Head of Medical Operations

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Our Vision is to collectively create what’s next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Paralympic and Olympic Games for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people.

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Head of Medical Operations:

The Head of Medical Operations will be a critical member of the Games Planning & Delivery (GPD) team. Currently, the GPD team is organized by functional areas across five key departments – Games Operations, Venue Infrastructure, Venue Management & Event Delivery, Revenue & Commercial, and Technology, and will expand to over 30 functional areas by Games-time. 

The Head of Medical Operations will sit within the GPD team and lead the medical operational planning required to deliver medical services for the Games, in collaboration with medical delivery partners and other LA28 functional area leads. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the role will: 

• Serve as the medical operational lead within LA28, responsible for medical operational planning, execution and decision making, in partnership with Senior Medical Advisor (s) and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) 

• Drive operational planning, games-time requirements-gathering, and implementation of critical activities for the medical services functional area: 
  • Build medical services games operational planning and infrastructure to drive medical delivery for competition and non-competition venues
  • Build the Olympic & Paralympic village medical services delivery model, including the Polyclinic 
  • Create the medical workforce plan  
  • Work closely with critical medical stakeholders, including the Senior Medical Advisor(s), CMO, USOPC medical leadership, the IOC Medical and Scientific Director, and the IPC CMO to inform planning and delivery of the medical services program 
• Ensure alignment with government regulations and collaborate with community resources (e.g., EMS, hospitals) for large-scale events and delivery of medical services 

• Develop and manage the Medical Functional Area budget  

• Serve as a link with the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission and IPC Chief Medical Officer on all medical services planning activities, including epidemiologic research initiatives in partnership with Senior Medical Advisor(s) and CMO 

• Collaborate directly with the CMO, who will drive decisions for clinical delivery, medical policy, and medical procedure

 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategic and Operational Planning 

• Drive strategic planning for medical services in partnership with Senior Medical Advisor(s) and CMO 

• Define operational planning for medical services 
  • Build scope and document requirements for all medical services by location (e.g., venues, villages) and stakeholder groups (e.g., athletes, spectators, workforce) 
  • Build polyclinic delivery model, including specialists, imaging and laboratory services 
  • Build public health and hygiene services education and promotion program 
• Build medical services workforce plan and training strategy 
  • Design and deliver process for documentation, certification, training and licensure of sports medicine staff and volunteers 
• Develop and manage the Medical Functional Area budget 
  • Partner with Finance team to produce annual medical financial forecasts  
  • Determine requirements for all medical related supplies and equipment

Medical Delivery Management & Emergency Planning

• Direct and oversee the operational delivery of medical services across all competition and non-competition venues for the Games, in partnership with Senior Medical Advisor(s) and CMO 
  • Define medical level of services (e.g., staffing, equipment for each Olympic and Paralympic sport) 
  • Determine emergency medical planning processes & delivery  
  • Build processes for medical supply and pharmacy management 
  • Determine medical related environmental protocol (e.g., water quality, heat mitigation plans, air quality, etc.) 
• Orchestrate medical related scenario trainings / test events 
• Define scope for all publications related to medical services, including medical guides, pharmacy guides, training manuals, and physician registration forms  

• Partner with public authorities and medical workforce to ensure successful delivery of medical services during the Games 

Strategic and Operational Planning 

• Drive strategic planning for medical services in partnership with Senior Medical Advisor(s) and CMO 

• Define operational planning for medical services 

• Build scope and document requirements for all medical services by location (e.g., venues, villages) and stakeholder groups (e.g., athletes, spectators, workforce) 

• Build polyclinic delivery model, including specialists, imaging and laboratory services 

• Build public health and hygiene services education and promotion program 

• Build medical services workforce plan and training strategy 

• Design and deliver process for documentation, certification, training and licensure of sports medicine staff and volunteers 

• Develop and manage the Medical Functional Area budget 

• Partner with Finance team to produce annual medical financial forecasts  

• Determine requirements for all medical related supplies and equipment 

 

Medical Delivery Management & Emergency Planning 

• Direct and oversee the operational delivery of medical services across all competition and non-competition venues for the Games, in partnership with Senior Medical Advisor(s) and CMO 

• Define medical level of services (e.g., staffing, equipment for each Olympic and Paralympic sport) 

• Determine emergency medical planning processes & delivery  

• Build processes for medical supply and pharmacy management 

• Determine medical related environmental protocol (e.g., water quality, heat mitigation plans, air quality, etc.) 

• Orchestrate medical related scenario trainings / test events 

• Define scope for all publications related to medical services, including medical guides, pharmacy guides, training manuals, and physician registration forms  

• Partner with public authorities and medical workforce to ensure successful delivery of medical services during the Games 

 

Leadership and Cross-Functional Management 

• Collaborate across LA28’s Games Planning and Delivery departments, the broader LA28 organization, and medical delivery partners to plan for and deliver critical medical milestones  

• Partner with Finance and Commercial teams and medical delivery partners to identify relevant medical business integration opportunities, and provide input into development of sales narratives and analyses  

• Partner with Technology teams to determine Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system and medical reporting processes 

• Partner with Government Relations teams and government entities (city, state, federal, international) to ensure alignment with regulations for delivery of medical services  

• Partner with public authorities to determine Emergency Medical Services, Disaster Planning, Air Safety, Water Safety, Food Safety, Public Health Surveillance, and action plans for the Games  

• Support organization-wide lifetime business planning activities (e.g., annual operating plans, budgeting) 

Background & Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in medical planning and operational roles, clinical experience preferred  

• Experience with medical delivery for large scale elite sporting events  

• Olympic & Paralympic Games expertise preferred 

• Fluent working with Office suite products including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel 

•  Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)   

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Expectation to be in LA28 offices in Los Angeles 4x/week

Expectations:

Medical Operational Planning Expertise 

• Deep understanding of major event planning for medical services in collaboration with multiple stakeholders 
• Demonstrated success coordinating cross-functional resources, timelines and processes  

Leadership and Stakeholder Management Expertise 

• Experience in a leadership role, building teams, and working across various functions 

• Excellent communication and human relations skills, including experience communicating with physicians, staff, community partners, etc. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively work with a diverse population, including, but not limed to, athletes, coaches, administrative staff, physicians, volunteers, other medical personnel, and disability communities 

• A collaborative mindset; someone who prioritizes the team and fosters a culture of high performance without ego 

• Executive presence and communication skills, including ability to package and present insights in a relevant, cohesive, and succinct storylines 

• Experience leading and managing multi-million-dollar budgets 

• Solid communication, team building, and interpersonal skills 

• Proven ability to innovate and achieve results through strategic, forward-thinking planning 

 

Organizational Skills 

• Highly detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills 

• Ability to implement and manage change effectively 

• Self-starter with the ability to work independently to resolve issues, and experience in defining tasks, seeking feedback, and evolving work 

 

Education:

• Master’s degree or relevant work experience required 
• Doctoral Degree in Sports Medicine or related field preferred 
• Experience with elite-level Olympic and Paralympic athletes preferred

 

Submission Requirements:

• Resume

 

The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000.00 - $170,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

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LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.