THE JOB / Event Trainee (Soccer Tournament)

EVENTS/ Responsible for planning and executing event and experiential marketing programs.

We're looking for an Event Trainee to assist our Events division with the day-to-day preparation and on-site execution of the fourth-annual TST (The Soccer Tournament), held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC from May 27^th – June 1^th, 2026! The Octagon staff will be directly responsible for managing most athlete-related operations & logistics of the event, with a focus on pre & post event operational set up, volunteer recruitment and on-site management, admissions gates, and all athlete services. The athlete service responsibilities entail management of Athlete’s Village, maintenance of team locker rooms, uniform management, practice field coordination, team walk-outs, and product distribution.

THE WORK YOU’LL DO

• Support with event planning of operational, marketing, and sponsorship needs in advance of the tournament, including:
• Volunteer/club recruitment & outreach
• Volunteer & staff meal planning
• Assisting with ticket distribution and credential organization
• Team uniform management organization
• General involvement with developing executional site plans and strategies
• Potential site visits to WakeMed Soccer Park in the weeks leading up to the tournament to measure spaces, meet with clients and/or vendors, handle incoming shipments
• On-site support during tournament week, including:
• Team uniform laundering & organization
• Volunteer planning
• Set up & breakdown
• Athlete village assistance
• Vendor management, hospitality management
• Troubleshooting on-site challenges
• Other related duties/projects as reasonably assigned
• Must be available to work on-site during the event and the full week before the tournament (May 18^th – June 1st).

THE BIGGER TEAM YOU’LL JOIN

Recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Sports”, Octagon is the global sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing arm of the Interpublic Group.

We take pride in being Playmakers – finding insightful, bold ways to create play in our work, our lives, and in the world. We believe in the power of play to create big ideas and unlock potential for our clients and talent.

We can put ourselves in the shoes of fans because we ARE fans – of sports, entertainment, and culture at large. This expertise allows us to continually evolve the fan experience across sports and entertainment alongside some of the biggest brands and talent in the world.

The world needs play more than ever. Are you a Playmaker?

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• A passion for and expertise in event operations, sports, entertainment, gaming, music and/or celebrity & lifestyle culture
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field with 0-1 year(s) of experience
• Polished communication skills, both written and oral
• Basic knowledge of event management is a plus
• Strong desire to work in a team setting
• Confident ability to solve problems, demonstrate initiative, and present a proactive work ethic
• Strong organization skills, with the ability to multi-task, and commit to strict timelines
• Mature business sense and ability to work alongside client on a daily basis
• Advanced knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and Internet
• Interest in sports and event management as a long-term career
• Ability to lift 60 lbs
• Flexibility and willingness to travel domestically and work weekends or holidays as needed. Anticipated travel: Low (0-15%)

This position pays minimum wage and is overtime-eligible.

Octagon is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.