Director, Government Relations (Remote)

Fanatics-fb44f34a; New York (NY); Remote; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Fanatics seeks a Director of Government Relations to guide strategy with the leadership team, shaping policy and driving advocacy across retail, sports betting, and e-commerce. You will maintain high-impact government relationships, provide intelligence on legislation, and lead cross-functional teams to align Fanatics’ priorities with evolving regulatory landscapes.

You will craft policy communications, manage external partners, and represent Fanatics to officials and coalitions, ensuring

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of public policy and ability to distill regulatory issues into actionable insights.
• 10+ years of state legislative, state executive government, or state government affairs experience in Washington.
• Ability to adapt to shifting political and regulatory landscapes.

Responsibilities

• Forge and maintain strategic relationships with government officials to advance Fanatics’ priorities.
• Provide executive-level legislative intelligence on current and proposed legislation affecting retail, sports betting, and e-commerce.
• Shape policy and drive advocacy with tailored strategies for Fanatics’ objectives.
• Craft persuasive policy communications including executive summaries and advocacy briefs.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration and manage external consultants on policy projects.
• Advocate with government officials, trade associations, and coalitions to align priorities with market trends.
• Strengthen industry influence through partnerships with associations and community organizations.
• Develop and execute innovative advocacy strategies and showcase Fanatics’ impact to officials.

Skills

Policy expertise

Legislative process

Political acumen

Communicator

Negotiation

Leadership

Execution

Storytelling

Integrity

Job description

Atlanta, GA, United States; Austin, TX, United States; Miami, FL, United States; New York, NY, United States

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.

The Role

As the Director of Government Relations at Fanatics, you work closely with our leadership team to ensure we remain at the forefront of legislative trends and industry developments. In this role, you will provide strategic insights, advocate for our interests, and drive initiatives that reflect Fanatics' commitment to innovation, consumer satisfaction, and the evolving retail landscape.The Director of Government Relations reports to the SVP, Head of Fanatics Global Government Relations team.

What You’ll Do:

• Forge and Maintain Strategic Relationships:Cultivate and sustain high-impact relationships with key government officials—including Governors, State Attorneys General, and key state and local level policymakers,—to advance Fanatics’ priorities.
• Provide Executive-Level Legislative Intelligence:Keep Fanatics leadership informed with timely, in-depth analyses of current and proposed legislation affecting the retail, sports, sports betting, and e-commerce sectors, ensuring proactive and informed decision-making.
• Shape Policy and Drive Advocacy:Monitor the legislative and regulatory landscape, assess potential business impacts, and develop tailored, forward-thinking strategies that position Fanatics for success.
• Craft Persuasive Policy Communications:Develop compelling policy documents, including executive summaries, position papers, and advocacy briefs, that clearly articulate Fanatics’ policy positions to key stakeholders.
• Lead Cross-Functional Collaboration:Manage external consultants, engage internal stakeholders, and oversee special projects that align with and advance Fanatics’ policy and business objectives.
• Advocate with Authority:Present Fanatics’ policy positions to government officials, trade associations, coalitions, and industry stakeholders, ensuring alignment between corporate priorities and broader legislative and market trends.
• Strengthen Industry Influence:Enhance partnerships with trade associations, advocacy groups, and community organizations, reinforcing Fanatics' role as a thought leader in the retail and sports ecosystem.
• Innovate and Push Boundaries:Develop and execute creative advocacy strategies that challenge the status quo and unlock new opportunities for Fanatics in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment.
• Showcase Fanatics’ Impact:Organize immersive site visits, retail events, and media engagements for elected officials to deepen their understanding of Fanatics’ business model, innovation, and community contributions.

What We’re Looking For:

• Policy Expertise & Thought Leadership:Deep understanding of public policy, with the ability to distill complex regulatory issues into clear, actionable insights.
• Extensive Experience in and understanding of the Legislative and Regulatory Processis required. 10+ years of state legislative, state executive government, or state government affairs experience in Washington, including meaningful experience including working across the aisle.
• Political Acumen & Agility:Highly adaptable, with the ability to anticipate and respond to shifting political and regulatory landscapes.
• Political Campaign and Electoral Experiencehighly valued.
• Compelling Communicator:Exceptional writing, presentation, and interpersonal skills to effectively articulate Fanatics' policy positions and influence diverse audiences.
• Master Negotiator & Influencer:Proven ability to navigate complex policy challenges, persuade stakeholders, and drive favorable outcomes.
• Strategic & Innovative Problem Solver:A visionary approach to advocacy, with the ability to develop creative solutions that advance Fanatics' objectives.
• Proven Leadership & Execution:Demonstrated success in leading teams and managing projects from strategy development through execution.
• Self-Starter with a Collaborative Mindset:Highly motivated, able to work independently while fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive impact.
• Storytelling & Brand Amplification: Passion for shaping and elevating the corporate narrative through strategic communications.
• Unwavering Integrity & Professionalism:Commitment to the highest ethical standards, confidentiality, and professional excellence.

The salary range represents base pay only and does not include short-term or long-term incentive compensation. 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/

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Fanatics Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A 'disabled veteran' is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A 'recently separated veteran' means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An 'active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran' means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An 'Armed forces service medal veteran' means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.