Vice President, Consumer Brand, Sports Portfolio - Burson

Burson•Los Angeles, CA

6d•$75,000 - $180,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Burson is seeking a Vice President, Consumer Brand Sports to lead integrated earned media and brand communications programs for a portfolio of sports clients. The role develops campaigns that strengthen brand reputation, generate meaningful earned media, and connect clients with consumers through sports, culture, talent, and experiences. The position calls for established media and industry relationships and expertise in athlete marketing, sponsorship activation, sports business trends, and culturally relevant storytelling. The Vice President serves as a trusted senior counselor to clients, providing strategic recommendations, executive communications support, and presentations while building long-term relationships and driving client growth. The role leads campaigns, athlete and brand partnership programs, experiential events, press trips, and other integrated communications initiatives. It also manages and develops team members, coordinates work across agency disciplines, and contributes to business development, client expansion, agency growth, and thought leadership. Preferred locations are Los Angeles (hybrid), Southern California (remote), or San Francisco (hybrid). Burson describes its broader working approach as hybrid, with teams in the office around four days a week, and says accommodations or flexibility can be discussed with the hiring team. The position's base salary may range from $75,000 to $180,000 USD, depending on job-related factors. Burson offers a competitive benefits package and describes professional development, mentorship, and an inclusive, collaborative culture.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in sports communications, consumer brand marketing, earned media, public relations, or integrated communications; agency experience is preferred.
Deep understanding of the consumer sports landscape, including leagues, teams, athletes, media ecosystems, sponsorship trends, fan engagement strategies, and cultural moments.
Established relationships with leading sports, consumer, lifestyle, business, and entertainment media outlets, publishers, and journalists.
Demonstrated success developing and executing integrated earned media campaigns that generate impactful coverage and measurable results.
Significant experience planning and executing press trips, media events, product launches, experiential activations, and large-scale event communications programs.
Proven success leading athlete activations, sponsorship campaigns, endorsement programs, and talent-driven consumer marketing initiatives.
Strong client-facing presence and exceptional presentation, storytelling, and executive communication skills.
Experience counseling senior executives and marketing leaders on communications strategy, media engagement, and reputation management.
Ability to lead integrated teams and collaborate across disciplines to deliver business results.
Experience attracting, managing, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment.
Strong understanding of agency business operations, including account management, staffing, financial oversight, and resource planning.
Proven success supporting and winning new business, including developing pitch strategies, presenting recommendations, and building relationships with prospective clients.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, and sound judgment in high-pressure situations.
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a strategic mindset and delivering exceptional client service.
Passion for sports, culture, communications, and storytelling, with awareness of emerging industry trends and opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Agency-environment experience is preferred.
The posting identifies Los Angeles (hybrid), Southern California (remote), and San Francisco (hybrid) as preferred locations.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute integrated earned media and communications programs for brands, sports properties, and entertainment clients.
Advise clients on media strategy, reputation management, athlete partnerships, sponsorship activations, and brand storytelling.
Build relationships with client stakeholders, identify opportunities to deepen partnerships, and grow business.
Develop media strategies that generate earned coverage, cultural relevance, and audience engagement across traditional, digital, social, and emerging channels.
Build and maintain relationships with sports, consumer, lifestyle, entertainment, and business media.
Develop and execute athlete activation programs aligned with client business objectives and brand narratives.
Identify and manage athlete, ambassador, influencer, and talent partnerships.
Plan and execute press trips, media tours, product launches, experiential activations, sporting event programs, and marquee consumer experiences.
Work with talent agencies, athlete representatives, leagues, teams, and industry partners to maximize program impact.
Manage, mentor, and develop account teams; provide coaching and career development support to junior and mid-level team members.
Lead cross-functional teams across strategy, creative, social, influencer, analytics, and production disciplines.
Support business development through prospecting, pitch strategy, proposal development, and presentation delivery.
Develop communications strategies and recommendations for prospective clients and identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships.
Support account planning and resource management, identify organic growth opportunities, and contribute to the financial success of the business.
Represent Burson as a subject matter expert in sports communications, athlete partnerships, consumer brand marketing, and integrated communications.