ResponsibilitiesJob SummaryWorking with IT Client Services leadership and the CENTERS team, the Manager - Audio-Visual oversees technology operations for the Mountain AV team, provides leadership for AV event support, manages assigned employees, and supports AV technology solutions that advance reliable, professional, and guest-centered event experiences at Mountain Waves Arena and related AV-enabled spaces.
This position works on-site at Pepperdine as part of a hybrid AV Team serving the new Mountain at Mullin Park multi-purpose facility. Opening in October 2026, the Mountain at Mullin Park will transform the University's main campus. This state-of-the-art complex will not only be home to leading fitness and well-being resources for the entire Pepperdine community, the estimated 3,600-seat arena will give the basketball and indoor volleyball teams an extraordinary home court facility commensurate with those throughout the West Coast Conference.
Essential Functions- Provide leadership for Mountain AV technology operations, event support infrastructure, and day-to-day AV service delivery.
- Drive team goals, review area objectives, and align AV operations, staffing, projects, and service priorities with client and CENTERS expectations.
- Oversee high-quality support for arena technology hardware, software products, audio-visual equipment, broadcast equipment, and live event technology.
- Configure, operate, test, and troubleshoot audio-visual, broadcast, graphics, routing, and event-related technology as needed to support event operations.
- Coordinate day-to-day operational logistics with direct reports, campus partners, vendors, and event stakeholders.
- Monitor service tickets, work output, event feedback, troubleshooting trends, and other operational data to support data-informed service improvement.
- Maintain and improve team operations handbooks, training manuals, guides, service procedures, frequently asked questions, and technical documentation.
- Identify and implement process, procedure, service, staffing, and/or system improvements in collaboration with leadership and key stakeholders.
- Hold team members, vendors, and partners accountable for following established procedures and representing CENTERS and the client professionally.
- Review, approve, and/or submit timely and complete administrative processes, including timesheets, status reports, assessments, and other routine procedures.
- Support events during regular business hours, evenings, weekends, and after-hours periods as required by the event schedule and operational needs.
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships with campus personnel, departments, contracted service providers, and external vendors to support current and future operational success.
- Serve as a day-to-day operational resource for high-profile events, urgent technology issues, resource conflicts, and time-sensitive event modifications.
- Coordinate temporary workarounds or escalation plans when critical technology is unavailable and communicate with stakeholders to support event readiness.
- Other duties as required.
Staff Supervision- This position directly supervises assigned staff and/or student employees. Supervisory responsibilities may include hiring support, onboarding, scheduling, training, work direction, performance feedback, coaching, accountability, timesheet approval, and coordination of day-to-day AV operations.
- Manage assigned staff and student employees, including work direction, scheduling coordination, training, feedback, accountability, and performance support.
- Empower team members to take ownership of duties, projects, and problems; collaborate in flexible teams; and provide excellent, compassionate customer service.
QualificationsEducation and Experience- Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred.
- Five or more years of experience supporting high-profile live events, audiovisual technology, event production, broadcast support, concert support, information technology, or a closely related area required.
- Two or more years of experience leading a team.
- Experience and willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings, nights, and weekends, required.
- Possession of Certified Technology Specialist (CTS), CTS-I, CTS-D, Extron, Dante, or comparable professional audiovisual technology certifications is preferred.
Skills & Abilities- Excellent working knowledge of standard audiovisual hardware and software products, with the ability to support arena-specific audiovisual systems.
- Strong working knowledge of computers, applications, collaboration tools, project management tools, and technology systems in a networked environment.
- Strong leadership, supervisory, coaching, delegation, and accountability skills.
- Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and analytical skills; ability to identify problems, assess alternatives, and render consistent, logical decisions.
- Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and customer service communication skills.
- Ability to work under pressure, adapt to changing event conditions, and maintain professional service standards in visible client-facing environments.
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize competing duties, deadlines, staffing needs, and event requirements.
- Ability to build productive relationships with colleagues, clients, vendors, students, guests, campus leaders, and external stakeholders.
- Familiarity with Extron-manufactured products and associated troubleshooting and maintenance preferred.
- Entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for continuous improvement, operational excellence, and high-quality service delivery.
Work Environment and Physical DemandsWork Environment- Campus arena, event, office, control room, and AV-enabled facility environment.
- Non-smoking environment.
- Noise levels may be distracting or uncomfortable during events, rehearsals, testing, and live production activity.
- Evening, weekend, and after-hours work as required to support scheduled events, urgent technical needs, staffing responsibilities, and venue operations.
Physical Demands- Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods and move throughout arena, campus, event, and technical support environments.
- Constantly uses manual dexterity, finger dexterity, wrist-finger speed, visual color discrimination, depth perception, peripheral vision, and related visual acuity while operating or assessing technical systems.
- Occasionally reaches overhead and ascends or descends building levels, ladders, stools, lifts, platforms, or similar equipment as needed for event setup, inspection, and troubleshooting.
- Frequently lifts and carries items weighing up to 20 pounds; occasionally lifts, carries, moves, or sets up equipment weighing between 21 and 50 pounds or more with appropriate assistance and safe work practices.
- Must be able to discuss, converse with, and exchange accurate information with staff, students, faculty, vendors, clients, performers, guests, and other stakeholders.
Travel Required- Local and campus travel as required; occasional regional or national travel may be required for training, professional development, vendor meetings, multi-site coordination, or CENTERS business needs.
Other DutiesPlease note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.