Location
London Office (Aldwych) with travel to the United States required during the tournament.

Hours
Fixed-Term Contract until August 2026. Flexible working hours including weekends and match days, with availability required for onsite event support during FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament phases.

Salary
Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

About the Role
THE·TEAM operates at the epicenter of sports, music, and entertainment, serving talent, brands, and properties globally. We are seeking an experienced Ticketing Director to lead end-to-end ticketing operations and guest management for a major football hospitality programme for FIFA World Cup 2026. Based in London, you will oversee the entire ticketing process—from planning and allocation to on-site delivery—while managing a bespoke ticket and guest management system.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the world’s biggest sporting events, working closely with global stakeholders, VIP clients, and internal teams to deliver a seamless guest experience.

Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the planning, development, and delivery of the ticketing and hospitality programme across all phases of the FIFA World Cup project.
- Manage a core ticketing team of 4, overseeing all ticketing operations.
- Serve as the primary client liaison for ticketing matters, ensuring compliance with FIFA regulations.
- Define and implement guest journey mapping and ticket distribution strategies aligned with FIFA standards and client requirements.
- Drive project governance including timelines, milestones, reporting, and tracking.
- Collaborate with other operational teams such as accreditation, transport, accommodation, and F&B to ensure a cohesive guest experience.
- Oversee vendor management, ensuring service excellence and alignment with deliverables.
- Manage programme budget, track expenditures, and produce financial reports.
- Lead configuration, testing, and rollout of ticketing systems in partnership with internal and external teams.
- Maintain detailed oversight of ticket inventory, allocations, contingencies, and real-time tracking.
- Ensure compliance with FIFA protocols, GDPR, and legal requirements.
- Lead troubleshooting and escalation workflows for ticketing issues pre-event and live.
- Produce regular operational reports and post-event audit documentation.
- Act as senior ticketing contact onsite during the tournament, managing extended ticket operations managers.
- Coordinate with stadium hospitality teams to implement last-minute operational changes.
- Develop and implement contingency plans for critical risk areas.
- Manage support teams during onsite emergencies to minimize disruption.
- Mentor and manage junior ticketing and guest services staff.
- Analyze post-event data and stakeholder feedback to identify improvements.

This role demands a proactive leader with excellent communication skills, strong project management capabilities, and the ability to work effectively under pressure in a dynamic, international environment.

Experience
- Proven experience (7+ years) in account management, event operations, or ticketing for major international events, preferably sports tournaments.
- Extensive knowledge of ticketing platforms, CRM systems, and digital ticket distribution technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex operational delivery and high-level stakeholders under tight timelines.
- Strong project management skills including budgeting, planning, and team coordination.
- Experience managing third-party vendors and contractors is desirable.

About You
- Highly organised, solution-oriented, and capable of working under pressure in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to navigate diverse cultural environments.
- Proactive problem solver with the ability to make timely decisions.
- Ability to lead, mentor, and manage diverse teams effectively.
- Availability for international travel and flexible working hours including weekends and match days.
- Fluency in English is essential; additional languages, particularly Spanish, are an asset.

Qualifications
- Relevant qualifications in event management, project management, or related fields are advantageous but not mandatory.
- Strong understanding of data privacy, guest data lifecycle management, and regulatory compliance including GDPR.
- Proven track record in operational readiness, compliance, and contingency planning for large-scale events.