Director, Marketing, Basketball

Director, Basketball Brand

The Director, Basketball Brand leads the strategy, development, and execution of basketball-focused brand initiatives that drive cultural relevance, customer engagement, and business growth. This role is responsible for building impactful programs, partnerships, and experiences that strengthen the brand's connection to basketball culture and local communities while delivering measurable commercial results. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of basketball, sneaker, and street culture, along with strong leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Brand & Business Leadership

Lead the overall basketball brand strategy, developing integrated programs that drive brand distinction, customer engagement, and commercial impact
Balance long-term brand building with near-term business objectives, including traffic, sales, and loyalty growth
Develop national campaigns and localized activations that authentically connect with basketball communities
Partner closely with external brand partners, leagues, teams, and athletes to create differentiated brand moments and experiences
Lead key basketball partnerships, sponsorships, and related brand initiatives
Program Development & Execution

Develop clear, strategic creative briefs that align business goals, consumer insights, and cultural relevance
Create immersive basketball storytelling and in-store experiences that bring product, culture, and community together
Lead basketball launches, collaborations, campaigns, and events from concept through execution
Ensure consistency in brand voice, storytelling, and execution across all customer touchpoints
Define and monitor KPIs related to brand engagement, traffic, community impact, and sales performance
Community & Cultural Connectivity

Build authentic relationships across basketball culture, including athletes, creators, grassroots organizations, leagues, and community partners
Ensure programs are rooted in real consumer insights and meaningful community engagement
Identify emerging trends and opportunities across basketball, sneaker, and youth culture to inform brand strategy
Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Lead and develop high-performing teams and agency partners
Drive alignment across Marketing, Merchandising, Retail, Creative, Partnerships, and Community teams
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and executional excellence
Qualifications

Required
10+ years of experience in brand marketing, cultural marketing, partnerships, or consumer engagement
5+ years of leadership experience managing teams and cross-functional initiatives
Proven success building programs that connect culture, community, and commercial performance
Deep understanding of basketball, sneaker, street, and youth culture
Strong strategic thinking, storytelling, and communication skills
Experience leading integrated campaigns, partnerships, and experiential activations
Ability to manage multiple high-profile initiatives in a fast-paced environment
Preferred
Experience working with sports partnerships, athletes, leagues, or entertainment properties
Experience within retail, fashion, footwear, sportswear, or consumer lifestyle brands
Experience leading community-based or culturally driven marketing initiatives