Director, Talent Strategy

Excel Sports Management•New York, NY

1d•$140,000 - $160,000

About The Position

Excel Sports Management is seeking a Director of Talent Strategy for its Talent & Creator Marketing division. The role focuses primarily on traditional talent, including professional athletes, celebrities, musicians and other prominent personalities. The Director leads talent strategy workstreams across agency-of-record relationships and standalone client projects, advising brands on how talent can support broader marketing objectives and developing partnerships across sports, entertainment, music and culture. The position spans strategy, talent evaluation, client advisory, procurement and negotiation, and project leadership. The Director collaborates with account leadership and cross-functional teams, contributes to new business development, and helps improve the division’s processes and resources. The role is hands-on and includes providing guidance and feedback to junior team members as needed. The position pays $140,000–$160,000 per year and is eligible for benefits and a discretionary bonus. It is not eligible for sponsorship.

Requirements

At least 7 years of relevant experience in talent strategy, talent partnerships, endorsements, sports or entertainment marketing, or talent representation.
Demonstrated experience developing talent recommendations and advising brands beyond individual campaign execution.
Strong knowledge of professional sports, entertainment and music talent, including representation structures, deal economics and partnership considerations.
Hands-on experience negotiating talent deals and evaluating fees, deliverables, usage rights and exclusivity.
Ability to translate client business challenges into strategic recommendations and persuasive presentations.
Established relationships with talent agents, managers and industry partners, or a proven ability to build them.
Excellent client management, communication and project leadership skills, with the judgment to independently manage multiple accounts and priorities.
Collaborative, resourceful and detail-oriented approach, strong commercial instincts and willingness to be hands-on.
Experience supporting new business development and developing talent strategies for brands across different industries.

Nice To Haves

Agency experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop talent strategies aligned with clients’ business objectives, target audiences, brand positioning and broader marketing priorities.
Identify and evaluate athletes, celebrities, musicians and other talent based on brand fit, audience relevance, cultural impact, commercial value and potential risks.
Develop strategic frameworks, talent shortlists, partnership recommendations and client presentations.
Advise clients on using talent in brand platforms, sponsorships, experiential programs, content, ambassador relationships and other marketing initiatives.
Monitor emerging talent, cultural trends, representation dynamics and the economics of talent partnerships.
Lead talent outreach, availability and interest checks, fee assessments, offer development and negotiations with talent representatives.
Structure and manage deals involving appearances, endorsements, ambassador programs, content, usage, exclusivity and other partnership rights.
Build and maintain relationships with agencies, management companies, talent representatives and industry partners.
Lead day-to-day talent strategy workstreams across multiple AOR accounts and project engagements.
Present recommendations to clients, incorporate feedback and identify opportunities to add value.
Collaborate with account leadership, sponsorship strategy, creative, social and experiential teams to align talent recommendations with client priorities.
Manage projects from strategic brief through recommendation, procurement and handoff to activation teams, maintaining timelines, budgets and communication.
Contribute to new business pitches, scopes of work and proposals, articulating Excel’s talent expertise and approach.
Help refine division processes, workflows and resources to improve operational efficiency and consistency.
Provide guidance and thoughtful feedback to junior team members as needed.
Improve talent research, evaluation tools, negotiation practices and processes across the division.
Partner with senior leadership on new business opportunities and contribute strategic thinking, talent insights and recommendations.
Support development of new business materials to showcase the division’s expertise and support growth across existing and prospective clients.