GM of Marquee Events

WORK OPTION: Hybrid

The NBA is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace.  To safeguard our employees and their families, our visitors, and the broader community from COVID-19, and in consideration of recommendations from health authorities and the NBA’s own advisors, any individual working onsite in our New York and New Jersey offices must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The NBA will discuss accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.

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:
Reporting to the Head of Event Management, the GM of Marquee Events leads and manages a team of business leaders critical to driving growth and the effective production of some of the highest value media-driven NBA events including NBA All-Star, NBA Finals, NBA Draft, NBA Summer League and NBA Global Games.

This role requires strong business insights, innovative people management, strategic vision, and a enthusiasm about tangible performance measures. Consistently raising expectations as a combination of operator and conceptualizer, this leader will bring deep experience in global live event management and a demonstrated track record of success on both sides of the event P&L. Equally inspired to drive growth and efficiency, the optimal candidate will be responsible for the details of their business line while fostering the creative instincts vital to deliver on the strategic vision laid out by senior management. 

This leader will establish and reinforce high standards, set realistic deadlines, and be fanatically dedicated to the experience of key constituents (e.g., fans, teams, media, partners, guests, players and colleagues). They will be a fast-paced high-impact manager that attracts, inspires, and retains the top talent needed to effectively compete. A meticulous attention to detail and scalable project management, this executive will also demonstrate proven interpersonal skills that only improve as the complexity of the project increases. Understanding costs, revenue, products, services, and systems for each event in their business line, the GM will use this knowledge to close gaps, amplify strengths, and build the trust required to innovate. This role is highly visible and cross-functional - demanding credibility be earned through servant leadership, driven partnership, and constant collaboration with internal stakeholders. The optimal candidate will be able to navigate ambiguity by driving swiftly toward simple solutions that leverage insights to advance new initiatives. A constant learner, this executive will have a pulse on emerging trends, identify new opportunities and exhibit the entrepreneurial energy needed to build industry-setting live events. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Plan and lead all day-to-day business operations for the Marquee Events division through a team of business leaders that deliver high volume project management that is very results-oriented

• Supervise on-site execution of events by issue spotting opportunities and creatively problem solving - responding with equal energy to both

• Implement and execute against a business plan for profitability in each marquee event -- creating ancillary revenue streams and efficiency measures that increase OI and improve productivity

• Supervise progress of key initiatives and priorities by meeting regularly with leadership team to supervise event planning, draw/share insights, and problem solve

• Turn operating plans into organizational commitments and push for functional excellence across the department

• Orchestrate innovation and new asset creation cross-functionally to grow the impact of each marquee event

• Nurture a vision of excellence and lead cross-functional global teams and external agencies with actionable department-level performance metrics, repeatable systems, and service-level agreements

• Attract, build, retain and lead a high-performing team, develop star performers, and recruit new talent, as necessary

• Determine staffing needs for each marquee event and marshal resources that effectively solve for workload variances, optimize human capital, and produce high returns

• Document, implement, and train key processes, policies and procedures that deliver consistent global scale and facilitate growth of the business

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to a broad range of senior internal and external constituents by taking complex problems and simplifying them for the audience

• Lead the development and presentation of marquee events across internal departments to communicate key milestones, storylines, and activation plans

• Develop executive-level reporting

• Lead post-event recaps that promote data-driven decision making and actionable next steps

• Evaluate and negotiate contracts with key vendors and suppliers - implement unique deal structures that best serve business needs

• Cultivate deep relationships with all marquee event markets, emerging technologies, and industry-leading operators and formulate cost effective partnerships

Required Skills/Knowledge:

• Significant people management experience inclusive of managing 5+ direct reports and teams in multiple time zones!

• Expert project and client management skills with a proven track record of successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously and a demonstrated understanding of event business models!

• Demonstrated performance history of driving profitable growth and value creation by developing and effectively monetizing innovative, global event plans

• Committed to DE&I with a track record of cultural agility

• Proficient in creating, managing, tracking and reconciling multiple budgets

• Advanced aptitude with project management software and all Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint

• Deep commitment to continuing to learn and being a sense-maker for the team

• Creative problem solver with demonstrated ability to design and optimize new processes and solutions

• Strong analytical orientation and experience using data and metrics to simplify recommendations and create shared definitions of success

• Significant experience in the consumer, sports, media, and/or entertainment industries at companies whose best-in-class live experiences have driven rapid growth and a deep bench of domestic and international relationships with vendors, production companies, and event management contacts

• Willingness to travel extensively - both domestically and internationally

• Positive energy, integrity, and humility 

• 12+ years of premium live global touring event development, production, and management skills with a track-record of leading teams and delivering monumental and profitable in-person experiences that have transformed companies

• Previous international event experience; additional language skills preferred

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required MBA or other relevant advanced degree in business management from credible school preferred

Salary Range: $190,000 - $210,000 

We Consider Applicants For All Positions On The Basis Of Merit, Qualifications And Business Needs, And Without Regard To Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, Gender Identity, Age, Disability, Alienage Or Citizenship Status, Ancestry, Marital Status, Creed, Genetic Predisposition Or Carrier Status, Sexual Orientation, 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.