About the Role
The Account Director leads the day-to-day account team for a key Brand Consulting client, with a focus on the strategic concepting, management and execution of Olympic and Paralympic partnerships. The role serves as a primary client lead, directing client relations, managing and mentoring junior team members and driving cross-functional collaboration across internal teams, external agencies, vendors and key rights holders within the global Olympic ecosystem, including IOC/TOP, USOPC, NGBs, OCOGs and talent. It also carries responsibility for bringing proactive strategic ideas, innovative activation concepts and new commercial opportunities to the client in order to drive ongoing account growth and brand impact.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide senior account leadership in the day-to-day strategy and management of Olympic and Paralympic partnerships, including TOP Sponsors, USOPC, NGBs and Organising Committees (OCOGs).
- Develop and lead comprehensive Olympic partnership strategies, identifying, communicating and maximising sponsorship assets to deliver measurable value and secure key stakeholder buy-in.
- Lead negotiations with Olympic rights holders — including OCOGs, NOCs/USOPC, NGBs, talent and beyond — demonstrating a proven history of delivering successful commercial outcomes.
- Serve as the primary executive point of contact across client leads, rights holders, host committees and external agency partners, and act as a trusted strategic advisor across the multi-year Olympic partnership lifecycle.
- Oversee the development of integrated marketing and sponsorship activation plans spanning digital, social, PR, retail and experiential channels, working with internal account teams, client teams and external agencies.
- Proactively identify new Olympic Movement opportunities, including Paralympic expansion, NGB partnerships, athlete talent strategies and emerging sports properties that align with client objectives.
- Oversee, mentor and inspire account teams managing day-to-day partnerships, ensuring operational continuity, strategic creative thinking and active problem-solving.
- Lead overall activation planning and execution across global events and activations, pulling in specific functional teams as needed to ensure all contractual rights and brand goals are met.
- Partner with Insights & Analytics and other internal functions (Creative, Experiential, Social Impact, Insights/Trends, PR, Digital) to establish partnership KPIs, measurement frameworks, ROI reporting and optimisation strategies.
- Oversee key project deliverables including overall budgeting, briefings and C-suite presentations, while playing a key role in driving year-over-year account growth.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in Marketing, Communications, Business or a similar discipline.
- 8–10+ years of experience in sports marketing, brand partnerships, sponsorship consulting, media rights and agency leadership.
- Proven, hands‑on track record of negotiating and managing high‑stakes Olympic and Paralympic partnerships.
- Demonstrated experience managing major global sports sponsorships, including strategic planning, contract negotiation, rights management, activation execution, stakeholder coordination, international hospitality and partner fulfilment.
- Established relationships throughout the sports landscape, including governing bodies, media rights holders, athlete representatives and key industry partners.
- Proven ability to develop partnership strategies that drive client investment, measurable ROI/ROO and long‑term commercial success.
- Demonstrated experience negotiating complex sponsorship agreements and managing partnerships end‑to‑end from contract execution through activation, measurement and renewal.
- Ability to lead and execute integrated sponsorship programmes across governing bodies, property rights holders, media partners, brand sponsors and athlete talent.
- Strong understanding of global sports governance, ambush marketing guidelines, athlete marketing regulations and the evolving sports media landscape.
- Exceptional client service and relationship management skills across clients, brand partners, internal stakeholders and external agencies.
- Recognised as a strategic thought leader capable of influencing C-suite executives and senior stakeholders with data‑driven recommendations.
- Experience leading, mentoring and developing high‑performing account teams.
- Proven experience managing sponsorship budgets, financial forecasting, P&L responsibility and reporting.
- Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Highly collaborative and solution‑oriented, with the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure agency environment.
Preferred Skills
- Agency experience is highly preferred.
- Experience in tech/AI is a plus.
Workplace
- Flexible work schedule within the Brand Consulting department, with a minimum of three days per week required on‑site.
Salary
- Los Angeles, CA: annual base salary range of $115,000 to $165,000.
- New York, NY: annual base salary range of $115,000 to $165,000.
Benefits & Perks
- Eligible for benefits and a discretionary bonus.
- Company pays 80%–100% of the cost of a range of benefits, including medical insurance, basic life and AD&D insurance, telemedicine, and employee assistance and mental health counselling provided in person, virtually or via text.
- Paid vacation/holidays, paid sick time, paid parental leave and other paid leaves of absence, NICU leave and bereavement resources.
- Adoption benefits, educational assistance, mental health resources and an employee assistance plan.
- Voluntary benefits available for election: dental and vision insurance, 401K plan, flexible spending accounts (health care and dependent care), health savings account, and voluntary life and AD&D insurance.
- Commuter benefits.
- Other statutory mandated benefits.
About the Company
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.
#J-18808-Ljbffr