Head of Sport / EVP

S&E ladders into M&C Saatchi US, where we offer integrated marketing and advertising across sport, entertainment and broader consumer campaigns, working into a collective team of 100+ professionals.

As an agency we thrive, above all, on ideas. As such, we are seeking a multi-faceted Head of Sport / EVP, to join our creative communications team and lead in the execution of cross-functional earned campaigns as the senior liaison to both the team and the clients. We are an integrated agency so you should be capable of ideating across any medium: video, still, digital, print, experiential, and many more – the idea should dictate the medium and not the other way around.

As we are ideas-first, we seek multi-faceted creative individuals with knowledge of varied creative platforms and mediums, as well as a thirst to learn about those they are not familiar with. A background in global campaign work is preferred.

Ambition and vision are also paramount – we have the opportunity to shape some of the world’s biggest brands.

We are seeking individuals who want to help our client brands become more than what they are

The Role

We’re seeking a driven, creative, and highly ambitious EVP Head of Sport to join our US team in New York City or Los Angeles.

The ideal candidate is an experienced communications and marketing professional who will lead and execute integrated brand campaigns for our top-tier clients, focusing on sport-centric activations and broader consumer earned media campaigns.

You’ll bring a wealth of experience in high-profile talent management, brand partnerships, and publicity within a mid-to-large agency setting. A strong network of relationships within the sports rights holder landscape—spanning federations, franchises, teams, and talent—will be key to success in this role.

What You'll Do:

• Responsible for at least 1/3 of the total agency’s– this includes:
  • Managing and growing our current client roster
  • New business generation leads
  • Managing new business RFPs through to completion, and to success
  • Generating and unlocking additional revenue from current clients to further increase their spend with the agency
• Supervise and lead our Sports Division, driving client KPIs and oversee the day-to-day account management of our consumer client campaigns,
• Drive strategic goals and oversee campaign planning and execution across the agency’s sports and fitness-related accounts.
• Experience managing major national and global PR accounts, overseeing the development of media strategy and execution in-market,
• Lead across new business briefs and work alongside the senior team to co-develop and pitch for relevant RFPs,
• Provide strategic counsel, insights, and development of campaigns for clients, demonstrating an understanding of brand’s positioning in the industry and amongst competing brands,
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of comms and integrated comms planning to build attention and fame amongst our client campaigns,
• Lead IAT meetings across our brand portfolio representing our earned creative communications work,
• Lead on both reactive and proactive new business RFPs alongside the wider team,
• Play a key role as a senior lead for our 65+ staff, fueling a positive culture that champions a team-led mentality and solution-oriented ethos,
• Serve as a key thought leader externally for sports industry expertise and innovation - ie thought pieces, panels, award showcases and juror opportunities, and industry leading events,
• Spearhead and support integrated media and PR campaigns alongside our creative, influencer and production teams through a demonstrated, working knowledge of influence, creative solutions and data-driven insights,
• Build cohesive, strategic, and impactful publicity campaigns to support client objectives and launches/activations,
• Work closely with client’s IATs and external partners to achieve brand goals and objectives,
• Counsel the team on media strategy and communications planning,
• In conjunction with the other Senior Leads, manage resourcing, scopes of work, and budgeting across key clients,
• Continuously manage client scopes and budgets as well as budget and profitability for division.

What You'll Bring:

• Candidates must have at least 15 years’ experience working at an integrated marcomms and/or sports agency or in-house communications senior role at a relevant brand to our work.
• Seamless management of all deliverables associated with a client, on all timelines, with inputs from a wide variety of different directions and stakeholders
• Experience with high profile talent media relations, press campaign development and execution of creative and strategic communication plans
• A keen understanding of rights holder & commercial contacts with experience across the major leagues and entities
• Brand sponsorship and activation experience in garnering commercial deals
• Strong media relationships across entertainment, lifestyle, and trade
• Ability to manage a team of mid and junior level executives through clear communication and direction
• A strong understanding of the full marketing mix and be able to confidently and authoritatively pursue the goals and objectives of earned media within a 360-marketing plan
• A highly efficient and effective problem solver with the ability to lean into a network of contacts around the industry to support the development of the agency and reach the goals of our clients
• A creative streak. The ability to concept ideas that will drive conversation and attention for their clients and push the boundaries of PR into new territories

Office Location: 466 Broome Street in Soho, NYC

Salary range is $250,000 - 275,000 and is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, NA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and treats applicants for employment equally based upon job-related qualifications and without regard to race, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, disability, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law.

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, NA is a full-service creative communications agency operating across lifestyle, sport, entertainment, fashion, technology, culinary and spirits. We specialize in campaigns that are disseminated through earned media channels, relying on creativity, strategy and cultural relevance to infiltrate consumer circles with truly compelling, thumb-stopping and attention-grabbing creative thinking. The agency is responsible for executing creative campaigns from ideation through to design, production, execution and dissemination. Our creative studio delivers output that includes still, video, print, experiential, and many more.

All employee information is kept confidential according to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES.

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