Senior Director, Apparel & Retail Partnerships

About OneTeam Partners

OneTeam Partners (OneTeam) is a global leader in sports licensing, marketing, sponsorship, and media, specializing in commercializing group licensing rights for college and professional athletes. Established in 2019, OneTeam is a joint venture between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MBPA) Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), MLS Players Association (MLSPA), and U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Players Association (USWNTPA), with backing from HPS General Atlantic, and Morgan Stanley Tactical. OneTeam represents the exclusive group name, image, and likeness rights for the playing members of these associations, as well as those from the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA), U.S. Rugby Players Association (USRPA), League Championship Series Players Association (LCSPA), and thousands of college athletes.

By leveraging the group IP and influence of these athletes, OneTeam creates value in games and interactive, consumer products, sponsorship, athlete and partner marketing, and content and media.

Role Summary

The Senior Director, Apparel & Retail Partnerships is responsible for overseeing OneTeam’s ever-growing portfolio of apparel category licensees as well as cultivating relationships with key retailers to increase the availability and sale of licensed products. This role will oversee a team (currently a team of three) and be responsible for setting and achieving category goals including, but not limited to, annual revenue targets. Specifically, this role will oversee all apparel category licensees and corresponding key retailer relationships on behalf of the MLSPA, NWSLPA, USWNTPA, WNBPA and college athletes – and, prospectively, other rightsholder partners as applicable.

Key Responsibilities

Category Performance Oversight & Category Planning

• Oversee all aspects of Apparel Category performance and key metrics including, but not limited to, licensee revenue, YoY revenue growth, percentage of licensees exceeding minimum guarantees, and licensee renewal rate.
• Establish annual and quarterly goals for the Apparel Category; regularly analyzing and tracking data to inform goals, measure against goals, and re-set goals as needed.
• Set annual Apparel Category revenue targets for each rightsholder partner.
• Regularly assess health of current licensee portfolio as well as areas for opportunity and maximization.
• Deploy best-in-class strategy and approach to foundational product categories (e.g., player jerseys).
• In conjunction with the Business Development team establish an Apparel category map, regularly assessing white space and/or redundancies to ensure that each rightsholder partner is best set-up for success.
  
  

Stakeholder Oversight

• Licensees/Retailers/League Counterparts: Develop and maintain relationships with senior level decision makers for all Apparel Category licensees, retailers, and league counterparts.
• Rightsholder Partners: Work with the Strategic Partnerships team to ensure delivery of world-class service in support of our rightsholder partners including, but not limited to, the following:
• Establish and maintain direct relationships with primary points of contact at each rightsholder partner.
• Provide category subject matter expertise, insights, guidance, and recommendations.
• Identify plan(s) to maximize category growth and execute on same.
• Act as the Apparel category lead on regular, standing calls with rightsholders, both proactively setting agenda items and addressing those set forth by rightsholder partners.
• Lead Apparel Category annual planning process and corresponding output.
• Prepare presentations and present same as needed.
  
  

Business Development

• Act as the lead negotiator for key licensee renewals; provide oversight on all other renewals.
• Work with the Business Development team and direct reports to evaluate and assess the near-term and long-term potential of new licensee prospects.
• Evaluate business justification and opportunity for the Apparel & Retailer Partnerships team to attend key year-round events, tradeshows, and conferences.
  
  

Retail Development

• Identify innovative solutions to increase placement and availability of licensed products as well as increase sales velocity and sell through.
• Develop and maintain a retailer category map, identifying a comprehensive list of retailers to target as sellers of licensed products.
• Establish relationships with senior level retailer decision makers, including category buyers and marketing leaders.
• Leverage retailer relationships to work cross-functionally with leaders of the Trading Cards, Memorabilia, and Hardlines category to ensure maximum placement of those licensed products at retail (in addition to apparel products).
  
  

Staff Management

• Oversee a team of direct reports and other staff members.
• Provide regular support to ensure all staff members have what they need to perform their duties at the highest level.
• Establish and lead regular cadence of team meetings.
  
  

Additional Duties

• Handle additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned.
  
  

Experience

Key Skills and Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience working in a partnership management capacity.
• Prior experience overseeing a team of direct reports.
• Prior experience working in the sports, licensing, and/or apparel industries.
• Background in product development and/or product sales with a deep understanding of the end-to-end process for creating apparel products.
  
  

Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to manage across key stakeholders (licensees, retailers, league counterparts, and rightsholder partners).
• Strong financial acumen with ability to analyze data and distill it into easily digestible formats.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including experience with data analysis, formulas, pivot tables, and financial modeling, is essential for this role.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with a proven ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Preferably familiar working within a licensee management system (e.g., DLH, BrandComply).
  
  

Personal Attributes

• Reliable, with a strong sense of responsibility and ownership over scope of work.
• Team player who encourages and works collaboratively with teammates.
• Solution-oriented approach to working through challenges, problems, or differences of opinion.
• Passion for sports; advocate for athletes and knowledgeable about the athletes that OneTeam works on behalf of.
  
  

Location

Remote with preferred locations of: Los Angeles (Santa Monica), New York and Washington DC area

Compensation

Salary Range: $150,000 - $180,000 + bonus opportunities

OneTeam Partners offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience, and a generous benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, supplemental benefits, wellness benefits, paid vacation, and a 401k plan. The above compensation reflects the anticipated salary range for this position based on Los Angeles, CA and current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Title and actual pay may be adjusted based on an individual's skills, experience, education, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Working Conditions

The Senior Director, Apparel & Retail Partnerships role primarily involves office-based work, requiring extended periods of sitting, computer use, and participation in meetings. Occasional lifting of light objects be needed. Travel is a component of this role, as the Senior Director may attend conferences, tradeshows, and meetings, where the work environment can vary and can include walking, standing, and carrying materials for extended periods. Flexibility in working hours may be required to accommodate collaboration with partners and stakeholders in different time zones.

Effective communication and strong interpersonal skills are essential, as the role requires clear verbal and written communication with key stakeholders, including licensees, retailers, league counterparts, and rightsholder partners, including conducting meetings, phone calls, and video conferences. The job also demands strong cognitive and mental abilities, including data analysis, strategic planning, decision-making, and organizational skills to manage multiple projects and deadlines. The ability to problem-solve, negotiate, and adapt to changing priorities is important. The work environment can be remote or at a designated office location, and the role requires the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.

Equal Opportunity Employer

OneTeam Partners is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to veteran/military status, race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.