VP of League Operations

Job description

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.

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Worksite address

charleston, SC, 29408, US

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.