Lead, Affiliate Partner Programs

Fanatics; New York (NY); On-site; USD 134,000 - 168,000; Full time

Job summary

Fanatics is seeking a Lead, Affiliate & Partner Programs to own and scale the affiliate ecosystem for Fanatics Collect and Topps.com. You will architect the program, design commissions, track performance, recruit high‑quality partners, and optimize growth across partners and creators.

You’ll work with Growth, Product, Marketing, and Analytics to align strategy with the roadmap, while ensuring data integrity and scalable infrastructure.

Qualifications

• 5–8+ years of experience in affiliate marketing, partner programs, or performance marketing within e‑commerce, marketplaces, or digital platforms.
• Proven track record of building and scaling affiliate programs with measurable acquisition and revenue impact.
• Strong analytical skills with fluency in attribution models, incrementality measurement, revenue-per-partner analysis, and funnel diagnostics.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the affiliate program strategy across Fanatics Collect and Topps.com, including program structure, partner mix, commission models, and growth roadmap.
• Recruit, onboard, and manage a portfolio of affiliate and brand partners — from content publishers and media brands to hobby‑adjacent platforms, loyalty partners, and cashback networks.
• Design and evolve tiered incentive structures, rev share models, promotional frameworks, and activation calendars to maximize incremental new buyer acquisition.
• Own affiliate tracking infrastructure and attribution systems (Impact.com and related tools), ensuring data integrity, reporting accuracy, and fast resolution of any tracking disruptions.
• Build and maintain a high‑performing partner pipeline — from outbound prospecting through signed agreement and active production.
• Develop activation playbooks that go beyond link placement: content angles, promotional hooks, and audience‑specific offers that actually convert.
• Identify and prioritize partners by revenue density, not partner count — recruit with quality in mind and cut the bottom tier ruthlessly.
• Manage relationships with hobby‑adjacent platforms including CollX, PSA, Sports Card Investor, Collectr, and Sports Card Pro, deepening integrations over time.
• Own performance outcomes across the affiliate channel including new user acquisition, GMV influence, affiliate revenue, and channel ROI.
• Establish KPIs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks — including incrementality measurement and revenue-per-partner tracking — to drive data-informed investment decisions.

Skills

Affiliate marketing

Performance marketing

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation skills

Tools

Impact.com

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 is a new company operating at the intersection of collectibles, culture, and technology. Backed by world-class investors, operators, and sports & 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 that spans over 900 sports properties and engages more than 81 million fans. Together, we are reimagining every part of the collectibles experience for fans, partners, and creators.

Role Summary

The affiliate and partner program at Fanatics Collect is one of the highest-leverage acquisition channels in the business — and it is significantly underdeveloped relative to its potential. As Lead, Affiliate & Partner Programs, you will own the end-to-end affiliate ecosystem across Fanatics Collect and Topps.com: program architecture, commission design, tracking infrastructure, partner recruitment, and performance optimization.

This role is built for a rigorous, analytically-driven operator who brings genuine depth in affiliate program mechanics — someone who understands the difference between a program that looks productive and one that actually drives incremental revenue. You will own the infrastructure, set the standards, and build the systems that make the partner channel a durable growth engine.

You will also serve as the program architecture partner for creator partnerships — contributing commission design thinking, performance frameworks, and deal structure expertise to the broader creator ecosystem as it scales.

Key Responsibilities

Affiliate Program Ownership

• Define and own the affiliate program strategy across Fanatics Collect and Topps.com, including program structure, partner mix, commission models, and growth roadmap
• Recruit, onboard, and manage a portfolio of affiliate and brand partners — from content publishers and media brands to hobby‑adjacent platforms, loyalty partners, and cashback networks
• Design and evolve tiered incentive structures, rev share models, promotional frameworks, and activation calendars to maximize incremental new buyer acquisition
• Own affiliate tracking infrastructure and attribution systems (Impact.com and related tools), ensuring data integrity, reporting accuracy, and fast resolution of any tracking disruptions

Partner Recruitment & Activation

• Build and maintain a high‑performing partner pipeline — from outbound prospecting through signed agreement and active production
• Develop activation playbooks that go beyond link placement: content angles, promotional hooks, and audience‑specific offers that actually convert
• Identify and prioritize partners by revenue density, not partner count — recruit with quality in mind and cut the bottom tier ruthlessly
• Manage relationships with hobby‑adjacent platforms including CollX, PSA, Sports Card Investor, Collectr, and Sports Card Pro, deepening integrations over time

Performance & Measurement

• Own performance outcomes across the affiliate channel including new user acquisition, GMV influence, affiliate revenue, and channel ROI
• Establish KPIs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks — including incrementality measurement and revenue‑per‑partner tracking — to drive data‑informed investment decisions
• Partner with Analytics and Growth to understand cohort LTV, CAC by partner tier, and attribution across the full funnel
• Proactively identify and resolve tracking disruptions, attribution gaps, and program inefficiencies in partnership with engineering

Program Architecture for Creator Partnerships

• Serve as the commission design and deal structure partner for the creator partnerships function — contributing performance‑based incentive frameworks, milestone structures, and rev share models
• Ensure consistency and integrity across affiliate and creator compensation structures so the program operates as a coherent system
• Support the development of promo code attribution, partner‑visible tracking dashboards, and acquisition mechanics as the technical infrastructure matures

Cross‑Functional Influence

• Partner closely with Growth, Product, Marketing, and Analytics to align affiliate and partner strategy with the product roadmap and campaign calendar
• Influence development of partner‑facing tools, monetization features, and platform capabilities that improve the partner experience and program economics
• Oversee contract strategy and negotiation in partnership with legal and business stakeholders
• Act as the internal subject‑matter expert on affiliate marketing, program economics, and partner channel best practices

Qualifications

• 5–8+ years of experience in affiliate marketing, partner programs, or performance marketing within e‑commerce, marketplaces, or digital platforms
• Proven track record of building and scaling affiliate programs with measurable acquisition and revenue impact
• Deep experience designing performance‑based structures — commission models, tiered incentives, rev share formulas, holdback mechanisms, and fraud controls
• Hands‑on experience with affiliate platforms (Impact.com strongly preferred) and comfort owning tracking, attribution, and reporting infrastructure
• Strong analytical skills with fluency in attribution models, incrementality measurement, revenue‑per‑partner analysis, and funnel diagnostics
• A genuine understanding of program quality over quantity — optimizing for revenue density, activation rate, and partner cohort value rather than raw partner count
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders and senior leadership with data‑backed business cases
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with experience managing partner relationships across publishers, media brands, and platform partners

Preferred

• Experience in sports, gaming, collectibles, or other passion‑driven verticals where community trust and authenticity drive partner performance
• Familiarity with the sports card, TCG, or hobby creator ecosystem
• Background in or exposure to live commerce, marketplace platforms, or creator‑affiliate hybrid programs
• Experience managing compliance infrastructure across a large affiliate partner base

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

$123,050 - $154,100 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

$133,750 - $167,500 USD