PAWTUCKET – The stadium at Tidewater Landing has put up a “help wanted” sign.
Stadium and Rhode Island FC officials on Monday announced they will hold their inaugural Stadium Job Fair on Feb. 24 at the club’s headquarters at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center on Main Street. The event will offer residents a chance to apply for and potentially gain various work opportunities to help with functions during events, including soccer matches, at the new 10,500-seat venue.
The job fair arrives less than three months before the stadium
hosts Rhode Island FC’s May 3 home opener. It will have two time blocks – 1-3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. – for potential new workers ages 18 or older to apply and interview for hundreds of stadium positions.
Stadium General Manager Paul Byrne told Providence Business News the open jobs are available with Rhode Island FC, such as the street team, ticket sales and internships, and with stadium partners. Club President David Peart said street team members are club “ambassadors” who do community outreach for the organization in addition to game day activities.
Byrne is looking to fill close to 400 positions, which are a mix of full-time and part-time jobs – the majority being part-time directly associated with events. Peart said the stadium and club are not just filling positions, but rather “building a community.”
“This is another example where Rhode Island FC can be a source of pride for the state,” Peart said. “Providing work for folks to be involved with the games and the community to benefit from the events being hosted at the stadium demonstrates a commitment to Rhode Island and Pawtucket.”
Levy Restaurants, the stadium’s concessionaire, will be seeking food operations and concession staff, Byrne said. Another partner, Best Security, is hiring fan and event security personnel, and guest services – ticket scanners and greeters. Byrne also said candidates are needed so the stadium can have 24/7 security, as well.
Scandinavian Cleaning is also hiring janitorial and cleaning staff for the stadium, Byrne said. Rank + Rally, another stadium partner, will be seeking retail and warehouse staff for the stadium. LAZ Parking will also operate “the majority” of parking lots for the stadium, Byrne said, and such personnel will be needed as well.
Byrne also said an information technology manager, facility engineering manager, a facility coordinator and grounds manager – all full-time positions – are also being sought to hopefully be filled within the next month.
Newly hired employees will also receive job training prior to the stadium’s opening as part of the onboarding process, Byrne said. He said the training will be “very strategic.”
“We’ll make sure we’re equipping these folks with the tools they need to make a great first, during and last impression [with the public] in the venue,” Byrne said. “It will be quite the undertaking of training 400 people, but … partnering with these companies strategically puts us in a good position to be prepared and be ready on May 3 when we open those doors.”
Peart said the club and stadium management have the luxury to invest in more employee training time with the stadium open six weeks after Rhode Island FC’s season opener to be ready by May 3. Applicants, officials say, are encouraged to bring resumes to the job fair and should be passionate, friendly and dependable about making the stadium a welcome atmosphere.
“The excitement build the moment you park your car and arrive at the venue. These [new employees] will play a really important role in that effort,” Peart said.
Additional questions about the job fair can be made
via email to Rhode Island FC.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
