Venue & Merch Operations Lead
Location: Calgary, AB
Employment Type: Part-Time, Seasonal (30 hrs/week)
Reports to: VP, Marketing & Communications
Working Location: Hybrid (Game days and some evenings/weekends required)
About Calgary Wild FC
Calgary Wild FC is Calgary’s women’s professional soccer club and a proud competitor in the Northern Super League. We are entering our second season of competition, committed to delivering thrilling matchday experiences and engaging deeply with our fans and community. As a young organization, we operate in a dynamic start-up environment where collaboration, adaptability, and a hands-on approach are highly valued.
Our team is made up of people who are energized by building something new and motivated by the opportunity to shape how this club develops both on and off the pitch. Working with Calgary Wild FC means contributing to a fast-moving organization where ideas are welcomed, roles are multi-faceted, and every team member has a meaningful impact on our success
Position Summary
The Venue & Merch Operations Lead is responsible for overseeing all venue operations and leading the club’s merchandise business. This role ensures a high-quality, safe, and consistent fan experience at every home match while also managing merchandise strategy, execution, and financial performance.
This role is focused on planning, oversight, and accountability. Stadium operations are supported by a dedicated operations team, while merchandise operations are supported by match-day part-time staff. The successful candidate brings strength in negotiating and managing vendor contracts and merchandise/retail management, with the ability to lead across both functions through structure, collaboration, and strong reporting.
Key Responsibilities
Venue Operations & Fan Experience
- Oversees stadium operations and matchday logistics for Calgary Wild FC home matches.
- Manages venue vendor relationships and contracts
- Ensure all stadium operations and workflows are prepared and communicated in advance
- Resolves venue or operational issues during matchday to ensure smooth execution.
Merchandising Strategy & Operations
- Develop and lead the club’s merchandise sales strategy, including product mix and placement, pricing, promotions, and sales goals
- Build and manage the annual merchandise budget, forecasting revenue, costs, and margins
- Ensure merchandise setup locations, layouts, and processes across the stadium support fan flow and maximize sales performance
- Review weekly and monthly merchandise reporting, including inventory levels, sell-through, and financial performance
- Be accountable for the bottom-line performance of the merchandise business, including revenue and margin targets
- Oversee e-commerce merchandise operations and fulfillment, where applicable
- Align in-stadium and online merchandise inventory, pricing, promotions, and reporting
- Identify opportunities to expand or optimize merchandise sales channels over time
Vendor & Partner Management
- Coordinate with facility owners and operators to manage club bookings (permits) and ancillary facility requirements.
- Manage and evaluate key vendors and service providers, including merchandise suppliers, logistics partners, staffing providers, and operational contractors
- Support vendor selection, contract input, and performance reviews in collaboration with the VP, Marketing & Operations
- Serve as the primary operational point of contact for external vendors and partners on matchdays
- Collaborate with Marketing, Ticketing, Partnerships, and Community teams to align matchday operations, promotions, activations, and merchandise initiatives
Operations Leadership & Administration
- Provide leadership and oversight to the Game Day Director, Merchandise Coordinator, and supporting operations staff
- Maintain and continuously improve operational documentation, runbooks, and checklists
- Coordinate with stadium partners, security, and service providers
- Develop, maintain, and communicate emergency response plans in accordance with stadium policies and Northern Super League (NSL) guidelines
- Ensure compliance with league, venue, and safety requirements
- Reallocate approved operations and merchandise budgets within defined parameters, as required
Success Metrics
- Smooth, on-time stadium operations with minimal escalations
- Strong performance and preparedness of game day staff
- Merchandise revenue and margin performance against budget
- Accurate, timely operational and merchandise reporting
- Continuous improvement in systems and execution
Qualifications & Experience
- 5–8+ years of experience in sports operations, stadium operations, retail, or merchandise management
- Demonstrated experience managing vendors in fast-paced environments
- Business acumen with experience managing budgets, revenue targets, or P&L responsibility (merchandise or retail experience strongly preferred)
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Comfortable working evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Operational leadership and oversight
- Financial and budget accountability
- Calm decision-making under pressure
- Clear communication and team coordination
Contact us to apply!
Interested candidates are invited to apply by sending their resume to people@calgarywildfc.com