Director, Merchandising Partnerships

WORK OPTION: The NBA currently provides eligible employees the option of working remotely one day per week.

Summary

The Senior Director, Merchandising Partnerships owns the strategic direction and business performance of a portfolio of WNBA licensing and merchandising partnerships, with accountability for revenue growth, product innovation, and brand expansion across key consumer product categories. This role translates departmental objectives into multi-year growth strategies and annual business plans, independently sets portfolio priorities within agreed business objectives, and leads complex initiatives across categories, channels, and teams. As the senior relationship lead for the portfolio, the Senior Director influences internal leaders and external partner executives to maximize the value of league and team intellectual property. Success requires sound commercial judgment, financial discipline, and the ability to deliver measurable results across the broader merchandising business.

Major Responsibilities

• Own the development and execution of multi-year merchandising and licensing strategies and annual partner growth plans. Set priorities across new product development, retail expansion, and marketing activations, making tradeoffs within approved plans to deliver portfolio and departmental growth objectives.
• Direct licensing operations across the portfolio, including product approvals, marketing collateral reviews, contract and deal memo development, compliance, and partner reporting. Lead commercial negotiations with senior partner stakeholders in partnership with Legal and the group lead and resolve complex issues.
• Own portfolio revenue planning, financial forecasts, and performance reviews in partnership with Finance. Establish measurable business targets, assess results against plan, and lead corrective action to address performance gaps; present growth opportunities, risks, and investment recommendations to senior leadership.
• Lead complex, large-scale partnership initiatives across Finance, Legal, Marketing, Events, and Basketball Operations. Align senior stakeholders on objectives, resource commitments, and decision-making, guide cross-functional teams, and hold initiative owners accountable for milestones and business outcomes.
• Own the strategy and growth of the WNBA’s international merchandising business, setting market priorities and leading licensing and retail expansion across key international markets in coordination with regional office staff. Align regional partners and internal teams on market-specific growth plans, with accountability for revenue performance, distribution expansion, and long-term business development.
• Direct category analytics and reporting to shape departmental planning and identify emerging market opportunities. Prioritize direct-to-consumer and cross-category growth initiatives using consumer insights, market trends, and business performance data to guide decisions and evaluate results.
• Influence Team brand and retail leaders to align league and team merchandise strategies with broader marketing priorities. Resolve competing interests and build agreement on opportunities that expand retail reach, strengthen partner performance, and grow the consumer products business.
• Partner with the group lead to shape departmental priorities and long-term growth plans, bringing recommendations that inform the overall NBA and WNBA merchandising business. Independently lead designated strategic initiatives and special projects from business case through execution, with accountability for agreed outcomes.
• Own the strategy and end-to-end business performance of memorabilia and game-worn product acquisition program, including coordination with Teams and partners. Set operating priorities, resolve issues, and drive revenue performance against plan.

Required Skills/Knowledge

• Strong strategic planning and business development capabilities, with the judgment to set priorities across a complex portfolio, evaluate tradeoffs, and translate departmental goals into executable growth strategies.
• Deep understanding of licensing, merchandising, retail, consumer products, and partnership ecosystems, including emerging industry trends and marketplace dynamics.
• Exceptional relationship management and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence senior internal leaders and external partner executives, navigate competing interests, and secure alignment on significant commercial decisions.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, revenue planning, royalty analysis, and business performance evaluation, with clear accountability for using these insights to deliver business results.
• Proven ability to lead complex, large-scale initiatives and cross-functional teams, make independent decisions, and balance near-term performance with long-term strategic objectives.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and executive storytelling skills, with the ability to present clear recommendations, explain commercial tradeoffs, and communicate business results to senior leadership.
• Highly analytical and data-driven mindset with experience leveraging market intelligence, consumer insights, and performance metrics to inform decision-making.
• Strong leadership and people development skills, with a track record of setting direction, developing talent, and holding teams and initiative owners accountable for results.
• Passion for sports, apparel, trading cards, and collectibles, with an understanding of the evolving women's sports landscape and fan marketplace.

Experience Needed

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• 10-15 years of progressive experience in licensing, consumer products, merchandising, partnerships or a related field.
• Demonstrated success owning and growing complex licensing and merchandising portfolios, with accountability for revenue performance, senior partner relationships, commercial negotiations, and strategic business planning.
• Experience setting and executing multi-year category growth strategies across multiple consumer product categories and distribution channels, with measurable business results.
• Proven ability to lead complex, large-scale initiatives across Finance, Legal, Marketing, Operations, Digital, and external partner organizations, aligning senior stakeholders and guiding cross-functional teams through execution.
• Demonstrated leadership experience setting business priorities and making independent commercial decisions including resolving complex issues and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
• Prior experience managing, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams preferred.
• Experience within sports, entertainment, media, retail, or consumer products industries strongly preferred.

Salary Range:

$190,000 – $210,000

Job Posting Title:

Senior Director

Employees currently are eligible to receive an annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company. Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company-sponsored employee benefit programs: medical; dental; vision; life/AD&D insurance; short- and long-term disability; fertility and family-forming assistance; wellbeing allowance; educational assistance; mental health coaching/therapy; tax advantaged accounts such as HSA and healthcare/dependent care FSAs; a 401(k) retirement plan; and time off benefits that include vacation, sick time, and personal days.

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2026-27 season featured 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents. The NBA's digital assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. The NBA's Tap to Watch provides seamless access to local, national and global live game telecasts via the NBA App, NBA.com, third-party digital platforms and NBA partner platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA's global social impact platform, drives change on issues facing fans and communities in the areas of health and wellness, civic engagement, social justice and inclusion, and sustainability.