Tech Site Manager EMEA

About SailGP is racing redefined. The sport’s pinnacle league, SailGP was established in 2018 and is headquartered in London and New Zealand. The annual, global championship aims to Race for the Future by showcasing the power of nature and accelerating change. The fan‑centric, inshore racing takes place among the sport’s top athletes in some of the most iconic harbours around the world and offers the sport’s largest monetary prize of $1 million. Rival national teams battle it out in identical supercharged F50 catamarans, engineered for intense racing at electrifying speeds exceeding 60 mph / 100 kph. In 2020, SailGP set a new standard as the first climate‑positive sports and entertainment property and began delivering actions and innovations that advance the global adoption of clean energy. Underpinning the organization’s purpose‑driven agenda is a diversification of the league, with the goal of immediately progressing gender equity and racial inclusivity. SailGP is a global organization with defined values that shape the culture of its diverse team: deliver the best, break boundaries, make an impact, stand together, and strike a balance.

Job Summary The SailGP Global Operations team is looking for an experienced Operations Manager for the Tech Site. The Tech Site is home to all Sailing Teams and Tech Team. This position will support the Global Operations team with all technical site operations for each SailGP event with primary focus on the design of the site and delivery of both owned and locally rented temporary infrastructure. This position will be working with internal departments, outside vendors/suppliers, partners, and local teams to coordinate all logistics and operations to execute each assigned event.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Reports to Tech Site Operations lead.
• Designs site overlay (including but not limited to existing permanent facilities at the tech site, temporary infrastructure rented locally, and temporary infrastructure travelled from event to event) while integrating the requirements of cross departmental needs to produce one cohesive site experience.
• Develops and manages all versions of the CAD drawings. Communicates updates working with the Overlay team who will lead on all drawings.
• Provides designs to local operations teams and communicates regularly with them to keep pace with local permitting.
• Manages the pre‑planning, build, operations, and de‑rig of the site in collaboration with the local operations team.
• Manages schedules, plans, infrastructure requirements, consumption reports and any other documentation associated with the role.
• Works with SailGP's global suppliers and assists with management of all local vendors, suppliers, and contractors.
• Manages local operations teams to plan and deliver all locally rented and required infrastructure, utilities, and services; including, but not limited to cranes and MHE, temporary docks and moorings, tents, portacabins, furniture, toilets, fencing, fibre, waste management, water, power, catering, security and cleaning.
• Works within the procurement process as it relates to technical site vendors, suppliers, contractors.
• Manages the load‑in, placement, levelling and load‑out of the containers in conjunction with the Head of Tech Site Operations and Logistics provider.
• Works with the Operations team and Tech Site Manager to ensure the safe and effective operation of the tech site - shares information, maintains clear lines of communication, implements SOPs and H&S guidelines, reports issues and solves where appropriate, reports incidents or concerns, ensures daily routines are followed by local site staff, ensures daily checks are carried out, keeps site clean, tidy and safe at all times.
• Supports SailGP Tech Team, Technology Team, Broadcast Team, Content Team, Digital Team, Hospitality Team and all other departments as reasonably expected, including staying up to date on daily program changes to ensure smooth site operations.
• Any other reasonable tasks as directed by the Head of Tech Site Operations.
• Additional accountability for real‑time decision making onsite when scope, schedule or conditions change.
• Proactive identification of operational gaps between design intent and site reality.
• Ownership of last minute problem solving to avoid escalation where possible.

Key Expectations:

• Champions an inclusive environment where diversity is valued.
• Advocates and promotes SailGP Values and contributes to a positive culture.
• Operates with a financially responsible mindset and strives for the commercial sustainability of SailGP.
• Considers how each team action contributes to Better Sport, Better Planet.

Background:

• Bachelor's Degree required or equivalent qualifications required.
• 5+ years of experience in live, large‑scale events for sports and entertainment industries at management level.
• Experience with temporary events in non‑permanent venues.
• Experience with and ability to operate heavy machinery.
• Experience with and ability to mark sites and build from CAD maps.
• Strong relationships in place with local vendors, suppliers, contractors.
• Strong working knowledge of MS Office, Adobe, Keynote, Google Drive.
• AutoCAD or SketchUp abilities are required or desire to learn.
• Proven experience operating in high‑pressure, multi‑stakeholder live environments.
• Demonstrated history of working through incomplete information and evolving scopes.
• Strong understanding of port, marina or industrial style venues.

Attributes:

• Strong strategic thinking capabilities with demonstrated problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to operate both independently and in a collaborative, team environment.
• Entrepreneurial and passionate with a desire to exceed expectations.
• Superior organization, prioritization, and project management skills.
• Extremely strong attention to detail with the ability to multi‑task and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
• Ability to work effectively and thrive in a fast‑paced, start‑up environment.
• Self‑starter, action‑oriented, resourceful; can take a project or program from start to completion.
• Culturally sensitive and able to effectively work globally.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Must be able to work events from start to finish throughout the year including nights, weekends, holidays.
• High emotional resilience and ability to remain effective during long event cycles.
• Natural authority onsite combined with collaborative leadership style.
• Strong instinct for operational risk and prioritisation under pressure.

Location: Hybrid working model with a minimum of 3 days per week in the London Office. Frequent international travel is required.

SailGP is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace committed to building a team culture that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion.