Job Title: Urban Youth Academy – Manager, Operations and Facilities
Job Summary The Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy is a nonprofit organization with the mission to empower Kansas’s City’s youth through baseball, softball, academic and social opportunities to be the leaders of tomorrow. This position is housed at the Urban Youth Academy (UYA) and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations and maintenance of the Urban Youth Academy facility to ensure a safe, functional, and premier environment for all participants, coaches, and guests The Manager leads all aspects of field and facility care, maintaining high quality playing surfaces and operational standards that support safe, reliable, and professional programming. This role oversees day to day operations, field preparation, and facility systems to ensure year round readiness for practices, games, events, and activities. Primary Responsibilities: Staff Leadership & Supervision • Lead all daily operations and facility functions at the Urban Youth Academy. • Maintain a consistent on-site presence to ensure safety, readiness, and operational efficiency. • Set and model expectations for professionalism, excellence, and accountability appropriate to a world-class athletics facility. • Communicate and collaborate effectively with internal teams, community partners, and external organizations to support smooth facility operations. Field Management and Grounds Operations • Direct all field and grounds maintenance operations across the Urban Youth Academy complex. • Oversee daily field setup and teardown to support practices, games, events, and programming. • Manage all aspects of field preparation, including: ◦ Synthetic turf fields, mounds, bullpens, and batting cages ◦ Natural dirt infields and bullpens ◦ Infield tarp placement and removal ◦ Clay repair, dragging, watering, lining, and painting • Ensure fields are maintained at a safe, professional, and high-quality standard year-round. Game Preparation & Game-Day Operations • Lead game preparation and execution for all UYA fields, including pre-game, in-game, and post-game field readiness. • Ensure compliance with applicable NCAA Division I standards for natural dirt field preparation when required. • Oversee the functionality and readiness of all game-day infrastructure, including the press box and related operational systems.
Facility Operations & Readiness
• Ensure full facility readiness for all programs, practices, games, rentals, and special events. • Oversee facility cleanliness, organization, and infrastructure standards across the complex. • Ensure locker rooms and shared spaces are professional in appearance and fully prepared for teams and officials. • Oversee operational equipment and systems, including game day tools, technology, and press box functionality. • Manage organizational storage, including on site and off site locations, ensuring efficient systems and inventory accuracy. • Identify and recommend facility repairs, upgrades, and capital improvement needs. Operational Systems & Scheduling • Develop and implement operational procedures, preventive maintenance systems, and facility standards. • Conduct daily facility walkthroughs to identify and address operational needs. • Maintain a comprehensive maintenance schedule for all fields, equipment, and facility systems. • Oversee the game day management system to ensure a professional UYA presence and experience. Staff Leadership & Development • Hire, train, schedule, and supervise seasonal facility staff, ensuring accountability to UYA and MLB standards. • Provide supervision, evaluation, and performance oversight of seasonal facility staff. • Support the internship program by identifying operational needs and aligning intern responsibilities appropriately. Professional Expectations • Oversee daily logistical operations and maintain prompt, regular attendance. • Perform other duties as assigned to support UYA operations and facility excellence. Job Requirements: • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree is preferred, or equivalent combination of education and work experience. • Strong background in facilities management, preparation, and maintenance. • Experience with machine maintenance and upkeep (I.e., gator, mowers, infield rake and handheld equipment) • Ability to troubleshoot in certain areas for repairs and maintenance issue. • Experience in the sports and entertainment industry highly preferred. • Strong written and oral communication skills. • Game-day experience highly preferred. • Strong interpersonal skills to communicate with other departments, personnel, clients, etc. • Qualified candidates must possess superior organizational skills and be able to function in a fast-paced, multi-task setting. • Ability to work a flexible schedule including but not limited to nights, weekends, and holidays. Physical requirements/Working conditions: • Working conditions are normally outside with some in office duties in a climate-controlled office environment • Special Events: Duties require intern to stand for extended periods of time, walk long distances, climb up/downstairs, stoop, kneel, crouch, or sit and must lift and/or move up to 50lbs. • Dynamic, time-sensitive environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that may be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
This role is a Full-Time, Exempt opportunity that is eligible for Company Benefits, 401K, and PTO. This role is expected to have a standard 40-hour work week.
We also afford equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability. For this reason, the Kansas City Royals will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant consistent with its legal obligations to do so, including reasonable accommodations applicable local, state and / or federal law. As part of its commitment to make reasonable accommodations, the Club also wishes to participate in a timely, good faith, interactive process with a disabled applicant to determine effective reasonable accommodations, if any, which can be made in response to a request for accommodations. Applicants are invited to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made to assist them to perform the essential functions of the position they seek. Any applicant who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions please inquire with Human Resources by email at humanresources@royals.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
