Entertainment Operations Manager Jobs in Austin, TX

Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is a 365-entertainment destination for world-class events located in Austin, TX. The sports and entertainment portfolio at COTA is unmatched in the country with Formula 1 US Grand Prix, NASCAR and MotoGP attracting global fans during championship races on the famed Circuit and Live Nation producing over 30 headline concerts every year at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. COTALAND is an amusement park with over 30 attractions and experiences, including first-of-their-kind roller coasters.

The Manager, Park Retail Operations is responsible for the overall performance of COTALAND's retail merchandise locations, including sales, inventory management, visual merchandising, and guest service standards. This role sets operational direction for the retail operation and is accountable for consistent execution across all assigned locations.

Essential Functions

• Set operational direction, standards, and priorities for all retail merchandise locations and ensure consistency and accountability across all stores and operating periods.
• Directly supervise and develop the retail leadership team, which may include Assistant Managers, Supervisors, and Team Leads depending on area structure.
• Drive sales performance through merchandising strategy, product placement, promotional execution, and guest engagement standards.
• Oversee inventory management, including receiving, replenishment, loss prevention, and accuracy standards in partnership with the warehouse team.
• Own the retail operating budget, including labor plans, operational expenses, and sales performance reporting to the Director of Merchandise.
• Approve hiring decisions and termination recommendations in partnership with Human Resources and conduct or oversee formal performance evaluations for the leadership team.
• Partner with Safety, Human Resources, and other park departments at a peer level to ensure cross-functional alignment and operational readiness.
• Participate in park-level operational planning, including seasonal readiness, new product launches, and special event preparation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of retail operations including sales analysis, inventory management, visual merchandising, and loss prevention.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and hold accountable a multi-level leadership team across multiple locations.
• Ability to analyze sales and labor data and make sound operational decisions based on business trends.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to set clear expectations and provide direct, constructive feedback.
• Working knowledge of POS systems, inventory management systems, and scheduling tools.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of retail management experience with direct responsibility for multi-location or multi-department operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing exempt and non-exempt team members, including hiring, performance management, and corrective action.
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule including weekends, holidays, and peak operating periods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Theme park, entertainment venue, or high-volume hospitality retail experience.
• Experience managing seasonal workforce fluctuations and high-volume operating periods.
• Experience with third-party vendor or concessionaire management, including contract compliance and revenue-sharing agreements.
• Experience with midway games, guest photo operations, or guest rental services (strollers, ECVs, wheelchairs).
• Previous experience in park operations, family entertainment center (FEC) operations, or activity-based attractions such as go-karts, arcades, or similar guest experiences.

Physical Demand & Work Environments:

• Ability to stand, sit, use of hands to handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to lift and/ or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to squat, bend, twist, push/pull.
• Ability to stand/walk for long periods.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.
• Work in extreme environments outdoors throughout the year.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be loud during events.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

COTA strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.