Director, Strategy & Growth

Key Responsibilities And Accountabilities

• Build the strategic infrastructure brand partnerships needs to scale.
  • Sponsorship valuation methodologies, sector frameworks, market intelligence, repeatable approaches the team can use across pitches, renewals, and new business.
• Develop sector views (e.g., automotive, financial services, tech, luxury) that explain how brands in each category think about sport and where the opportunities sit.
• Lead consulting mandates in sponsorship strategy, commercial model design, and brand portfolio strategy.
  • Take engagements from scoping through to delivery, drawing on the same intellectual capital used internally.
  • Win new consulting work in this space.
    • Lead proposals, develop hypotheses & investment recommendations, and contribute to business development alongside the wider consulting practice.
• Work alongside the brand partnerships team on the most complex commercial questions, where outside-in perspective and analytical depth makes a real difference.
• Work with the data and insights team to build proper evidence around fan engagement, reach, and brand impact.
• Develop IMG's understanding of media and creative agencies and how they make decisions, both as a market-intelligence function and as input to consulting work.
• Contribute to broader Strategy & Growth projects when brand or sponsorship expertise is useful.

Knowledge And Experience

• 8–12 years in sports sponsorship, brand strategy, or commercial strategy.
  • Ideally a mix of advisory or consulting experience and operating experience on either the agency, brand, or rights-holder side.
• A genuine understanding of how brands think about sport.
  • You can explain why a CMO would make investment decisions.
• Experience building sponsorship valuations, activation strategies, or commercial propositions for major sports properties or brands.
  • Credibility with senior commercial people.
• Breadth across multiple sports, geographies, or brand categories.
  • Deep expertise in one area is fine, but you need to be able to work across IMG's full portfolio.

Skills And Abilities

• You think about the bigger picture.
  • You can see patterns across a portfolio of deals, spot where things are underpriced, and explain why a brand should care and can benefit.
• Comfortable with numbers.
  • Sponsorship valuations, market sizing, ROI analysis.
• You can build the case, not just argue it.
  • Good communicator.
    • You can write a pitch that lands, build a clean deck, and present confidently to a senior audience.
• Naturally collaborative.
  • This role only works if you build good relationships with people across IMG.
• Genuinely interested in brands and sport.
  • You follow what brands are doing, why they're doing it, and what's changing.
  • You have views.
• Can juggle.
  • You'll be supporting live consulting work, building longer-term frameworks, and picking up ad hoc projects at the same time.
• Time at a sponsorship agency or in a brand sponsorship function.
  • Experience with sponsorship measurement tools (e.g., Nielsen Sports, GumGum, Relo Metrics).
  • Understanding of digital and social activation in sport.
• Understanding of media rights and how sponsorship and media strategies overlap.
  • Experience with sponsorship measurement tools (e.g., Nielsen Sports, GumGum, Relo Metrics).
  • Understanding of digital and social activation in sport.

Working Conditions

• This is a permanent position
• The role is based in IMG offices in New York, US with some flexibility on remote working as appropriate
• Working hours are 9:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday
• May be required to attend (and travel to) locations, including other IMG buildings and meetings
• Unsocial hours may be required, as dictated by the demands of the business schedule
• Adapting to use of new systems and technology where appropriate

Hiring Rate

• Minimum $130,000 annually
• Maximum $160,000 annually

TKO EEO Statement

• TKO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding non-discrimination in employment.
• TKO makes employment decisions based on merit and qualifications, without considering an employee’s or applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities.
• TKO also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state or local laws.