Partner Management

WORK OPTION: 4 days a week in the New York, NY office

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2023-24 season featured a record 125 international players from 40 countries and territories.  NBA Digital's assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.3 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms.  NBA Cares, the NBA's global social responsibility platform, partners with renowned community-based organizations around the world to address important social issues in the areas of education, inclusion, youth and family development, and health and wellness.

Position Summary:
You will have the opportunity to collaborate with best-in-class marketers by driving innovative business results for the NBA and our partners.

Major Responsibilities:

• Lead multi-person partnership teams that are responsible for managing all business matters ranging from activation strategy and media planning to us of IP/creative approvals partnership measurement across NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and/or USA Basketball
• Act as experienced partner contact to drive overall strategy, navigate partnership issues and troubleshoot solutions
• Identify opportunities and develop proposals that align with near and long-term partner brand objectives and drive incremental revenue to help achieve annual financial goals across multiple league platforms and properties
• Develop strategic sales, business and marketing plans for each partner
• Demonstrate expertise in the comprehension of contractual elements and understanding of the leagues' and partners' business goals/target audiences/marketing strategy and knowledge of best practices and industry trends
• Build effective working relationships with senior level partner contacts and the ability to gain consensus with NBA internal constituents, partner contacts and agencies.
• Lead collaborative cross-department workstreams
• Oversee budgets for partners including leading the annual budget planning process; requires fluency in our financial reporting and pipeline management system.
• Use both qualitative and quantitative research to support efforts to further distinguish the benefits of associating with the NBA

Required Skills/Knowledge:

• Track record of successfully managing client relations at senior level
• Strong relationship management skills both internally and externally (including with senior executives); ability to adapt to various personalities and working styles
• Strategic thinker who is able to execute current strategy, identify areas of optimization/opportunity
• Strong understanding of sports and entertainment sponsorship, including promotions, events, media and contracts
• Sharp eye for detail and high level of organization
• Strong time-management and multi-tasking skills
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and strong presentation skills
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a team, mentor and train subordinates
• Analytical/conceptual abilities and a capacity for creativity/innovation
• Must be highly motivated, proactive, self-starter with high energy and team mentality!
• Enjoys fast paced and challenging work environment!

Required Education/Professional Experience:

• Minimum of 10-12 years professional experience in relevant field (partnerships, sponsorships, event activation, brand management) at rights holder, brand or agency
• Previous experience directly managing people and/or teams
• Undergraduate degree (BA or BS) in Marketing, Business, Communications or related discipline

Salary Range: $155,000 - $175,000

Job Posting Title: Director

The NBA does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or any other third parties. Any unsolicited resume sent to the NBA will be considered NBA property, and the NBA will not pay a fee should it hire the subject of any unsolicited resume.

The NBA considers applicants for all positions on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs, and without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, veteran status, familial status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries.  NBA Digital's assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.