Brand Consulting - Account Director - Sports & Entertainment Partnerships

Job Description

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is the leading entertainment and sports agency, with global expertise in filmed and live entertainment, digital media, publishing, sponsorship sales and endorsements, licensing, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, trademark licensing, and philanthropy.  Distinguished by its culture of collaboration and exceptional client service, CAA’s diverse workforce identifies, innovates, and amplifies opportunities for the people and organizations that shape culture and inspire the world.  The trailblazer of the agency business, CAA was the first to build a sports business, create an investment bank, launch a venture fund, found technology start-up companies, establish a philanthropic arm, build a business in China, and form a brand marketing services division, among other innovations.

The Role

The CAA Brand Consulting Account Director will play a leadership role in one of our largest Brand Consulting clients, a healthcare company. The Director will help develop and lead the strategic vision, management, negotiation and activation of marquee sports and entertainment properties in the brands portfolio. The candidate will lead interfacing day-to-day with the client, manage junior team members and will work cross functionally with internal/external vendors, clients, and agencies.  

The Department

CAA Brand Consulting is a strategy-led, full-service marketing agency with expertise in Cultural and Consumer Insights, Data and Analytics, Talent/Influencer and Property Partnership Advisory, Experiential, Social Impact, Creative Services, and Content and Digital Strategy. These integrated capabilities come together to offer solutions from planning through execution, and we pull in a collective perspective of expertise with each client brief to ensure we are tapping into diverse thinking and building strategies reflective of the marketplace and culture we work within.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver overarching strategic vision based on brand objectives for existing and new sports and entertainment partnerships
• Identify solutions in the sports & entertainment marketing partnership marketplace
• Senior oversight of existing marquee sports and entertainment partnerships including day-to-day communication directly with properties
• Develop and deliver compelling, strategic written and verbal communications
• Lead overall planning of campaigns, events and activations, working with internal account team, client team and external agencies
• Develop integrated marketing and sponsorship activation plans, showcasing how digital, social, PR, and other channels come to life as well as integrating client technology within all sponsorships
• Develop & oversee execution of property-specific programs, contractual assets, promotions & experiential activations
• Lead recommendation, negotiation and management of talent deals
• Oversee & facilitate the creative development process of marketing materials, experiential assets and event-related creative (includes briefing designers & obtaining internal & client approvals)
• Act as quarterback to lead integrated agency team as requested by clients, working collaboratively with other agencies including brand, media, PR to develop comprehensive activation plans
• Work with other team functions (e.g. Creative, Experiential, Social Impact, Insights / trends, etc.) to ensure goals and objectives are met
• Manage and train junior staff members
• Create presentations for key meetings internally and externally
• Track activation budgets with accountability for reporting 
• Develop relationships across CAA to find and promote new opportunities to client
• Help grow CAA Brand Consulting network and visibility by attending conferences, CAA events, and functions

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing and communications or relevant field 
• 7-10+ years’ experience in sports partnership management
• 4+ years’ experience in managing and mentoring a high-performance team
• Best-in-class client servicing in a full-service creative agency setting,
• Experience in navigating highly matrixed organizations and leading cross-functional teams
• Project management and big picture thinking abilities while also being analytical and creative
• Strong negotiation skills specifically with talent/property partnerships, contract renewals, makegood proposals; understands business development and agency revenue growth opportunities
• Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills – ability to present to C-suite with ease and confidence
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel including budgets, KPI tracking/analysis, productivity, etc. 
• Large scale, six-figure budget management including development, projections, reconciliation
• Proficient in Microsoft PowerPoint including executive presentations, marketing plans, business development, pitches, etc.
• Strong attention to detail, providing meticulous work evaluation and high-quality output
• Ability to “think on one’s feet” in a fast-paced, agency environment including making real-time, logical executive decisions independently 
• Ability to balance and progress multiple projects and project components simultaneously, on tight timelines 
• Strategic, solution-oriented mindset with ability to make difficult decisions, provide clear direction
• Ability to travel and attend work events outside normal business hours on an as needed basis (e.g., evenings, weekends, holidays)
• Ability to identify skill/process gaps and develop processes that support efficiency and collaboration

Location

The Brand Consulting department offers a flexible work schedule and requires three days per week, on-site at our Los Angeles offices.

Compensation

The annual base salary for this position is in the range of $123,000-$170,000. This position also is eligible for benefits and discretionary bonus. Ultimately, the salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, time in role, business sector, and geographic location, among other criteria. Please talk with a CAA Recruiter to learn more.

Creative Artists Agency, LLC (the “Company”) is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate on the basis of race (inclusive of traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, creed, gender or sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, family and medical care leave status, military or veteran status, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, an employee’s or their dependent’s reproductive health decision making (e.g., the decision to use or access a particular drug, device or medical service), or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The Company also complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws with regard to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.

CAA does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless they were contractually engaged by CAA to provide candidates for a specified opening. Any such employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the acknowledgement and agreement that CAA will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.