Structure of an event management team
The work involved in planning, organising and conducting a major event can be sufficiently great to require the employment of a team of people. It may require people to be involved on a full-time, part-time, contractor, casual and voluntary basis over a considerable period of time..
The organisation chart below indicates the magnitude and diversity of the team needed to run a major sporting event such as a National or State Championships.
Smaller events will obviously require a much smaller team, and individuals in the team may be able to take on more than one role.
The example organisation chart above has "departments" for Programme, Venue, Equipment, Promotions, Officials, Hospitality and Merchandising. The number of departments is arbitrary and depends on the size and complexity of the event and, importantly, on the ideas of the Organising Committee.
Furthermore, with small modifications, the same organisation structure could be applicable to running a different type of event such as a conference.
An important aspect of the above model is that each department has a co-ordinator. As exceptionally important people in the event management team, they should be identified and recruited as early as possible. Co-ordinators should be a part of the organising committee and collectively they will share in decision making processes with the Event Director. The selection of co-ordinators is usually on the basis of knowledge or expertise and sometimes because only one person volunteers for the task. Whether co-ordinators have expertise or not, Event Directors need to appreciate that sport and recreation depends very considerably on the input of voluntary persons. Therefore systems should be put in place to recognise the contribution of volunteers and to provide non-monetary rewards. In consultation and close co-operation, the Event Director should develop and/provide a job description for each department head.