Associate Tech Strategy and Business Operations

Fanatics Collectibles; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 99,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Fanatics Collectibles is seeking an Associate, Tech Strategy & Operations to shape AI strategy and adoption across the company. You will empower teams with the right tools, train employees, and remove blockers to progress with autonomy alongside IT, Engineering, and Legal.

You will lead AI initiatives from intake through delivery, partnering with stakeholders, and helping set a scalable AI governance model while communicating progress to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• 2 to 4 years of strategy or operations experience bridging tech and business.
• Understanding of AI and automation tools in business workflows.
• Hands-on experience with AI tools such as Claude, Cursor.
• Strong cross-functional influencer without direct authority.
• Excellent communicator translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
• Proficient with PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel.
• Familiar with Slack, Jira, Notion, Confluence, Airtable.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and setting direction when the path is not fully defined.
• Strong exec presence and ability to present to leadership.
• Background in change management or internal communications a plus.
• Passion for sports, culture, and collectibles a plus.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business teams to identify AI opportunities and translate to use cases.
• Own intake, prioritization, and delivery of AI initiatives with solutions team.
• Contribute to the AI strategy and report progress to leadership.
• Drive AI enablement through training programs and networks.
• Work with infosec and legal to develop AI policies and ensure compliance.
• Evaluate, onboard, manage AI tools and vendors with cost management.
• Coordinate with IT and Eng to ensure integration and governance.
• Handle recurring operational needs like spend tracking and account administration.

Skills

AI strategy understanding

Cross-functional influence

Communication skills

Ambiguity tolerance

Executive presence

Tools

Claude

Cursor

PowerPoint

Outlook

Excel

Slack

Jira

Notion

Confluence

Airtable

Job description

About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

About the Company

Fanatics Collectibles operates at the intersection of collectibles, culture, and technology. Backed by world‑class investors, operators, and sports and entertainment partners, we are building the global leader in next‑generation collectibles. As part of the broader Fanatics ecosystem, we leverage a digital sports platform spanning over 900 sports properties and engaging more than 81 million fans.

Role Summary

Fanatics Collectibles is looking for an Associate, Tech Strategy & Operations to help drive AI strategy and adoption across the company. You will help define how the business uses AI, put the right tools in people’s hands, train employees to use them well, and remove the organizational and technical blockers that slow progress. You will operate with high autonomy, partner closely with business stakeholders, IT, Engineering, and Legal, and informally lead a small team working on AI solutions and automation.

What You Will Do

• Partner with business teams across the company to understand their problems, identify AI and automation opportunities, and translate them into actionable use cases
• Own intake, prioritization, and delivery of AI and automation initiatives, working with the solutions team to build and ship
• Contribute to the company’s AI strategy and present progress, adoption, and impact to executive leadership and cross‑company stakeholders
• Drive AI enablement across the organization through training programs, an AI Champions network, town halls, and cross‑functional collaboration
• Partner with infosec and legal to develop AI policies, navigate compliance reviews, and unblock program progress
• Evaluate, onboard, and manage AI tools and vendors, including usage analytics and cost management
• Handle recurring operational needs including spend tracking, account administration, connector evaluations, and security reviews
• Coordinate with IT and Engineering to ensure tools are properly integrated, governed, and scalable

The Ideal Candidate

• 2 to 4 years of experience in strategy, consulting, business operations, or a similar role that bridges technology and business
• Demonstrated understanding of AI and automation tools and how they apply to business workflows
• Hands‑on experience with AI tools such as Claude, Cursor, or similar platforms
• Strong cross‑functional influencer with a track record of driving programs forward without direct authority
• Excellent communicator who can translate complex technical concepts for non‑technical audiences
• Proficient in PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel
• Comfortable with tools such as Slack, Jira, Notion, Confluence, and Airtable
• High comfort with ambiguity and the ability to set direction when the path is not fully defined
• Comfortable operating in a high‑visibility environment with significant executive exposure; strong exec presence and ability to present clearly to senior leadership
• Background in change management, organizational enablement, or internal communications is a plus
• Passion for sports, culture, and collectibles is a plus

Why This Role

You will have real ownership over a function that touches every team in the company. AI is a strategic priority at Fanatics Collectibles, and this role is the engine behind it. You will shape how hundreds of people work, build something from the ground up, and have direct visibility with senior leadership. If you want to move fast, do meaningful work, and be at the center of how a company transforms, this is the job.

Ensure your Fanatics job offer is legitimate and don’t fall victim to fraud. Fanatics never seeks payment from job applicants. Feel free to ask your recruiter for a phone call or other type of communication for interview, and ensure your communication is coming from a Fanatics email address (including @collectfanatics.com).

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long‑term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to Los Angeles and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/

Los Angeles Salary Range

$98,900—$123,050 USD

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long‑term incentive compensation. This salary range is specific to New York City and may not be applicable to other locations. When determining base pay, as part of a final compensation package, we consider several factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and training. For information about our benefits, please visit https://benefitsatfanatics.com/

NYC Salary Range

$107,500—$133,750 USD

By submitting your application, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our Candidate Privacy Policy.

Fanatics will never ask candidates for money, banking information, or other sensitive personal information as part of the interview process. If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Fanatics recruiting, please do not respond and report it here.