Hospitality and Operations Director (Sports Cars)

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Position: Hospitality and Operations Director (Sports Cars) 

Location – Silverstone, UK – Hybrid working (at least 3 days in the office) with global travel 

Term – Full-time, employed 

Salary – Dependent on experience 

About Us 

Ignition Collective is a forward-thinking sports and entertainment marketing agency that does brilliant things, together. We specialise in delivering exceptional marketing and client service solutions, building partnerships that inspire creativity and drive real results across sport, entertainment, and special projects. We’re passionate about igniting ideas and fuelling possibilities, bringing energy, innovation, and impact to everything we do. 

The Role 

Be part of Ford Racing’s next chapter in endurance racing. As Hospitality and Operations Director at Ignition Collective, you will be responsible for delivering Ignition’s hospitality activation services for Ford Racing’s sports car programme – predominantly in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), with the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the heart of the story. 

You will lead the end-to-end planning, procurement, management and delivery of the trackside hospitality operation across the race team hospitality function in Europe and private VIP guest hospitality at selected races. Working with specialist teams and suppliers, you will own delivery of the agreed services, creating experiences that connect with guests, partners and audiences around the world. 

Reporting to the Account Director, you will lead a Senior Hospitality Manager, setting clear priorities, overseeing their development and take responsibility for delivery quality, budgets and account profitability, with the client’s objectives and the agreed agency scope guiding the work. 

You will work closely with senior client stakeholders, rights holders and Ignition’s specialists to develop hospitality plans for client approval and lead their delivery throughout the WEC season. Based at Silverstone with hybrid working, the role includes international travel, race-weekend working and hands-on responsibility at events. 

 If you love motorsport and want to bring an ambitious international programme to life trackside, this is your chance to make your mark. Bring your leadership, ideas and drive to Ignition Collective, and help create outstanding experiences throughout the programme. 

Key Responsibilities 

Programme Strategy, Procurement & Delivery 

• Own the end-to-end race team and guest hospitality operation, from initial scoping and supplier sourcing through to contracting, mobilisation, onsite delivery and review 
• Lead the sourcing and appointment of hospitality suppliers, including developing briefs, managing tenders, evaluating proposals and recommending suppliers 
• Lead supplier negotiations and manage the contracting process in partnership with Legal and Procurement, ensuring scope, costs, service levels and deliverables are clearly agreed 
• Manage supplier performance against agreed scope, budget, service levels and delivery standards 
• Lead the planning and coordination of hospitality across each event, ensuring the operational requirements of the race team and the hospitality needs of guests are fully understood and delivered 
• Manage operational builds, series operational contacts and third-party contractors, ensuring hospitality areas are operational, appropriately presented and ready to support race team personnel and guests throughout the event 
• Oversee catering, menus, service levels, staffing, stock and daily hospitality operations, balancing the functional requirements of the race team with the premium experience expected by guests and VIPs 
• Manage hospitality inventory and event assets, ensuring equipment, supplies and materials are tracked and available at each event 
• Produce and manage key hospitality documentation, including operational schedules, supplier briefs, hospitality plans and guest information 
• Ensure appropriate operational contingency plans are in place for each event 
• Lead the hospitality operation onsite, managing changing team and guest requirements, resolving issues and ensuring consistently high standards 
• Continually review the hospitality operation and supplier performance, identifying opportunities to improve future delivery

Skills, Knowledge & Experience 

• 5+ years’ experience in premium hospitality and events, ideally within motorsport, automotive, sport or international experiential programmes 
• Proven experience managing complex operational hospitality environments supporting both event teams/personnel and external guests 
• Experience managing hospitality programmes end-to-end, from supplier sourcing and contracting through to onsite delivery 
• Strong commercial and procurement skills, including supplier tendering, negotiation and contract management 
• Strong experience in budget ownership, supplier management and financial reconciliation 
• Proven ability to build relationships with race teams, senior stakeholders, guests, partners, suppliers and rights holders 
• Experience leading teams, suppliers and operational workstreams across complex international events 
• Highly organised, commercially aware and solutions-focused, with exceptional attention to detail 
• Calm and decisive under pressure, with the resilience and flexibility required for live motorsport environments 
• Strong understanding of both the operational demands of race team hospitality and the standards required to deliver a premium guest experience 

Cultural & Sector Fit 

•  Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments, with travel and non-traditional working event schedules 
• High levels of accountability, professionalism and personal ownership 

What You Will Get from Us 

• The opportunity to make an impact and develop your career 
• An innovative and friendly workplace with a team we’re proud to be part of 
• Flexible hybrid work policy – 3 days in, 2-days’ work from home model that supports work-life balance
• 25 days holiday allowance, plus bank holidays and a winter break to recharge 
• Wellness days – two wellness days per annum 
• Your birthday off 
• Pirkx – access to wellbeing discounts and perks 
• Weekly health and wellbeing coaching sessions 
• Ongoing professional development – committed to your growth with training programs 
• Pension Plan 
• Quarterly staff recognition programme 
• Regular team socials to connect and celebrate 
• Charity Partnership – we support a new charity each year 
• Onsite parking and public transport options 
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced environments, with travel and non-traditional working event schedules 
• High levels of accountability, professionalism and personal ownership 

Why Join Us? 

At Ignition, you will have the opportunity to lead the hospitality delivery for Ford Racing’s WEC programme, develop a talented team and contribute your ideas within a growing business. Combining senior client relationships, race team and VIP hospitality activations, global travel and hands-on event delivery, this role offers the chance to build experiences that bring the client’s ambition to life.