Director of Event Programming | Full-Time | Mobile Arena

Oak View Group

Oak View Group is the global leader in venue development, management, and premium hospitality services for the live event industry. Offering an unmatched, 360-degree solution set for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster that includes the most influential, highest attended arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions on the planet.

Position Summary

The Director of Event Programming reports to the Arena General Manager and oversees all aspects of booking and scheduling ticketed and non-ticketed events at the new arena and the Saenger Theater.  Responsible for delivering a superior level of content procurement, private and special events, customer service and effective relationships with clients, promoters, tenants, staff, and guests.

Work Environment

This position is on-site at the new Arena. Standard business hours apply, with flexibility required to support events, including mornings, evenings and weekends as needed. Must maintain regular attendance and a professional presence.

This role pays an annual salary of $90,000-$105,000 and is bonus eligible

Benefits for Full-Time roles: Health, Dental and Vision Insurance, 401(k) Savings Plan, 401(k) matching, and Paid Time Off (vacation days, sick days, and 11 holidays)

This position will remain open until December 31, 2025.

About the Venue

The new Mobile Arena will anchor a lively downtown Mobile, Alabama, a city that offers world-class accommodations, retail shops, restaurants, museums, parks, and art galleries. The state-of-the-art 10,000 capacity arena is under construction and scheduled to open in early 2027. It will be home to a minor league hockey team, concerts, family shows, regional and national sports events, community gatherings, and annual Mardi Gras events. It will include a wide range of premium seating and experiences including suites, clubs, and loge boxes and include over 27,000 square feet of multi-purpose and pre-event space. 

This OVG managed property also consists of the Seanger Theater and the Mobile Convention Center. The Saenger Theater seats 1,900 patrons and hosts over 70,000 guests annually. It is the home of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Lagniappe’s annual Nappie Awards, and has hosted national acts such as The Avett Brothers, Willie Nelson, Chicago, The Black Jacket Symphony, Vince Gill, Bob Dylan and more. 

Responsibilities

• Serves as a key contributor to the growth and profitability of the business, including strategic direction of event related programming at the new arena and the Saenger Theater.
• Establish and implement current & long-term objectives for event programming of all private, public, and ticketed events.
• Energetically promotes the use of all event spaces in conjunction with marketing representatives to increase utilization.
• Develop and maintain high level relationships across the entire live industry.
• Negotiate deal points to ensure maximum revenue streams for the venues.
• Prepares final presentation of all contracts and agreements with promoters, organizers, agents, band managers, and industry professionals.
• Oversee and manage the development of the annual event operating calendar, activity schedules, and projections for attendance and/or revenue.
• Directly accountable for the budgeting and profitability of events and venue programming goals.
• Effective daily communication with directors, managers, associates, and coordinators within the venues.
• Build and maintain positive customer/client relationships by providing efficient, quality services, and products.
• Assist with managing costs to maximize event revenue with Events Department.
• Research, cultivate data, develop pitches with market information to agents and event promoters.
• Facilitate communication between OVG venues and promoters, agents and managers for the betterment of OVG venue content.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• 5-7 years of experience working in an arena and/or stadium or theater.
• 3 years of event programming experience of an arena and/or stadium or theater.
• Bachelor’s degree in business management, hospitality, sports management or other related field and/or equivalent of work experience in live entertainment.
• Experience communicating with and directing staff across a wide range of functions in a fast-paced environment in sports & entertainment industry.
• Previous experience working with professional and collegiate sports, sports tenants, concerts, family shows, and community events.
• Prior responsibility and experience with event calendar and booking software
• Experience and understanding of event ticketing and box-office operations

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Proven relationships and success working with a variety of event promoters
• Proven record of developing and maintaining strong partnerships and collaborative spirit with peers in all venue departments
• Working knowledge of event food & beverage and parking operations
• A high degree of personal integrity and successfully operating in a team environment that values the success of the organization

Strengthened by our Differences. United to Make a Difference

At OVG, we understand that to continue positively disrupting the sports and live entertainment industry, we need a diverse team to help us do it. We also believe that inclusivity drives innovation, strengthens our people, improves our service, and raises our excellence. Our success is rooted in creating environments that reflect and celebrate the diverse communities in which we operate and serve, and this is the reason we are committed to amplifying voices from all different backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Oak View Group is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to veteran status, uniform service member status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.