access control policies for all PBR events.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of managers, coordinators, and operational staff.
• Build scalable staffing models, including full-time, part-time, and freelance resources.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence across all tours.

Vendor & Partner Strategy

• Develop and manage relationships with key national and local vendors (dirt providers, trucking, staging, audio, video, lighting, catering, security, etc.)
• In collaboration with TKO Procurement resources, negotiate contracts and pricing structures to optimize cost and performance.
• Evaluate vendor performance and implement continuous improvement strategies.

Budget & Financial Management

• Own and manage tour operations budgets, including forecasting, cost control, and post-event reconciliation.
• Identify efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities without compromising event quality.
• Support capital planning for long-term operational investments.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Establish and enforce safety protocols, operational standards, and compliance requirements across all events.
• Lead contingency planning for weather, transportation disruptions, and other operational risks.
• Ensure adherence to federal and local regulations, insurance requirements, and venue policies.

Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong understanding of live event production, including show flow, timing, and in-venue execution within sports or entertainment.
• Ability to lead teams and deliver high-quality live events in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to oversee multiple events and priorities while maintaining consistency.
• Sound judgment and decision-making, especially when navigating real-time challenges during live events.
• Clear and effective communication, with the ability to collaborate across production, operations, broadcast, and leadership teams.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on accuracy and execution quality.
• Collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across teams and functions.
• Comfortable adapting to change and prioritizing in a dynamic, live-event environment.

Education & Formal Training:

• Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Operations, Sports Management, Business, or a related field or equivalent professional experience.
• Relevant certifications or specialized training in event operations, safety, or logistics are a plus.

Experience:

• 8+ years of experience in live event operations, touring productions, sports operations, or large-scale logistics.
• Proven experience leading complex, multi-market event operations.
• Strong understanding of venue operations, temporary builds, and large-scale logistics.
• Experience leading teams and managing vendors in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to travel extensively and work non-traditional hours aligned with event schedules.

Working Conditions:

• Position located in Fort Worth, TX
• Minimum four days in office required, when not traveling to events.
• Travel required 50%-75% of live events.
• Extended hours, weekends, and holidays will be necessary.

TKO EEO Statement:

TKO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding non-discrimination in employment. TKO makes employment decisions based on merit and qualifications, without considering an employee's or applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities. TKO also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state or local laws. For information about Privacy and Information Security for TKO employment candidates, please review our Privacy Policy . For information regarding Terms of Use for this and other TKO websites, please review our Terms of Use.