Senior Manager, Ceremonies

Description

FIFA has established a Local FIFA Subsidiary in Brazil to work together with FIFA Zurich to deliver the biggest women’s sporting event in the world, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ (“FWWC2027”) that for the first time ever, is hosted in South America in Brazil. Now is your time to be part of the workforce that is creating this unique and unforgettable experience.Department

Events & Entertainment

Location

Brazil

The Position

The Ceremonies Senior Manager leads the end‑to‑end planning, creative development, and operational delivery of all official ceremonies for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Medal and Trophy Ceremonies, Pre‑Match Ceremonies (PMC), the Final Match Half‑Time Show (if applicable), and all additional ceremonial moments. Reporting to the Head of Entertainment, this role is responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of each ceremony—from planning and preparation through to live execution—ensuring full alignment with FIFA’s vision and brand standards. The role also manages the implementation of the operational delivery across the entire FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™, in accordance with the Ceremonies Concept developed by FIFA. Working closely with the Entertainment team and key Functional Areas, the Ceremonies Senior Manager acts as the senior operational lead for all ceremony delivery, ensuring creative and operational approvals are met and delivering iconic, culturally resonant moments that celebrate women’s football on its biggest global stage.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIESCeremonies Project Leadership

• Lead the operational delivery and implementation of the Ceremonies Concept provided by FIFA.
• Manage the end‑to‑end planning and delivery of all official ceremonies across the FWWC27 tournament.
• Oversee ceremonies planning and delivery from concept development through preproduction, execution, dissolution, and legacy handover.
• Ensure full alignment with the Entertainment team in Zurich across all ceremonial workstreams.
• Manage the approval process for all ceremony related creative and operational deliverables.
• Provide senior decision‑making support on creative direction, technical feasibility, and operational prioritisation.
• Lead the development of ceremony operational plans, production schedules, rundowns, and show formats for all ceremonies, including PMC.
• Coordinate with Venue Management, Broadcast, Safety & Security, and other Functional Areas to integrate ceremonies seamlessly into matchday and event day operations.
• Act as the senior escalation authority for all ceremony related operational matters.
• Ensure all ceremonies reflect the approved creative vision, brand standards, cultural sensitivities, and tournament wide entertainment strategy.

Team Leadership

• Manage and mentor the Ceremonies Team, providing clear direction, performance oversight, and accountability structures.
• Mentor and support all Ceremonies personnel, including fulltime staff, freelancers, and event time workforce, ensuring consistent standards, development pathways, and operational readiness.
• Support internal talent development through coaching, guidance, and structured feedback.
• Build team structures and optimise collaboration across creative, technical, and operational units.
• Foster strong coordination between venue based ceremonies teams to maintain consistency in delivery standards and operational execution.
• Foster strong teamwork, knowledge exchange, and operational alignment with the Stadium Entertainment Team to ensure unified delivery across all entertainment and ceremonial workstreams.

Major Ceremonies Oversight

• Manage planning and delivery management for all major ceremonial events, including: Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, Medal and Trophy Ceremonies, Final Match Half‑Time Show (if applicable), Pre‑Match Ceremonies throughout the tournament.
• Ensure that each major ceremony reflects the ambition, brand standards, and cultural significance of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™.

Creative & Concept Development / Creative Concept, Content Production & Management

• Collaborate with the Entertainment team to develop and refine the ceremonial concept and creative direction for each ceremony.
• Integrate host country cultural elements into ceremonial programming in a meaningful, authentic, and respectful way.
• Oversee creative brief development, content commissioning, and pre‑production workflows with internal teams and external agencies.
• Ensure all creative content — including music, graphics, videos, scripts, translations, choreography and performances — is approved and locked in line with operational timelines.
• Manage stakeholder approval pathways to ensure content is delivered and archived in accordance with operational requirements.
• Manage IP and copyright compliance for all ceremony content.

Planning Scheduling & Documentation

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, WIP reports, and milestone trackers for all ceremony workstreams.
• Ensure all operational and creative decisions are fully documented and version controlled.
• Manage multiple suppliers, conduct regular update meetings, coordinate implementation processes, and supervise payments and reporting.
• Prepare written and oral presentations, high‑level briefings, and reports for senior leadership and FIFA counterparts.
• Organise and participate in Review, Project Team, and Status Update meetings.
• Lead the creation, management, and archiving of project plans, workflows, venue documentation, and readiness tools across all ceremony workstreams.
• Manage the development of operational plans, production schedules, rundowns, and rehearsal programmes for all ceremonies.
• Ensure readiness standards are met at all ceremony venues and oversee execution on the day of each event.
• Act as the key operational decision‑maker to maintain seamless delivery during live ceremonies.
• Oversee rehearsal planning, scheduling, approvals, and stakeholder coordination for all ceremonies.
• Direct venue‑level pre‑production processes including technical surveys, staging assessments, and infrastructure planning.

