Referee Live Communications and Operations Manager

NBA NBA • New York, NY

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Referee Live Communications & Operations Manager will be responsible for overseeing the initial launch and day-to-day operations of the NBA’s new live, in-game communications initiative, which is a core foundational element for the NBA’s automated officiated goals. Working in close partnership with the NBA Replay Center, the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA), external vendors, and other NBA stakeholders, this role will be critical to the successful launch and efficient operation of this initiative. In addition, this position will assist in advancing Referee Operations’ broader innovation agenda and other operational priorities.

Requirements

• Strong project management skills and a demonstrated record of managing multiple on-going initiatives.
• Strong communication, multitasking, and listening skills, with an ability to discover and combine multiple sources of information to subsequently execute
• Must exercise good judgement and be able to maintain confidentiality with sensitive events and projects
• Proven self-management, problem identification, and solution development skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, organization, and interpersonal skills.
• Detail-oriented, organized, able to work autonomously
• Ability to interact with and influence personnel across all levels of internal and external organizations.
• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and Project Management Tools (Trello, Slack).
• Willingness to travel, both domestically and internationally
• Ability to work nights and weekends as required
• Bachelor’s Degree required
• Minimum of 6 years’ experience managing mission critical projects that are sensitive, complex, high profile, and cross-functional in nature
• Extensive experience standing up new initiatives and delivering results on time and on budget with extraordinary attention to detail

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience working with NBA teams, players, officials or rules is preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day administration of the Referee Live Communications Initiative, ensuring the availability and functionality of all hardware (earpieces, cables, connectors, belt packs, clips, etc.), outfitting, and all other equipment essential to game day operations.
• Ensure smooth coordination and information sharing between internal stakeholders across different shifts (Ref Ops, Replay, BB Ops, BSG, Engineering, Broadcast, Legal, IT, game participants) by managing stakeholder relationships and facilitating clear communication on day-to-day business operations.
• Partner with the Replay Center, as well as engineers and vendors to ensure appropriate scheduling and availability of in-arena coverage, Replay Center support, training, and other essential onboarding and operational processes.
• Partner with the Replay Center, Head of Referee Development & Training, the NBRA and other experts in League Operations to facilitate the development and regular updating of communication protocols for when and how to utilize the live communications technology.
• Prevent and mitigate game day interruptions by identifying operational risks and implementing robust inventory, tracking, and contingency protocols for the Referee Live Communications Initiative.
• In close coordination with the Replay Center’s Referee Live Communications, serve as a primary point of contact during standard business hours for League Operations Staff, NBA officials, engineers, vendors, in-arena staff, and other external partners for any operational issues or questions related to the Live Communications Project.
• Partner with colleagues in League Operations and Referee Operations to track, report, and make recommendations on critical elements of the Live Communications Project, including in-game usage metrics and trends, implications for playing rules, user feedback, performance issues, and other matters.
• Coordinate with Basketball Strategy & Growth, other NBA stakeholders, vendors and external partners to operationalize future innovation and technology initiatives on the Automated Officiating roadmap.
• Complete other administrative and operational tasks as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees