Director, University Accommodations Operations

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Our Vision is to collectively create what’s next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Paralympic and Olympic Games for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people.

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Director, University Accommodations Operations:

The Director, University Accommodations Operations will support LA28’s Games Delivery Revenue team in the development of LA28’s overall accommodations plan.  Specifically, this role will specialize in the delivery of the operational development and relationship management of our housing at universities inclusive of the Media Residences.  This role’s objectives include, but are not limited to, managing internal and external  stakeholders, negotiating goods and services agreements, procuring vendors, developing operational standup of hotel-like services in conjunction with our university partners, managing and developing a budget, and being part of the overall accommodation team’s priorities. 

This role will report directly to the Director, Accommodations and Operations.

Key Responsibilities:

University Contract Negotiation

• Establish and cultivate strategic partnerships with university partners, key stakeholders, and vendors.
• Negotiate Goods and Services contracts with universities for all of LA28’s accommodations and related operational needs.
• Serve as the liaison with stakeholder partners to ensure Media Residences operations are in compliance with required standards.
• Conduct thorough research and analysis to drive informed and strategic business decisions, providing critical guidance to enhance the success of LA28's University Accommodations program.

Strategic Operational Support

• Support the overall Accommodations plan including Media Residences and workforce housing strategy, pricing, and sourcing.
• Serve as the liaison with universities to build operational plan for LA28 Housing (i.e. vendor procurement, service level implementation, campus layout and limitations, etc.)
• Collaborate on driving operational and logistics integration to ensure feasibility of delivery plans.
• Continue to analyze housing environment, including possibility of non-traditional housing sites.
• Facilitate seamless integration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage housing operations for 10k+ rooms and 20k+ people.
• Travel to engage with university operational teams across the greater Los Angeles region, building relationships and fostering collaborative partnerships in alignment with LA28’s University Accommodations plans
• Develop and adhere to departmental budget with clear steps to implement, monitor, and appropriately measure plan deliverables.
• Work internally to maximize opportunity for workforce, while proposing solutions and minimizing budgetary risk.

General

• Cultivate strong, mutually respectful relationships and establish credibility with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Prepare presentations for executive staff and key stakeholders.
• Oversee the project plan, collaborating with relevant teammates and external partners where relevant.
• Coordinate key meetings to meet project plan timelines and summarize / track critical action items moving forward.
• Participate, where necessary, in other accommodation based workstreams.
• Develop a regular working relationship with all other teams and functions at LA28
• Hire, train, motivate, and evaluate department staff
• Self-starter with experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work where applicable

Background & Requirements:

• Minimum 10-years within large-scale event, hotel, or university logistics
• Prior experience conducting contract negotiations
• Prior experience organizing housing operations
• Prior experience running multiple complex operations simultaneously.
• Experience managing a team
• Experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders and proven success at building excellent working relationships
• Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
• Previous experience successfully partnering with stakeholders to embed DEIB principles within housing or similar environments. This includes inclusive practices and legal requirements related to accessibility and fair housing.

Expectations:

• Knowledge of Los Angeles market is a plus
• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent analytical and organizational skills
• Well-developed problem-solving skills and ability to work independently to resolve issues
• Excellent leadership skills with track record of people development and engagement
• Extremely detail-oriented with excellent organizational and project management skills
• Strong communication, team building, and interpersonal skills
• Well-developed problem-solving skills and ability to work independently to resolve issues
• Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• A collaborative mindset; someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego
• Demonstrated capability to effectively implement and manage change in an ever-changing, fast-paced environment.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

The annual base salary range for this position is $135,000.00 - $160,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.