Supplier & Budget Management

• Lead early stage budget modelling, scenario planning, and resourcing strategies to support creative and operational planning.
• Develop and manage Scopes of Work, Procurement activities, supplier evaluations, contract negotiations, in line with FWWC27 management and procurement policies. Manage procurement activities for stadium entertainment suppliers, including RFP development, evaluation, and contract negotiation.
• Maintain full budget oversight including forecasting, cost control, variations, and invoicing. Manage budget oversight for the stadium entertainment workstream, including forecasting, cost control and invoicing.
• Ensure contractual deliverables and timelines are aligned with pre‑production schedules and operational readiness requirements.
• Conduct regular supplier update meetings and coordinate implementation processes.
• Supervise payments, deliverables and performance reports from entertainment suppliers.

Stakeholder & Functional Area Liaison

• Act as the senior liaison between the Ceremonies Team and all relevant Functional Areas, including Venue Operations, Broadcast, Safety & Security, Marketing, and FIFA SPE.
• Deliver concise briefings, alignment updates, and escalation management across all internal and external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain relationships with Host Country national bodies, cultural organizations, and local partners contributing to ceremonies.
• Ensure early phase cross‑functional integration to support seamless operational delivery.

Venue Readiness & Execution

• Lead preparation of Site Operational Plans (SOPs), ceremony production schedules, and PMC rundowns.
• Direct venue level pre‑production processes including technical surveys, staging assessments, performer logistics, and infrastructure planning.
• Ensure readiness standards are met at all ceremony venues and oversee execution on the day of each event.
• Act as the key operational decision maker to maintain seamless delivery during live ceremonies.
• Oversee rehearsal planning, scheduling, approvals, and stakeholder coordination.
• Ensure all creative and technical elements are validated during pre‑event testing and rehearsal phases.

Other Duties

• Perform additional responsibilities as required by senior management aligned with project delivery.
• Represent the Ceremonies function in cross‑functional planning forums and senior management briefings.
• Support the Head of Entertainment in strategic planning, operational readiness, and tournament wide entertainment integration.

YOUR PROFILEEducation

• Bachelor's degree or similar level of higher education or equivalent in industry experience.

Experience

• 7+ years' experience in live event production and ceremonies management, ideally within major international sporting events or large‑scale public events.
• Prior experience in a FIFA tournament or comparable major international sports event is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, large‑scale ceremonies including opening/closing ceremonies and awards presentations.
• Proven track record in team management, creative development, supplier management, and cross‑functional coordination.
• Significant experience managing RFP/procurement processes and overseeing multi‑supplier contracts and budgets.
• Experience integrating cultural programming and working with national cultural bodies and creative agencies.

Skills & Competencies

• Administrative Skills: Ability to manage office and production documentation including, RFPs, presentations, show rundowns, rehearsal schedules, scripts, and permits accurately.
• Adaptability: Ability to adapt to evolving creative direction and operational challenges in high‑pressure environments.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, across the full tournament period.
• Communication Skills: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills;
  able to manage complex stakeholder relationships at a senior level.
• Organizational Skills: Exceptional project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent ceremony workstreams to tight deadlines.
• Problem‑Solving Skills: Strategic and creative approach to problem‑solving;
  ability to make clear decisions under pressure.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work collaboratively across internal teams and diverse functional areas, ensuring alignment and contributing to the successful achievement of delivery goals.
• Interpersonal Skills: Builds effective working relationships across internal and cross‑functional teams, applying strong interpersonal skills to support smooth coordination and operational alignment.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Deep awareness and respect for diverse cultures;
  committed to ensuring ceremonies are inclusive, authentic, and globally resonant.
• Passion for Entertainment: Genuine passion for live performance, ceremony production, and the power of sport to inspire.

Certifications & Requirements

• Fluent in English and Brazilian Portuguese.
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio & Project) and planning/collaboration tools.
• Experience of Monday.Com an advantage.
• Knowledge of and previous event / tournament experience across the stadiums in Brazil a plus.
• The right to work in Brazil.
• Ability to re‑locate to Rio de Janeiro.

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