Team Shop and Events Manager - VolShop - UTK

The University of Tennessee operates a vibrant Team Shop at Neyland and Lindsey Nelson Stadiums, providing licensed merchandise during all athletic events. As a central retail hub for the university’s sports fans and visitors, the Team Shop plays a critical role in enhancing the game-day experience. It serves as a focal point for fans to purchase official University of Tennessee athletic apparel and merchandise, offering a variety of products that celebrate the university's spirit and traditions. This position is ideal for individuals who thrive in dynamic retail environments and are passionate about sports and customer service.

The position of Event Manager for the Team Shop and other licensed merchandise locations is a full-time leadership role responsible for managing daily operations during athletic events and coordinating VolShop event staff for special occasions such as graduations, marketing activations, and various on- and off-campus functions. The role is hands-on and requires overseeing staffing, merchandising, register operations, and inventory control to ensure that all event sales locations operate smoothly and efficiently. The Event Manager provides critical leadership and training to student supervisors and a team of approximately 50 student retailers, making this a high-level supervisory position. This role also collaborates closely with buyers and distribution centers to maintain merchandise stock levels and facilitate merchandise picking and transfers.

Operating hours for this position frequently include weekends, holidays, and evening events, reflecting the nature of university athletic schedules and other special events. The Event Manager creates payroll plans, determines work schedules, recruits and trains staff, delegates responsibilities, and ensures compliance with sales goals. Additionally, this role serves as the primary liaison for several university departments, including the Athletic Department facilities staff, Marketing Manager, IT Manager, and University Police, ensuring event setups, security protocols, and technology needs are met effectively.

Responsibilities extend to inventory management, ensuring the care and use of event vehicles for merchandise transport, working with official clothing vendors during NCAA post-season events, and maintaining the security of sales floors to minimize loss. The Event Manager must consistently model and uphold exceptional customer service standards while also performing duties such as operating point-of-sale systems when necessary and handling customer concerns promptly.

This opportunity is ideal for experienced retail professionals with strong leadership skills, excellent organizational abilities, and an interest in managing a complex, multi-location retail environment within a collegiate sports setting. The role demands flexibility, strong communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and external vendors. The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree, multiple years of retail experience including supervisory responsibilities, and must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship needs. Preferred qualifications include prior experience in retail event management and college retail environments.

This role offers an enriching career path within the prestigious University of Tennessee system, combining retail management with sports administration, making it a unique and rewarding opportunity for driven professionals seeking to impact the fan and customer experience across large-scale collegiate sporting events.