FIFA Fan Festival & Host City Events Manager

Main Purpose and Function

The FIFA Fan Festival & Host City Events Manager is responsible for supporting the City of Vancouver in successfully delivering assigned FIFA World Cup 26™ host city obligations through the planning, leadership and oversight of end-to-end operations of the FIFA Fan Festival and managing the planning and progress for the delivery of all other events related to the FIFA World Cup 26™.

The position serves in a leadership position for the City of Vancouver internal FIFA World Cup 26™ (FWC26) Host Committee, and oversees all workstreams related to the Fan Festival including initiation, planning, execution, control and closure.

The position will also be responsible for overseeing the delivery of ancillary events and Host City events tied to the FWC26.

This project is a multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative and a key part of the delivery of the world’s biggest sporting event.

This position develops and maintains a wide range of business relationships, working extensively with external partner organisations including FIFA, FIFA Canada Entity, the provincial and federal governments, the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a range of other public sector entities, other FWC26 Host Cities, contractors, vendors, and a large number of for-profit and non-profit organizations that are affiliated with the planning and delivery of the FIFA World Cup 26.

The role also ensures the City of Vancouver’s objectives and Council priorities are integrated into the planning and delivery of the FIFA World Cup 26 in Vancouver, maximizing the return on social, economic and legacy benefits for the citizens and businesses of Vancouver.

The FIFA Fan Festival & Host City Events Manager is required to provide the FCW26 Host Committee with objective and comprehensive business and process analysis of the project, staffing and service, and provide recommendations based on the analysis performed.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Manages and leads progress in the planning for the FIFA Fan Festival in Vancouver : Oversees all operational aspects of the fan festival, including budgeting, resource allocation, and procurement, to ensure efficient and effective delivery of the event.

Working with event production resources, develops and implements a comprehensive fan engagement strategy, incorporating innovative and immersive experiences to create a memorable and inclusive festival atmosphere.

Manages event costs to approved budget while following official tracking, reporting and change requests and set out by the Host Committee team.

Supports the overall project delivery team (including PavCo and the Province) to generate significant commercial interest in the FIFA World Cup 26 and look for opportunities to offset costs and expenses.

Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders, including FIFA, sponsors, and partners, to maximize the festival's impact and create synergies with other FIFA World Cup 26™ initiatives.

Manages vendor relationships and contracts, negotiating terms and ensuring timely delivery of goods and services in line with quality standards and budget requirements.

Works with delivery partners to ensure compliance with regulations, obtain necessary permits, and manage logistical challenges.

Oversees the development and execution of the festival's marketing and communication plans in consideration of the overall FIFA World Cup 26 Vancouver™ Marketing and Communications Strategy, working closely with the comms / marketing team to drive awareness, engagement, and attendance.

Implements comprehensive safety and security protocols, coordinating with relevant agencies and implementing risk management strategies to safeguard attendees and protect the festival's reputation.

Leads site visit planning including coordination of attendees, workshops meetings and materials.

Leads and manages the strategic planning, development, and execution of the FIFA ancillary events, Host City events and Community Events plans related to FIFA World Cup 26™, aligning them with the overall Vancouver’ experience objectives for the FIFA World Cup 26™ : Supports the Host City Operations Lead with end-to-end project planning, coordination, implementation, administration and evaluation of event related initiatives.

Support events operational planning and preparedness, time service delivery, and post evaluation and documentation. Working with partners like FIFA, Host City Toronto (and other host cities), TSN, etc.

create strategies and plans that other communities could activate (within and outside Vancouver). Oversee vendor coordination, fan engagement initiatives, and logistics related to Host City events for the FIFA World Cup 26™.

Maintain an overall view of all events’ tied to FIFA World Cup 26™ addressing conflicts, resolving issues and engaging with stakeholders as necessary.

Provide strategic advice, technical coordination and related support for public and other special events which aim to raise the Host City's profile (i.

e. 1 year countdown events, and Tournament-related announcements). Main resource for inquiries about the City's events structures, responsibilities and activities.

First point of contact for community events and coordinate as necessary. Main point of contact and liaison for licensing approvals for events.

Provides leadership, direction, and guidance to a team of event professionals, third-party producers and others; fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment.

Manages project team, assigns work to project team members, specifying deliverables, timelines and quality expectations.

Analyzes and monitors key performance indicators, attendee feedback, and market trends to assess the success of the fan festival and identify areas for improvement and innovation.

Prepares comprehensive reports and presentations for senior executives, providing updates on the event portfolio’s progress, outcomes, and financial performance.

Oversight of how event portfolio impacts overall strategies and plans for delivery including transportation and mobility, safety and security, volunteer and workforce management.

Deals with highly confidential matters such as intergovernmental relations, intellectual property negotiations, and the contractual agreements between FIFA, external partners, and the City of Vancouver .

During the Tournament, the role will transition into day-to-day coordination of aspects of Tournament Operations in the FIFA Fan Festival and Host City Events space, including and all aspects related to the resolution of issues.

Other duties / responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience :

Bachelor’s degree or similar level of education in business, marketing, meeting and event management, or a related discipline, and 10+ years of large-scale event planning experience;

or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

• Experience working in sporting events;
• Substantial experience planning and delivering large complex events;
• Significant experience working directly with executives, senior management, boards of directors or other governance bodies;
• Experience working in an environment that balances public policy and business objectives, and / or knowledge of or experience with local government issues and with negotiations, ideally in the realm of sport hosting;
• Experience managing project teams;
• Experience managing budgets;
• Formal training and / or experience in process improvement and analysis is an asset.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of large-scale event planning
• Superior relationship development skills
• Extensive project management skills
• Extensive business relationship skills, convening and collaborating with a wide range of individuals and organizations outside of the City of Vancouver
• Ability to manage project teams;
• Ability to lead and mentor high-performing project teams comprised of a mix of professional, technical and administrative staff
• Agility and calm, creative problem-solving in the face of adversity
• Business, intergovernmental, and stakeholder relationship management skills
• Business and project planning and project management skills
• Leadership skills, balancing independence, initiative and decisiveness with good judgement and a collaborative approach
• Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to bring together people with a diverse set of interests, styles and areas of expertise, and align them toward a unified goal
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to concurrently manage multiple tasks and competing priorities, and knowledge of project management methodologies
• Advanced negotiation skills

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite.

At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit / Department : Office of the City Manager (1010)