Director of Programming

About Us:

Climate Pledge Arena is the complete redevelopment of an historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Sitting at the base of the Space Needle on the Seattle Center campus, the arena is home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA's Seattle Storm, and the world's biggest performers of live music and events. Since opening in October 2021, we have hosted over 400 public events and welcomed over 4 million guests. The arena has been awarded Sports Business Journal’s Sports Facility of the Year and Pollstar’s best new concert venue and is consistently ranked within Pollstar’s top 10 for top grossing arenas worldwide.

Seattle Arena Company, a division of Oak View Group (OVG), privately developed and now operates Climate Pledge Arena. OVG based in Denver, Colorado is a global leader in facility development, management, hospitality, and sales.

Climate Pledge Arena is named after The Climate Pledge, an initiative founded by Amazon and Global Optimism asking global corporations to become net zero carbon by 2040. We have one of the most progressive sustainability programs of any arena our size, including being the first and only arena in the world to achieve the International Future Living Institute’s first Zero Carbon Certification.

Position Summary:

The Director of Programming is a member of the leadership team at Climate Pledge Arena, located on site at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington and report directly to the Senior Vice President of Programming. The position will collaborate on facility usage requests, maintaining and distributing the booking calendar to both internal and external clients as needed. The Director of Programming shall be responsible for integrating OVG booking practices and new business opportunities into Climate Pledge Arena. We are currently seeking a Director of Programming that is proactive, driven and collaborative. This person will report directly to the Senior Vice President Programming and will be responsible for, but not limited to the following:

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serve as a key contributor to the planning, coordinating, and scheduling of all non-sporting tenant, non-Seattle Kraken, ticketed events held at Climate Pledge Arena.
• Work with Finance team to produce event pro-forma and assist in new event creation
• Coordinate on deal negotiation proposals to the Senior Vice President and General Manager, including rentals, co-promotions, and direct buying of talent as needed.
• Strategize with OVG corporate and Senior Vice President of Programming, on programming premier, top selling and grossing events.
• Work with Climate Pledge Arena Marketing staff on industry branding initiatives, trade publication ads and gifting
• Serves as link to OVG Corporate Booking department & Alliance to stay current on all content initiatives, booking intel and leads
• Lead weekly booking meetings
• Attend industry events including but not limited to Arena Alliance Summit, VenuesNow, IEBA, Pollstar and industry mixers and coordinate industry meeting strategies and messaging
• Establish and enhance an expansive network of event producers, promoters, artist agents / managers and other clients to bring more concerts, sports and other to the venue
• Develop bid proposals for potential clients and follow through on pending booking
• Identify low-usage periods and formulate strategies to increase facility usage and revenue production during these periods
• Other duties as assigned

Required Experience & Qualifications:

• 7+ years experience booking arena, stadium or theaters content with direct function in a fast-paced environment in sports & entertainment industry

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Hospitality or Facilities Management or other related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required
• Prior responsibility and experience for calendar and scheduling for and working with a professional sports team and use of booking software
• Proven record of relationship and success working with various promoters, agents, and managers
• Experience with creating successful initiatives that focus on the fan and tour experience
• Possess strong organizational skills, a strategic thinker and planner with a proven track record of success
• Proven record of developing and maintaining strong partnerships and collaborative spirit with peers in all lines of the business
• Must be a cross-organizational collaborator. Solid experience in leading, motivating and collaborating with employees & colleagues
• A high degree of personal integrity and consistently put the interests of the organization ahead of their own
• Ability to work flexible hours required.
• Must be adaptable with the ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with an expert ability to present and communicate new ideas and concepts.

Working Conditions:

• Intermittent travel (<20% travel): may be required to travel. Trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay away from home for one or more nights.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule inclusive of weekends, nights and holidays required
• Frequent bending, lifting 15 – 20 pounds, sitting, exposure to multiple external elements, extensive walking through the building

Compensation:

• In accordance with the Washington State Equal Pay and Opportunity Act, the expected base pay range for this position is $120,000.00 - $160,000.00 annually. Actual base pay will depend on employee’s experience and other job-related factors permitted by law.
• This role is classified as full-time, exempt.
• We believe it takes a great team to build an award-winning organization. As an impactful member of the team, this role is bonus eligible.

Benefits & Perks:

• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, including premiums for eligible dependents enrolled in the plans
• Company-paid life insurance and short- & long-term disability insurance
• 401k (pre-tax and Roth) with Company match up to 4%
• Kraken ticket stipend and employee only pre-sale opportunities to non-Kraken events
• Annual wellness stipend for mental & physical health
• Monthly cell phone stipend
• 15 vacation days, 10 personal holidays, and accrued sick time
• Minimum 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid parental leave
• Company-paid Orca, local transit card
• Corporate office located at Climate Pledge Arena; complimentary Arena garage parking offered
• Employee meal perks
• Company-paid employee assistance program and Headspace subscription
• Company-wide recognition platform
• Flexible spending accounts and voluntary accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance available
• Discounts at the Kraken Team Stores, Kraken Community Iceplex, 32 Bar & Grill, and other partners

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Hiring:

Climate Pledge Arena aspires to write a new playbook in sports and entertainment that includes everyone. In alignment with this vision, if you don’t meet every job requirement listed—or if you haven’t worked in the industry or are still learning about the industry—we still encourage you to apply. We understand you may bring other relevant experiences and expertise to help us become the highest performance organization we can be. One of our core values is ‘Make Us Better’ and we recognize diversity, equity and inclusion as a critical business strategy. If you’d like to request an accommodation in the application or interview process, please let us know by emailing: jobs@climatepledgearena.com.

Seattle Hockey Partners, LLC and Seattle Arena Company, LLC are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We do not discriminate on basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.