Basketball Operations Manager

Basketball Operations Manager

Arizona Athletic Grounds — Mesa, AZ

Arizona Athletic Grounds (“AAG”) is one of the largest youth-oriented sports facilities in the United States, serving millions of visitors per year and providing athletic programming and a variety of special events. AAG’s operational footprint includes a 2,500+ seat outdoor stadium, 24 multi-purpose fields, 62 indoor/beach volleyball courts, 41 pickleball courts, 16 basketball courts, eight baseball/softball diamonds, sports performance center, and more!

As AAG continues to expand its basketball programming, tournaments, leagues, and club offerings, this role will provide critical day-to-day operational support for the Basketball department while also supporting Volleyball during designated event weekends and as needed. Reporting to the Director of Basketball, this individual will help ensure seamless event execution, strong program administration, exceptional participant and guest experiences, and operational support across both sports.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Basketball Operations Manager is a hands-on operations role responsible for the day-to-day coordination and execution of AAG basketball programs, tournaments, leagues, events, and AZ Premier Club activities. The role will also provide operational support to the Volleyball department, with an anticipated allocation of approximately 80% Basketball and 20% Volleyball.

The ideal candidate is a proactive basketball and event operations professional who is equally comfortable managing administrative details, coordinating staff and schedules, working directly with participants and partners, and maintaining a visible presence on the courts during evenings and weekends. This is a busy operational role that requires flexibility, accountability, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves wherever needed.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Basketball Operations & Event Execution

• Support the Director of Basketball in the planning, coordination, and execution of all internal and external basketball tournaments, leagues, camps, clinics, and special events.

• Serve as an on-site operational lead and point of contact for assigned basketball events, ensuring appropriate departmental coverage for all programs and events.

• Coordinate event setup, breakdown, registrations, hospitality, game schedules, court assignments, and other operational details to ensure seamless execution.

• Work closely with Facilities, Event Services, Ticketing, Security, Food & Beverage, Marketing, I.T., and other departments before, during, and after events.

• Coordinate basketball equipment setup and breakdown; identify and report safety concerns, repairs, or damaged equipment.

• Anticipate event-day challenges, respond to real-time operational needs, and escalate issues to the Director as appropriate.

• Provide outstanding customer service to athletes, families, coaches, officials, tournament directors, partners, and vendors.

• Respond promptly and professionally to questions, concerns, and operational issues, escalating sensitive matters when appropriate.

• Build collaborative working relationships with national, regional, local organizations, schools, clubs, community partners, and basketball stakeholders to drive events and revenue.

• Support the Director in maintaining client and partner relationships and coordinating the operational requirements of contracted events.

AZ Premier & Program Support

• Support the day-to-day administration and execution of AZ Premier Club basketball, including program scheduling, participant communications, registrations, team logistics, and operational coordination.

• Help implement plans to grow memberships, expand program offerings, and strengthen the overall participant experience.

• Manage assigned online registration systems and databases, maintaining accurate participant information, payments, schedules, and program logistics.

• Coordinate with coaches, officials, event staff, participants, and families to support consistent, high-quality program delivery.

• Assist with the development and execution of AAG-owned basketball events and programming.

• Assist with the hiring, onboarding, training, scheduling, supervision, and performance management of 1099 coaching staff, part-time, and third-party event basketball staff.

• Build and manage staffing schedules for assigned programs and events, ensuring appropriate coverage based on event needs.

Volleyball Operations Support

• Provide operational support to the Volleyball department during designated volleyball event weekends and as needed, with an anticipated allocation of approximately 20% of the role.

• Work under direction of the Director of Volleyball to support the successful setup, execution, and breakdown of volleyball tournaments, leagues, and other programming.

• Assist with volleyball court and event setup, including nets, scorer’s tables, equipment, signage, and other event-day needs.

• Support scorer’s tables and other event operations as assigned, helping ensure courts are properly prepared and events remain on schedule.

• Provide hands-on event-day assistance to Volleyball staff, coaches, officials, participants, and families, including responding to operational needs and helping resolve issues as they arise.

• Assist with additional volleyball programming, events, and operational projects as needed based on the AAG event calendar.

Administration & Continuous Improvement

• Assist with event budgets, revenue and expense tracking, participation metrics, and other departmental reporting.

• Support post-event reviews, gather participant and stakeholder feedback, and identify opportunities to improve programs and event execution.

• Maintain organized program files, schedules, event documentation, standard operating procedures, and operational checklists.

• Stay current on basketball and volleyball programming, event management practices, industry trends, and relevant rules and regulations.

• Assist in additional duties, special projects, and events as needed.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 2–3 years of progressive experience in basketball programming, coaching, sports/event management, facility operations, or a related field; large venue or tournament experience preferred.

• Working knowledge of basketball operations, tournament and league administration, and the needs of coaches, officials, participants, and families.

• Demonstrated experience with the ability to direct, motivate, and support staff in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

• Exceptional organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Proactive, service-oriented approach with strong attention to detail and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with event registration, scheduling, or sports management systems.

• Valid Arizona driver’s license required.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, Business Administration, Physical Education, Event Management, or a related field preferred.

• Competitive basketball, coaching, club basketball, volleyball, or court/complex management experience preferred.

PHYSICAL/ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Flexible schedule including evenings, most weekends, holidays, and extended event schedules based on the basketball and volleyball event calendars.

• Must be able to tolerate moderate to loud noise levels and high-energy event environments.

• Will work in varying temperature conditions, including indoor facilities and outdoor environments in Arizona heat; adverse weather conditions may be required.

• Requires extended periods of standing, walking, and active presence throughout the facility; sitting for long periods is not typical of this role.

• Requires reaching, kneeling, bending, and other physical activities related to sports and event setup.

• Ability to move, set up, take down, clean, and prepare courts, nets, scorer’s tables, and sports equipment as needed.

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25–40 lbs.

AZ Athletic Associates, LLC., and Arizona Athletic Grounds are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.