Director, Special Events
San Jose Earthquakes
Full-time
On-site
San Jose, California, United States
$80,000 - $100,000 USD yearly
Event Operations, Professional Soccer, Director
The San Jose Earthquakes have a mission to establish our home as the epicenter of American soccer by uniting Northern California with big dreams, big hustle, and big impact. We are seeking a Director, Special Events who is a result-oriented, strategic-minded, self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to close big deals.
ABOUT THE POSITION:
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, The Director, Special Events is a full-time sales position with the San Jose Earthquakes, responsible for prospecting and managing non-gameday stadium event inquiries at PayPal Park. This sole sales position oversees both inbound and outbound inquiries as well as sourcing new event ventures to meet annual sales goals. The Director, Special Events will work in conjunction with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful event strategy from start to finish. Event category examples included but are not limited to: corporate leisure events and meetings, international soccer friendlies, sporting matches, festivals and markets, school functions and graduations, weddings and birthday celebrations.
WHO YOU ARE:
We are looking for people that want to hustle big.
- Hustle: Having the desire to authentically connect people, willing to always show up for our fans and guests, and having an innate pride in their work
- Big: Devoted to quality in all aspects of the job, not afraid to swing big, and own the result.
SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:
A successful candidate is an experienced and motivated hospitality or event sales individual that has demonstrated success in sourcing, negotiating, and closing new business opportunities, as well as maintaining previous event relationships to ensure repeat buisness. This individual is detail-orientated, proactive, capable of working under pressure, and innate ability to build strong connections while meeting annual revenue goals.
JOB COMPETENCIES INCLUDE:
- Communicative
- Adaptable and Thorough
- Organized and Focused
- Hospitality Driven
- Relationship Builder
- Ability to Work Independently with Cross-Functions in Other Teams
- Event Planning and Strategy Knowledge
- Entrepreneurial
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Proactively solicit new books of business as well as maintaining positive relationships and event experiences with current and past clients to ensure repeat business.
- Initiate and maintain strong relationships with the local events industry, including convention and visitors’ bureau, sports authority, destination management companies, and other sporting and event venues.
- Maintain a healthy pipeline that ensures achievement of revenue goals while managing the stadium event calendar between all external requests and internal departments.
- Prepare quotes and proposals for prospective clients and negotiate and execute client contracts.
- Establish competitive rates and pricing packages for event space and services as well as maintaing positive relationships with outside vendors.
- Actively upsell and cross-sell products and experiences to maximize revenue.
- Work closely with accounting team and ensure event P&L statements are maintained accurately.
- Work closely with marketing and ticket operations departments to communicate and develop on-sale announcements and promotional campaigns.
- Work closesly with operations and catering department to establish overall event strategy and goals, contract commitments, BEOs, event times, event maps, event resumes, A/V, expected guest counts, and any pertinent event information.
- Conduct site visits with clients and proper stakeholders suggesting event ideas and opportunities that fit within the PayPal Park guidelines.
- Establish budget parameters and expectations with the operations team to ensure event efficiency.
- Be the overall liaison between the client/promoter and internal teams.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Bachelors degree in Hospitality, or Sales and Business.
- Self-starter with ability to manage multiple clients & contracts in a time sensitive environment
- 5+ Years of successful event or catering sales preferably within sports, entertainment venue, hotel, or restaurant.
- Proven track record of successfully securing and executing large event or catering contracts.
· Ability to manage timelines and meet deadlines
- Comfortable working with a diverse book of clients while providing excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to network in the corporate community
- Desire to work collaboratively with others, remain organized, communicate effectively, and to see events through from conception to completion.
- Willingness to work nights, weekends, and/or holidays. Not a remote position.
- Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word,
- Experience in VenueOps and All-Seated platforms are a plus
- Spanish speaking is a plus
Salary range: $80,000 - $100,000 + commission
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.