Arena Experience and Operations Graduate Associate

Kick‑start your career in sports and entertainment.

Our Graduate Associate Program is a full‑time, immersive, post‑graduate opportunity designed for recent college graduates who are ready to gain real‑world experience in a fast‑paced, professional sports organization. This program offers hands‑on learning, meaningful responsibility, and exposure to leaders across the business — all while working in a collaborative, high‑energy environment.

Click on Watch to hear more about the program.

This position will start on 7/13/26 and run through 6/26/27. 

A quick summary about the role:

The Arena Experience & Operations Graduate Associate will focus on assisting in all Magic game day logistics and operational duties that pertain to the Kia Center.

What the Graduate Associate will be responsible for:

• Assist Arena Experience and Operations with game day preparations, including detailed walkthroughs of both Magic exclusive spaces and Kia Center arena floors and concourses.
• Act as a liaison between internal departments and Kia Center building partners to communicate all event logistics.
• Work with internal teams to collect operational and maintenance requests, submit to City Operations, and manage tasks through completion.
• Provide support to key departments: Broadcasting, Business Strategy, Client Services, Corporate Office, Global Partnerships, Marketing, People Team, Premium Sales/Service, Retail, and Ticket Sales to ensure all operational needs are met for game nights, game‑day hospitality events, and non‑game day events.
• Work closely with Kia Center building partners to understand their responsibilities and how each group supports the broader operational framework of the arena.
• Perform essential administrative duties including data tracking, spreadsheet management, auditing, inventory assessment, document and SOP maintenance, and organizing operational information with a high level of attention to detail to support daily operations.
• Assist Arena Experience and Operations with customer service issues.
• Conduct Kia Center tours as needed.
• All other duties as assigned.

What the Graduate Associate needs to have:

•  Post Grad (recent college graduates within 24 months of graduation) or graduate-level college students required.
• Related education and/or experience in venue operations, sports management, gameday/event operations, team/player operations preferred.
• Event Management experience preferred.
• Customer experience strongly preferred.
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office products and other related computer skills required.

• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work well under pressure.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with an emphasis on business writing skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks/projects and support multiple positions.
• Ability to work independently without supervision, be self-directed and demonstrate initiative.
• Ability to work collaboratively with others for whom you have no direct supervisory authority.
• Strong teamwork and team synergy skills required.
• Excellent ability to establish rapport with others and ability to build strong interpersonal relationships.
• Exhibit good judgment and decision-making skills.
• Ability to be creative.
• Willingness to work long and irregular hours with a flexible schedule based on the changing priorities of the department.

 What we offer you:

Compensation and Benefits:

• $18/hour plus overtime
• 5 days of PLT
• Game tickets during Magic season (as available)
• 40% discount on Orlando Magic merchandise
• Medical coverage option

Relocation Information:

• Relocation and housing expenses are the responsibility of the Graduate Associate (Please note that while we have a hybrid work model, this does require you to live and work out of the Orlando, Florida area.)
• Reliable transportation is also needed

Working Hours:

• Office Hours - M-F, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
• Based on role determines in office and remote working by the manager

• Most Associates work all game nights (44 home games + playoffs and finals) including weekends and holidays
• Culture built on Community, Innovation, Legendary and Teamwork!

Physical requirements

None.

If this opportunity is a job you're passionate about and it fits with your skills and experience, then we welcome you to take the next step and apply!

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of our pre-employment screenings, that includes a background check.

Please note that this is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.

The Orlando Magic are not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at the Orlando Magic via-email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from Orlando Magic HR/Recruitment will be deemed the sole property of the Orlando Magic. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by the Orlando Magic as a result of the referral or through other means.

The Orlando Magic is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, any other non-merit based factor or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment. If you’d like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please visit http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/poster.cfm