Chief Operating Officer (Events)

Some people see 20,000 fans. You see 20,000 moving parts!

A sold-out arena isn't just a crowd. It's transport arriving on time. Security operating seamlessly. Catering keeping pace. Technology staying one step ahead. Control rooms making the right call in the right moment. Hundreds of people working together as one team.

And somehow making all of that look effortless!

We're looking for a Chief Operating Officer (Events) to lead the operational engine behind Aviva Arena, Bristol. This is a rare opportunity to shape, mobilise and lead a major live entertainment destination, creating the systems, culture and partnerships required to deliver world-class events at scale.

With responsibility for delivering up to 140 event days per year, you'll provide executive leadership across security, safety, transport, technology, production and catering, leading an operational organisation of approximately 30 permanent colleagues and an event-day workforce of up to 750 people through specialist delivery partners.

You'll also hold accountability for the event operations budget, with significant influence over venue profitability through operational efficiency, supplier performance, service delivery and commercial outcomes.

You'll be the person who can look at a venue full of moving parts and immediately know which one isn't moving quite right.

What you'll do

• Turn ambitious event plans into reality, whether that's a sold-out concert, a major sporting event, or something Bristol has never seen before.
• Build the operational blueprint that takes events from "great idea" to "gates open" and then safely back again.
• Be the conductor of a very large orchestra, bringing together security, safety, transport, technology, production, catering, merchandise and delivery partners into one seamless operation.
• Lead opening readiness, test events and operational mobilisation, making sure no stone, barrier, turnstile or contingency plan is left unchecked.
• Create an operation that is calm when things go to plan and exceptional when they don't.
• Oversee event-day control room operations, helping teams make smart decisions in real time when the stakes are highest.
• Own the operational budget and constantly look for ways to improve performance, increase efficiency and protect profitability without compromising experience.
• Build strong relationships with promoters, emergency services, local authorities, regulators and partners, because great events don't happen in silos.
• Lead the venue's Security and Safety strategy, ensuring the arena is not only compliant but recognised as an industry-leading operation.
• Set the standards, raise the standards and then raise them again through innovation, insight and continuous improvement.
• Inspire an operational workforce that ranges from specialist internal teams to hundreds of event-day colleagues and partners.

What you'll need

• A career that's already placed you at the sharp end of live events, arenas, stadia, visitor attractions or equally complex operational environments.
• The ability to keep your head when everyone else is looking for theirs.
• Experience leading large-scale, safety-critical public operations where there are no dress rehearsals and every decision matters.
• Commercial instincts that are as strong as your operational ones, with experience managing budgets, supplier performance and operational delivery at scale.
• A deep understanding of crowd dynamics, venue readiness, incident management, resilience planning and operational governance.
• Experience opening venues, mobilising major operations or taking organisations through critical readiness phases.
• A leadership style that earns trust quickly, builds high-performing teams and gets people pulling in the same direction.
• The credibility to walk into a Board meeting, a promoter briefing or a meeting with emergency services and immediately add value.
• A natural ability to spot risks before they become problems and opportunities before anyone else sees them.
• The energy, resilience and ambition to help establish one of the UK's most exciting live entertainment venues.
• Professional qualifications or ongoing development in venue operations, safety, security, event management or business leadership would be beneficial.

What you'll receive

• A combined pension contribution of up to 20%.
• 25 days' holiday rising to 28 with length of service.
• A car allowance.
• Performance-related bonus.
• Private healthcare.
• The opportunity to sell up to five days of holiday every year.
• The opportunity to buy up to ten days of holiday each year (subject to conditions).
• A healthcare package that allows you to claim back healthcare costs.
• Life assurance of up to eight times your salary.
• The opportunity to lease a new electric car through salary sacrifice (subject to conditions).
• Cashback and discounts from more than 3,000 retailers.
• One paid volunteering day each year.
• Enhanced family leave and pay arrangements.
• Access to an interactive health and wellbeing platform.
• Support from trained mental health first aiders.
• A £1,000 referral fee if you recommend someone who is successfully recruited by us.

Who we are

YTL UK is part of the international YTL Group based in Kuala Lumpur. The UK companies include:

• Wessex Water – one of the top-performing water and sewerage companies in England and Wales, serving 2.9 million people across the South West
• YTL Developments – a major UK developer currently redeveloping a 450-acre former airfield into an award-winning, exciting mix of houses, apartments, schools, commercial space, restaurants and hotels, to make a truly sustainable new community
• YTL Construction UK – a top 20 UK contractor providing fully integrated services to infrastructure, residential, commercial, industry, energy and environmental sectors
• YTL Live – the development and operation of an entertainment complex that includes a 20,000 capacity arena, conferencing and exhibition space
• plus a number of other retail, environmental and specialist businesses.

Our people tell us that YTL UK is a great place to work, which is why so many of them stay with us! You will have a unique opportunity to develop and progress your career within such a diverse group.

We are passionate about diversity and inclusion – with that in mind, all applicants are welcome.  We are delighted to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and are a Disability Confident Employer.

If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process, please inform a member of our Recruitment team.