A recruitment drive to find the leadership team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has been launched.

It was announced last month that, subject to formal confirmation from the Commonwealth Games Federation, that Glasgow would step in to host the 2026 event after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew due to concerns over costs.

Part of the deal includes a £100 million compensation package and it means the Glasgow games shouldn’t require significant public funding to go ahead despite the short turnaround time.

The games will include less sports than the last time Glasgow held them in 2014 and the recruitment campaign is looking for a chief executive, chief operation officer and chief finance and corporate services officer to shape and deliver the scaled-down, sustainable event.

The games could be a blueprint for how future events will be run and they are also looking for a chief information officers, chief marketing and communications officers, and several non-executive directors to shape and drive the event.

Glasgow has developed a strong reputation in recent years for hosting large-scale international events. The city has been the host for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), the multisport European Championships in 2018 as well as the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023.

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It’s hoped the 2026 games can be another boost to the city’s economy and political leaders as well as those in hospitality and tourism have praised the decision to bring it back to Glasgow.

Douglas Adam, a Director at Livingston James leading the Commonwealth Games 2026 recruitment campaign, said: “This event will be one of the most important and innovative Commonwealth Games ever, and it will take a strong mix of leadership skills and experience to make them a success. 

“We are looking for people who have experience of creating, running, and delivering major events on tight budgets, with strong logistical skills, and the creativity and vision to make an event of this magnitude happen in a shorter time frame than we’d normally see.

“These will be challenging roles, but that’s often what attracts the greatest talent, and there is no shortage of candidates out there who will be up for delivering a Commonwealth Games that could set a blueprint for how events of this scale can be delivered successfully, sustainably, and economically in future.

“These roles will suit candidates with a strong record of innovation, delivering events and operations at scale quickly, and who have a firm hand on modern ESG requirements.

“Their reward will be the opportunity to leave an indelible mark on the future of the Commonwealth Games, and to help propel Glasgow and Scotland even further into the global spotlight when it comes to hosting large-scale international events.

For more information on the roles, visit ljg-jobs.com/glasgow-2026-commonwealth-games/Livingston James.