Sr. Director, Fan Community

Fanatics

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Fanatics Commerce, we’re more than just a leader in licensed sports merchandise – we’re a team united by a relentless passion for our fans and a commitment to innovation. We live by our BOLD Leadership principles: We Build Championship Teams, we’re Obsessed with Fans, we embrace a Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit, and we approach every challenge with a Determined and Relentless Mindset. If you’re ready to contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that thrives on collaboration and growth, we want you to be part of our team. Role Overview Fanatics is seeking a strategic, high-impact Senior Director of Fan Community to architect and scale a national grassroots fan ecosystem across North America. This leader will build and institutionalize a Fan Stewardship Layer, transforming fan engagement from episodic activation into a durable, community-driven asset for the company. Reporting to the VP of Team & Fan Relations, this role will oversee five regional Fan Managers, scale our Insider program into a structured advocacy engine, and establish a nationally recognized Fan Advisory Council with meaningful agency and credibility. The ideal candidate is a proven community architect, someone who has built thriving, self-sustaining ecosystems that drive trust, advocacy, and cultural relevance. They understand that real community is earned, not manufactured. They are equally comfortable designing long-term strategy and leading from the field. This is a visible leadership role requiring strong executive presence, operational rigor, and deep fluency in professional sports culture. The role requires extensive travel, up to 50% annually.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
10+ years building and leading large-scale community, ambassador, or grassroots ecosystems.
5+ years in leadership roles overseeing distributed or regional teams.
Deep knowledge and passion for professional sports culture.
Ability to work at ease with professional team management, players and influencers across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and more across our 900+ sports properties.
Experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets and field operations.
Strong program management, governance, and operational discipline.
Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders at all levels.
High integrity and commitment to authentic, non-transactional community building.
Willingness to travel extensively, up to 200 days annually.

Responsibilities

Strategic Community Leadership
Define and lead a multi-year vision for Fanatics’ Fan Stewardship Layer.
Build a scalable, measurable community operating model that strengthens fan trust and advocacy.
Translate enterprise priorities into disciplined regional execution.
Regional Fan Hub Development
Lead and develop five Regional Fan Managers across designated Fan Hubs.
Establish standards, cadence, and performance accountability.
Manage and deploy approximately $1M+ per region in community investment across priority sports markets.
Insider Program Expansion
Scale our fan network while preserving authenticity and independence.
Build structured engagement frameworks that protect credibility.
Develop governance standards that ensure long-term sustainability.
Fan Advisory Council and Governance
Recruit and lead a diverse Fan Advisory Council with defined charter and real influence on the Fanatics Commerce business.
Embed structured fan input into product and experience decisions.
Drive visible 'You Said / We Did' accountability outcomes.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Partner with Product, Supply Chain, CX, Social, Communications, and Partnerships.
Ensure community insights inform enterprise decision-making.
Resilience and Issue Management
Design rapid-response community protocols for high-visibility moments.
Prioritize transparency, fairness, and measurable remedies.
Data-Driven Strategy
Define KPIs and dashboards measuring activation, retention, advocacy, and sentiment.
Continuously refine programming based on measurable outcomes.
Team Leadership and Development
Build and lead a high-performance team aligned with Fanatics’ BOLD Leadership Principles.
Set clear goals, provide mentorship, and foster accountability.

Benefits

We provide a wide range of health, financial, legal, and development assistance, including wellness programs with fitness and weight management partners, paid maternity paternity leave, and infertility treatment.
Additionally, we offer flexible time off to help you recharge, along with a competitive 401k plan to support your financial future.
At Fanatics, we’re dedicated to supporting you in all aspects of work and life.

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