Sr. Director, Sports Marketing

The GIST Ltd; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with matching

Paid vacation and holidays

Remote work flexibility

Job summary

SPORTFIVE is seeking a Senior Director of Sports Marketing in New York, with strong experience in Olympic and major events partnerships. The role involves leading a client-facing team, guiding activation strategies, and ensuring alignment across markets and internal teams.

Remote candidates (EST) may be considered for the right experience. Expect a senior leadership role with global collaboration and significant interaction with rightsholders and sports properties.

Qualifications

• 10–12+ years in sports marketing (agency side)
• Proven experience leading teams on high-profile partnerships
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and client servicing ability
• Exceptional executive presence under pressure and strong relationship skills

Responsibilities

• Lead client engagement and partnership strategy across markets
• Coordinate activation planning, education, and training for stakeholders
• Guide global athlete strategy and rights activation best practices
• Develop scalable processes and playbooks for efficient cross-team work
• Mentor and manage a team of direct reports and peers across locations

Skills

Team leadership

Client servicing

Executive presence

Cross-functional leadership

Relationship management

Strategic thinking

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

SharePoint

Teams

Job description

## About SPORTFIVESPORTFIVE utilizes the unique emotional power of sports to create and enable pioneering partnerships in sports. By delivering responsible commercialization, full-service solutions and long-term value for all stakeholders in sports, SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans by leveraging a global network paired with decades of experience and entrepreneurial spirit. As a market leader with customer centricity and vast data intelligence at its core, SPORTFIVE leads the sports business into the future through its digital solutions and aims to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.SPORTFIVE is one of the largest global sports marketing agencies, with 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries active in football, golf, e-sports, motorsport, handball, tennis, American football, World Cup, Olympics and many more.**About SPORTFIVE**SPORTFIVE is one of the largest global sports marketing agencies, with 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries active in football, golf, e-sports, motorsport, handball, tennis, American football, World Cup, Olympics and many more.**Job Title**: Senior Director, Sports Marketing**Reports To:** VP, Olympics & Major Events, Brand Solutions**Primary Work Location**: New York, NY strongly preferred. Remote candidates (EST) may be considered for the right experience.**Team and Job Overview**The Senior Director in this role is a key client leader for a SPORTFIVE LA 2028 Global Brand Solutions client. In addition to serving in an integration role across multiple client workstreams, this role is an external facing representative of SPORTFIVE to client business units in the Americas, as well as within the Olympic & Paralympic Movement. Responsible for serving as an extension of the client's U.S. based partnership center of excellence, the Senior Director will deliver partnership consulting, strategy, client engagement, activation tracking and collaboration to clients that cross geographies and business units.**Essential Job Responsibilities*** Account leadership and day-to-day program support* Facilitate engagement with activating markets and centralize oversight of all engagement for global client team.* Lead the team as a center of excellence \"one stop shop\" on the specifics of the partnership (commercial activation guidelines, contract/category rights, industry trends and developments)* Create, evolve, and update partnership strategy, overview resources and tools for client activating stakeholders.* Develop approach to partnership education tools and ongoing training of new activating stakeholders, client and agency partners* Present strategy recommendations, education, and training tools to client teams* Identify and manage scope of work process, both tracking against current agreements and creating project agreements for new opportunities.* Support oversight of Olympic and Paralympic rights activation process on behalf of client* Remain hungry for building of ongoing expertise in Olympic & Paralympic activation guidelines (with aim of being a foremost expert within the agency)* Define best practices in support of stakeholder activation from concept to approval; creating, aligning and managing the education, training, tools, processes and management of the rights activation discipline.* Create, build, and grow strong mutually beneficial working relationships with partner rightsholders (US Olympic & Paralympic Properties, the IOC and IPC)* Manage and streamline ongoing communications model internally to ensure new learning are tracked and applied universally* Advise on client activation submissions and identify alternate paths for activations stakeholders as necessary.* Lead and/or support ongoing training sessions.* Deliver ongoing partnership consulting to activating stakeholders in key markets* Serve as point of contact for select markets/activating stakeholders and/or provide senior support to junior team members serving as day-to-day contacts.* Develop, refine and evolve global athlete strategy that guides activating stakeholders on athlete partnership best practices* Create model for integration that drives efficiency amongst team members and tangible value to clients* Support activation plan strategy, development and execution via partnership, athlete, and rights activation expertise.* Collaborate with existing agency teams across all stakeholders, respecting current responsibilities and identifying ways to amplify agency support* Serve as a resource for direct reports and colleagues serving in similar roles from multiple locations* Build, manage, mentor and motivate a team of both direct reports and colleagues* Contribute to/help define and grow team and agency culture, creating strategies to \"go beyond the screen\" to help solve for gaps in working with colleagues remotely* Ensure team compliance to client mandatories* Build relationships, collaborate and support international SPORTFIVE colleagues in future Games Host Markets, as well as contributing to new business prospects as relevant.**Other Duties & Responsibilities*** Travel for site visits to client headquarters and/or alternate locations as client meetings require.* Develop executive-ready presentations, reports, and documentation using Microsoft Office applications, including PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.* Organize, maintain, and manage SharePoint content and team resources.* Update and maintain templates, tools, and operational documentation as needed.* Attend meetings, capture key discussions, document action items, and track follow-up activities.* Participate in brainstorming sessions, conducting research and providing creative ideas and solutions.* Perform additional administrative and operational duties as required.**Minimum Qualifications*** 10-12+ years in sports marketing, and agency side client servicing.* Proven experience leading teams in support of high-profile sports partnerships (Olympic and Paralympic and/or global partnership experience is preferred)* Experience working in complex, highly matrixed organizations* Demonstrated success working simultaneously with numerous client business units; managing competing priorities.* Exceptional executive presence, calm demeanor under high-pressure Games-time environments, and strong cross-functional leadership.* Trusted relationship management.**Job Requirements*** Support of stakeholders in multiple time zones may require work beyond traditional EST hours* Travel for business meetings and/or client execution may require nights/weekends* An extended on-site role in Los Angeles for the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games is expected in July/August of 2028**Our Hiring Process: Every application is reviewed by a real person. We do not use AI to screen or make decisions on candidates. Because we give each submission genuine consideration, response times may vary. Because we cannot communicate with each applicant individually on the status of their resume, we use automated emails to keep applicants updated. Thank you for your interest in joining SPORTFIVE.****Compensation****Salary Range: $100,000 - $130,000**SPORTFIVE is providing the compensation range it might pay for this position. The rate of pay offered will be dependent on the successful applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to internal equity and geographic location.**Benefits**Working at SPORTFIVE provides a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision and retirement savings.Affordable employee medical premiums starting at $30.90 per month (highest deductible) to $165.77 per month (lowest deductible).Employees start at 10 vacation days per year (increasing with seniority) plus 20 paid holidays.401(k) with matching up to $4,000 per year.We are an equal opportunity employer and all