Full Time
Charleston, SC
Posted 2 months ago
Closes: September 30, 2026

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NCAA Olympic & Youth Sports League – Architect Competition Excellence

About Us

We are launching a transformational professional and youth sports league with $2.5 billion in equity capital being raised. Our mission is to revolutionize Olympic sports in America by creating a sustainable ecosystem that spans professional competition, comprehensive youth development, and world-class infrastructure.

Our Scope & Scale:

School Partnerships: Licensing NCAA Division I brands from 50 schools in Year 1, scaling to 300 schools by Year 6
Sports Coverage: 12 Olympic sports (soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, hockey, baseball, softball, and more)
Geographic Reach: 4 regions, 200+ teams competing across the United States
Competition Structure: Professional and youth teams (U10-U23) competing mid-August through mid-May
Annual Games: 5,000+ competitive matches across all levels and sports at full scale
Athletes: 15,000+ professional and youth athletes competing annually

The League Operations Challenge:

Competition Design: Create competition formats for 12 sports across 4 regions
Scheduling Complexity: Schedule 5,000+ games annually across multiple sports and age levels
Rules & Governance: Establish league rules, officiating standards, and competition policies
Season Management: Operate 9-month competitive season (mid-August to mid-May)
Multi-Sport Coordination: Coordinate schedules across 12 different sports simultaneously
Regional Structure: Manage 4 regions with 50 teams each (200 teams total at scale)
Tournament Operations: Execute regional and national championship tournaments
Travel Coordination: Coordinate team travel for shared transportation system
Quality Control: Ensure consistent, high-quality competition across all levels

This is the most complex multi-sport league launch in modern history, requiring world-class operational excellence from day one.

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: $900,000 total compensation

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)

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

Experience:

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

Resources & Support:

$2.5B in equity capital being raised provides resources for operational excellence
Strong executive support for operations-first culture
Authority to implement best-in-class systems and technology
Budget to recruit top officiating and operations talent

Compensation & Upside:

Highly competitive compensation package ($900K total)
Significant performance bonus tied to operational excellence ($175K target)
Substantial equity upside as league grows
Potential for advancement to COO or Chief Competition Officer role

Professional Growth:

Master multi-sport league operations at unprecedented scale
Build comprehensive operations expertise across all aspects
Establish yourself as thought leader in sports operations
Create portfolio of operational excellence spanning 12 sports

Legacy:

Be the architect of competition operations for transformational league
Your operational systems will serve 300 schools and millions of athletes
Build operational standards that influence entire sports industry
Create competitive experiences that inspire next generation

Application Process

Timeline:

Applications Reviewed: Rolling basis, priority given to early applications
First Round: Virtual interviews with COO and Head of Competitive Sports (1 hour)
Second Round: Full-day onsite with executive team including CEO, CFO, CRO
Third Round (if applicable): Meetings with board members or sports advisors
Final Round: Case presentation on Year 1 operations strategy including:
- Recommended competition format for 2-3 sports
- Approach to master scheduling (methodology, constraints, priorities)
- Officiating program design and recruitment strategy
- Game day operations standards
- Technology platform recommendations
- 12-month operational timeline and milestones
- Key risks and mitigation strategies
Offer: Anticipated in Q4 2026

What to Include:

Resume highlighting league operations experience and accomplishments
Cover letter addressing:
- Your most significant operational achievements (scale, complexity, impact)
- Your approach to building league operations from the ground up
- Your experience with multi-sport or large-scale operations
- Why you’re passionate about Olympic sports and this opportunity
- Any relevant experience with the specific sports in the league
3-5 professional references from league/competition management roles (please do not contact without permission)
Optional: Brief POV (1-2 pages) on competition format design, scheduling philosophy, or operational priorities

Confidentiality: Please indicate in your cover letter if you require discretion during the interview process.

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.