Match Operations Assistant - Porto

Location: On-site at stadiums within the Porto region

Contract: Consultant

Daily Rate: €120 Onwards

Expected Start Date: July for training and August for Matches

Introduction:

Welcome to Hawk-Eye Innovations! I'm Roshith, the hiring manager for this position and the UEFA Resource Manager at Hawk-Eye Innovations. I'm excited to introduce you to our innovative team. We are passionate about Football and dedicated to bringing the best experiences to our audience. Our team is constantly growing, and we are looking for talented individuals like you to join us on this exciting journey.

What The Role Is All About:

We are recruiting to fill Match Operations Assistant roles within our expanding operations in UEFA Football. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of sports technology as part of a dedicated and dynamic team. 

The role involves the setup and operation of our systems on-site at football stadiums throughout Europe for various football competitions, including (but not limited to) Champions League, Europa League and international European Qualification matches.

Working day expectations:

• Setup Day -> Starts around 9 am on the day before the Match Day

• Match Day -> Arrival up to 7 hours pre-Kick Off

• Match Day -> End of day up to 2 hours post-game completion

• There are also varied needs during the setup day/s, which may require the Match Operations Assistant to be present on the day/s before match day.

• The role requires the Match Operations Assistant to be flexible with work hours, depending on the needs of the onsite team

We are looking for committed and passionate people who are willing and able to commit to all UEFA matches in the given stadiums. This is to provide the team with consistency throughout the competitions. Please consider that this work is likely to be midweek, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday on most occasions. Refer to the UEFA calendar (https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0294-1cb35c7beace-8dedbb611d89-1000--2025-european-football-calendar-match-and-draw-dates-for-a/) to see more details of when fixtures may be.

We will equip you with the technical training, support and full exposure to our systems to perform your match day tasks, but also encourage development and progression to help make an impact on what we do. Working as a Match Operations Assistant is a great entry-level route into full-time employment with Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd.

Please attach your CV in English.

Key Responsibilities:

It is important to note that Match Operations Assistants have various responsibilities that will depend on the role assigned to them. In most cases, a maximum of two of the listed responsibilities below would be assigned per match:

• Set up the medical system

  • Run cabling 

  • Take the Medical Tablets to these positions

  • Launch the software

  • Troubleshoot issues with the hardware and associated software

  • Interact professionally with and provide support to the medical teams who use the system

• Set up the audio system

  • Run cabling

  • Test the audio units 

  • Troubleshoot issues with the hardware and associated software

  • Interact professionally with the Match Officials who will be using the audio system during the game

• Working with the Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS) Team Lead to set up EPTS

  • Lineup cameras (likely to include working at height, on ladders on on stadium catwalks)

  • Coordinate with the EPTS Team Lead to troubleshoot any issues with hardware or software

• Set up / Operate the Referee Review Area Monitor (RRA)

  • Run cabling

  • Test the functionality of the RRA monitor and backup systems

  • Troubleshoot issues with the hardware and associated software

  • Raising of the RRA into position during pre-match tests and during the game when required

Other Responsibilities:

• Contribute as part of the team setting up goal-line and video review systems

• Conducting pre-match checks of the systems in accordance with standard procedures

• Liaising with football officials, stadium/club personnel, match officials and host broadcasters both on-site and remotely

• Monitoring and operating the system during the match

• Organising your logistics for travelling between stadium locations as and when required

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills

• Proactive, responsible attitude and ability to work on your initiative with minimum supervision

• Time management skills and the ability to work in a high-pressure, procedural, live broadcast environment

• Ability to liaise with clients and customers in a professional and approachable manner, with attention to good communication.

• High proficiency in the English language is required

• Able to adapt to flexible working conditions with irregular working hours

There are some preferred skills and experiences:

• A technical background, ideally in IT or Broadcast

• An interest in sports and/or sports analysis, ideally with a good knowledge of football and the rules of the game

• Experience working with VT/replay technology is desirable, or live event / technical production

• Prepared to travel locally and, if required, further afield in Europe

• Driving licence preferred

At Hawk-Eye Innovations, we appreciate and value the importance of potential and growth. If you believe that you excel in certain areas and possess the passion and desire to develop further, we encourage you to apply

Team Culture:

We pride ourselves on our team culture. We believe in fostering a supportive environment where every team member can contribute their best work. Our core values include:

• Innovation: We constantly seek new ways to improve and innovate in the sports entertainment industry.

• Teamwork: We celebrate our successes and learn from our experiences as a team.

• Passion: Our love for sports drives everything we do.

What Difficulties Might I Face?

Up to this point, I’m sure there have been many things that you find intriguing about the role, however, there can be difficult times:

Working hours: Due to the nature of the sports industry, there will be work on midweek evenings, and we are expected to fulfil our roles until the last minute. 

Different time zones: Due to the global nature of our operations, some of our support teams will be based in different countries in different time zones, and this is something to bear in mind when communicating.  

High-pressure situations: Working in a live broadcast environment on a production that is distributed to millions worldwide will bring high levels of pressure. 

All of these factors offer different challenges daily. We will do all that we can to train you and support you to the best possible level, but these challenges must be considered before submitting your application. 

Application & Hiring Process:

• Application: If you're interested in this position, please submit your CV and complete the application form and hit submit.

• Task Submissions: Successful candidates from the application stage will receive an invite to access our one-way video interview platform (Hireflix)

• Review Period: Once you have completed the tasks, our team will take a period of time to review all tasks and provide application updates. 

• Information Event: Successful candidates from the video interview/online assessment stage will be invited to one of our Information Events. This will be a virtual session to provide as much information about the role as possible.

• Interview & Training Assessment: This next stage will be a remote training assessment, followed by a virtual interview with our hiring managers. 

• Offers & Feedback: The team will take time to review all feedback and conduct our final reviews. All candidates will receive detailed feedback from the assessment event, whether they have been successful or not, as we understand each candidate's desire for development.