Senior Director, Building Operations

At Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, we deliver excitement. Our mission is to be the heartbeat of our community by creating connections, building champions, and winning, together. If you’d like to join a team that’s people-first, diverse, innovative, and energized about delivering extraordinary fan experiences to our guests, then we’d love to sign you to a player's contract!

THE POSITION

The Senior Director, Building Operations provides strategic leadership and executive oversight of all facility operations and maintenance across the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC). This role is accountable for building a high‑performing operations organization, ensuring world‑class standards of safety, operational efficiency, fan experience, and asset lifecycle management.

A key strategic focus of this role includes supporting the planning, integration, and operational readiness of the Scotia Place building project, overseeing the transition of operations from the Saddledome to Scotia Place, and leading the decommissioning and end‑of‑life operational strategy for the Saddledome.

The Senior Director works collaboratively across all CSEC departments, providing direction on operational policies, major capital initiatives, and long‑range infrastructure strategies, while ensuring the seamless delivery of services across all facilities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Department Oversight

• Build and sustain a strong, collaborative, and high‑performance culture within the Building Operations team.
• Provide leadership, coaching, succession planning, and development for managers, supervisors, and technical staff across all operational functions.
• Champion an operating environment grounded in exceptional fan experience, operational excellence, and safety-first practices.

Scotia Place Project, Transition & Saddledome Decommissioning

• Serve as a senior operational leader in the Scotia Place building project, contributing to planning, design review, systems integration, operational readiness, and commissioning.
• Lead building operations planning for the transition from the Saddledome to Scotia Place, including staffing plans, training, systems mapping, process redesign, and continuity of operations.
• Oversee the decommissioning of the Saddledome, ensuring responsible asset disposition, safe shutdown procedures, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation throughout end‑of‑life activities.

Operational Excellence & Facility Management

• Oversee the development and execution of facility operations, maintenance programs, and lifecycle strategies to ensure reliability, efficiency, and optimal building performance.
• Continually evaluate and refine operational policies, processes, and service models to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service delivery.
• Provide leadership in environmental sustainability and green building initiatives, driving continuous improvement in energy management and sustainable operations.

Capital & Project Management

• Develop and manage comprehensive business plans including objectives, operating budgets, and capital budgets that support long‑term corporate priorities.
• Lead all major maintenance and capital projects, ensuring proper planning, execution, reporting, and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Participate in the capital specification, procurement, and acquisition of facility equipment, technologies, and infrastructure investments.

Vendor, Contract, & Stakeholder Management

• Oversee procurement, performance management, and evaluation of third‑party facility service providers and contractors.
• Maintain strong, ongoing communication with internal departments to support effective cross‑functional service delivery.
• Represent Building Operations in executive‑level discussions, cross‑departmental committees, and strategic planning groups.

People, Culture & Safety

• Ensure employees are recognized, supported, and provided with resources to excel in their roles.
• Partner with Human Resources to ensure recruitment, workforce planning, and training needs are met.
• Actively champion and participate in organizational safety programs, ensuring compliance with all safety regulations, policies, and procedures.

Other Responsibilities

• Manage additional projects, initiatives, and responsibilities as assigned by the executive leadership team.
• Demonstrate continuous commitment to organizational values, operational excellence, and delivering exceptional experiences for all fans, athletes, partners, and staff.

THE INDIVIDUAL

The ideal individual will have the following background:

• Minimum of 15+ years of managing large public assembly facilities, strong leadership and coaching background;
• Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role
• Previous experience opening sports and entertainment facilities in excess of $50 million required;
• Previous experience delivering major capital renovations for sports and entertainment facilities in excess of $25 million required;
• Profound knowledge of building codes, occupancy and event set up and conversion;
• Knowledge pertaining to ice technology and construction contracting along with project management is considered a strong asset;
• Perform under pressure in a fast paced environment; Ability to work a flexible schedule;
• A self-starter with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbally);
• Ability to handle multiple tasks at once and prioritize effectively;
• Experience in sports and event-based environments is preferred;
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office applications.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Post-secondary education is required and experience working in a sports and event business will be desired.

Details:

Language of work: English

Salary Range: $135,814 to 181,085 annually

Benefits: Health, Dental, HCSA, RRSP program

Contact information: 555 Saddledome Rise SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2W1, [email protected]

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

CSEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on age, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religious belief, or sexual orientation.