Remote-First Global Athlete Licensing & Relations Manager

Gateway Licensing; McLean (VA); Remote; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Winners Alliance is seeking a Manager, Licensing and Athlete Relations to join our growing team. This role sits across the group licensing program and our Athlete Relations function, building and managing relationships with athletes, agents, and licensing partners, and leading on-site signing sessions and appearances at events.

The position requires travel, excellent communication, and a proactive, flexible approach in a remote-first environment to support day-to-day licensing operations and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• 3–5 years of professional experience in sports, athlete or talent management, partnerships, licensing, or a similar field.
• Exceptional people skills with ability to build trust quickly with athletes, agents, and partners.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with players, agents, and athlete representatives across tennis, cricket and other global sports.
• Lead signing sessions, player appearances, and on-site event execution, including travel at short notice.
• Facilitate athlete participation in partner campaigns (e.g., social content, product reveals, appearances).
• Serve as a contact for players and agents on program questions, approvals, and opportunities.
• Support day-to-day relationships with licensees and act as the key point of contact in the absence of the Senior Account Manager, Licensing.
• Manage the athlete image and product approval process for trading cards, collectibles, and other licensed products across multiple sports.
• Manage onboarding and educational sessions between new licensees and athlete representatives.
• Track licensing agreements and key contract deliverables.
• Maintain tracking systems and tools that keep workflows seamless and projects on track.
• Collaborate with the finance and licensing teams on royalty reporting and deliverable tracking.
• Attend key tournaments and licensing events to deepen relationships across the tennis, cricket, and international sports ecosystems.
• Bring ideas for new athlete-led opportunities and growth areas.

Skills

People skills

Communication

Relationship building

Organization

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Winners Alliance is seeking a Manager, Licensing and Athlete Relations to join our growing team. This role sits across the group licensing program and our Athlete Relations function, building and managing relationships with athletes, agents, and licensing partners, and leading on-site signing sessions and appearances at events.

The position requires travel, excellent communication, and a proactive, flexible approach in a remote-first environment to support day-to-day licensing operations and