Mega Events Delivery Lead Director

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world's most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

Arcadis is seeking a Mega Events Delivery Lead Director to join the team in Canada or USA. The Mega Events Delivery Lead Director is accountable for the end-to-end strategic leadership, planning, and operational delivery of world-class mega events, with a focus on transportation, mobility, and stakeholder integration. This role will lead large multidisciplinary teams and partner with government, organizing committees, host cities, and delivery partners to ensure seamless, safe, and innovative event operations across multiple venues and jurisdictions.

This role will sit within the larger Global Mobility Business Area. We partner with our clients across the globe to design thriving and connected cities and communities that enable opportunity for all and keep the world moving. Climate change, urbanization and digitization trends are requiring today's mobility projects and systems to address an evolving set of demands from the world's growing population. We design connected, sustainable solutions that integrate existing infrastructure with new technologies, and optimize the mobility of people and goods.

Role accountabilities:

The Mega Events Delivery Lead Director demonstrates visionary leadership and strategic thinking, with a proven ability to drive large-scale programmes from concept to successful delivery. They possess advanced stakeholder management, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, underpinned by deep expertise in transportation operations, venue and city integration, and event logistics. Strong analytical abilities, risk management acumen, and sound decision-making capabilities are essential for this role. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills in English are required, with proficiency in French and Spanish considered advantageous. High emotional intelligence, resilience, and agility under pressure are key attributes, alongside proficiency in performance management, data analysis, and the use of digital collaboration tools.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Program Management

• Lead the overall planning and integrated delivery of all operational elements for major international events (e.g. Olympic/Paralympic Games, etc.).
• Develop and communicate the strategic vision for event delivery, translating it into actionable business and operational plans.
• Oversee program management, milestone tracking, budget allocation, and resource management to ensure all objectives are met on time and within budget.

Stakeholder & Partner Integration

• Build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse array of stakeholders: municipal, provincial, and national governments; venue owners; host organisers; senior management; and delivery partners.
• Drive integration of all event functions (transport, security, technology, logistics, etc.) across organizing committees and host city teams.
• Act as a principal liaison for external agencies, ensuring alignment of goals and effective escalation/resolution of issues.

Transport & Mobility Operations

• Oversee the planning and execution of complex, multi-venue transport and mobility strategies, ensuring safe, efficient, and accessible movement for all client groups.
• Champion operational readiness exercises, risk analysis, and mitigation planning, including the operation of transport control centres and incident management.
• Direct the integration of intelligent transportation systems, wayfinding, and real-time information solutions.

Operational Readiness & Change Management

• Lead operational readiness and test event programs, ensuring teams and systems are prepared for live operations.
• Drive organizational and cultural change initiatives required for event delivery and transition phases.
• Continuously assess and improve business processes, embedding best practices for event and legacy operations.

People Leadership & Culture

• Recruit, inspire, and develop high-performing teams in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments.
• Foster a positive and motivating culture, ensuring staff are empowered to deliver creative solutions and adapt to evolving requirements.
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across all event operations.

Communications & Negotiation

• Serve as a senior spokesperson and negotiator with public, private, and media stakeholders.
• Oversee the creation of clear, actionable communications for internal teams and external partners.
• Ensure transparent, timely, and effective communication across all levels of the organisation.

Qualifications & Experience:

Required Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Business Administration, Urban Planning, Operations Management, or related field desirable. 
• Minimum 20 years' progressive experience in global event management, including multiple Olympic, World Cup, or equivalent mega events.
• Proven track record of executive-level programme and project management in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Extensive experience integrating and collaborating with senior stakeholders across government, venue owners, and delivery partners.
• Deep operational readiness, business process management, and change management expertise in event and organizational transition settings.
• Demonstrated experience managing large budgets and complex resource allocations.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with legacy planning and post-event transition.
• International work experience, ideally across North America and Europe.
• Familiarity with public sector procurement, contract management, and policy development.
• Professional memberships (e.g., International Live Events Association, Project Management Institute).

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It's why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You'll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you'll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

The salary range for this position is $114,590-212,810.. The base salary represents Arcadis' hiring range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as location, skills, experience, and qualification for the role.

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