Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Global Events & Operations
Location: London (with global travel)
Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Sela International are a dynamic creator of spectacular experiences across the sports and
entertainment industries. Building on a world-class reputation and recent
international success across London and Los Angeles, we have established a global
office in London to develop and deliver world-leading projects outside the Middle
East.
Our ambition is to build a global portfolio of sports and entertainment properties,
providing commercial, operational, creative and strategic expertise. As part of this
growth, we are seeking a driven Partnership Director to help deliver our partnerships
at our events, drive incremental revenues and deliver exceptional value across our
clients and owned properties.
Role Purpose
The COO is the primary architect of the company’s global operational infrastructure and the custodian of delivery excellence. As we scale from a \"boutique creator\" to a \"global market leader,\" the COO will translate our spectacular creative vision into a sustainable, profitable, and world-class international business.
The COO will oversee all operational, logistical, and structural functions, ensuring that our successes are codified into a repeatable, scalable, and \"systems-led\" global model.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Operational Leadership & Scaling
* The Global Blueprint: Design and execute the operational \"blueprint\" for new international offices, ensuring seamless logistical and cultural integration between London and future territories.
* Event-as-a-Product: Transform \"event delivery\" into a standardised, repeatable \"Product\" by implementing robust frameworks, protocols, and PMO (Project Management Office) methodologies.
* International Mobilisation: Lead the rapid deployment of teams, assets across borders, owning the strategy for \"landing\" in new territories and establishing operational dominance.
2. Tactical Financial & Resource Control
* Burn Rate Mitigation: Directly address and eliminate operational \"leakage.\" You are responsible for replacing high-cost temporary cover with a sustainable, high-performing permanent staffing model.
* P&L Ownership: Monitor production budgets and oversee the operational P&L for all projects. Ensure that the ambition of a \"spectacular experience\" is balanced by disciplined cost control and margin protection.
* Supply Chain Excellence: Build a global network of \"Tier 1\" vendors (Security, Overlay, Tech, H&S). Negotiate master service agreements to optimise spend and ensure quality.
3. People, Infrastructure & Resilience
* Global Talent Strategy: Oversee the recruitment and retention of elite teams. Manage the complexities of international employment, global mobility, and cross-border compliance.
* Organisational Stability: Build a culture of accountability and excellence, ensuring the department remains stable during high-pressure growth phases or staffing transitions.
4. Growth, Quality & Compliance
* Commercial Feasibility: Act as the \"Reality Check\" for the CEO and Business Development teams, ensuring that bids for major global events are operationally viable and commercially sound.
* Risk & Safety: Define and enforce global Health, Safety, and Security (HSS) protocols. Ensure compliance with international labour laws and local regulatory requirements across the portfolio.
* Stakeholder Credibility: Represent the business at the highest level with government bodies, stadium owners, and sports federations as the definitive voice on event delivery.
Qualifications & Experience
* 10+ Years Experience: Proven track record at an Executive/C-Suite level within sports, entertainment, or large-scale live production.
* The \"Builder\" Mindset: Demonstrated ability to transition a company from \"founder-led\" delivery to \"systems-led\" institutional excellence.
* Global Operations Expert: Success in managing complex operations and cross-border workforces across multiple jurisdictions (UK, US, Middle East, Europe).
* Financial Acumen: Deep experience in managing large-scale P&Ls and driving operational efficiencies to protect margins.
* Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Operations, or a related field.
We are committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our
workforce and recruitment and eliminating unlawful discrimination.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to a DBS background check.