Associate Director, Sports Marketing and Hospitality

Optimum Sports is the dedicated sports marketing agency within OMG. Unlike traditional sports marketing agencies, Optimum Sports operates in both the Sports Sponsorship and Sports Media landscapes. With the combination of both disciplines under a single offering, Optimum Sports is able to provide its clients with unique and advantageous marketplace leverage through which it delivers cohesive, multi-platform sports marketing strategies. Ingrained with the latest research and ROI tools, Optimum Sports facilitates everything from Ideation to Execution to Actualization.Our approach integrates media, investment, property, and insights to develop strategy, manage negotiation and execution, and evaluate performance of partnerships. Established in 2003, we continue to innovate in the sports marketplace and build solutions for our constantly evolving world.Position Overview The Associate Director reports directly to the Senior Director and serves as the direct line of communication with clients. This person will analyze, design, initiate, and oversee sponsorship marketing and ticketing strategies for assigned client(s). This includes the overall investigating of opportunities, evaluating them for fit with client / brand objectives, managing day-to-day execution, and providing follow-up analysis of instituted programs, as needed.Qualifications : Undergraduate degree required (preferably Marketing, Business, Sports Management or Communications)8 years’ experience working in a sponsorship marketing position with direct client-facing access4 years of relevant experience in sports4 years in ticketing operations, event management or hospitality roles, with a focus on high-profile sports eventsExperience working on sports sponsorships and 360 activations is a plus, inclusive of local partnership stewardship (e.g., hospitality and ticketing management)Experience across mainstream media channels (national TV, local, digital, social, etc)Strong communicator - both written and verbal - and presenter, in person and on conference callsExtensive client-facing experienceHighly organized, with the ability to manage and prioritize many simultaneous deliverablesProficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Google Docs, TeamsCritical Skills : Strong background in sponsorship marketing and media strategy, with experience in building out integrated recommendations across various budget scenariosBackground in athlete / talent activation within broader sponsorship efforts a plusLead the end-to-end development of ticketing strategies for the client, ensuring alignment with overarching sponsorship and experiential marketing goals.Manage the ticketing lifecycle, including procurement, inventory management, allocation, and fulfillment. This includes coordination with event organizers, platforms and third-party vendors to ensure seamless delivery and execution.Strong ability to effectively communicate ideas in both a written and verbal settingAbility to work well under pressure and deliver assignments under deadlineIndustry knowledge and understanding of sports marketing and sponsorship landscape along with media vernacular and trendsStrong management skills and the ability to be a team leaderSelf-sufficient, enthusiastic and proactively pursues assignmentsSupport direct reports in developing overarching sponsorship strategy as well as ticket operationsCo-lead broader sports strategy development for client educationDesign materials (PPT presentations, POVs, etc) that convey strategy supported with appropriate research, past observations that translate into optimizations, etcInterpret relevant research from third party data, industry trades and additional sourcesPrimarily manage day-to-day communications with client POCsDevelop broad understanding of clients’ business needs, KPIs, goals and objectivesAbility to work seamlessly across internal and external groupsWork directly with planning and investment teams to develop holistic client strategyPromote use of data and other insight tools to build strategic recommendationsE.g., Target analysis, competitive, marketplace intelligenceCollaborate with external agency partners on IAT deliverables including but not limited to respective annual business planning, brand / master brand communications strategy, tactical recommendations, sponsorship and / or talent activations, etcResponsibilities : Responsible for sponsorship asset / deal point and budget trackingIf funding is sourced from various LOBs, includes oversight across the portfolioDetailed knowledge of all working budgets; accountability to address internal and client-based budget allocation questions and responsible for any budget reportingDetailed knowledge of contractual assets; accountability to address internal and client-based allocation recommendations and management across cross-functional teamsTicketing budgets, with management of tracking, reporting and identifying cost efficiency along with ticket inventory, usage and opportunities for optimizationAct as the main point of contact for all ticketing-related communications, ensuring transparency and alignment on client priorities.Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to create and execute ticket allocation, distribution, and management plans tailored to client needs, with a vision to implement scalable processes to support large-scale ticketing programs across multiple events.Familiar with and staying up-to-speed on the evolving sponsorship and NIL landscape – related to sports-specific properties (e.g., leagues, teams, etc) as well as the athlete / talent ecosystem – along with ticketing industry trends, technological advancements and best practicesBase knowledge in ticketing platforms (e.g., Ticketmaster, AXS) and CRM systemsHave base knowledge of the sports marketplace to identify new opportunities, areas of white space, vacant ownership positions, etc that fit within the overarching client strategy and work in conjunction with internal teams to bring these to lifeOversee direct reports by managing workload, delegating responsibilities, checking work for accuracy and being their lead POC in terms of mentorship and growth development#J-18808-Ljbffr