Vice President, Sports Strategy

THE JOB / Vice President, Sports Strategy

***Our headquarters is in Stamford, CT, but the location of this position can be flexible with a priority given to candidates open to hybrid work (3 days week in office) in one of our office locations - - Stamford, CT or New York, NY. We will also consider a remote-based working arrangement for qualified candidates with East Coast working hours as a prerequisite."

We're looking for people who are inherently curious and driven to uncover truth. You have a passion for sports and a deep understanding for how fans think, act, and play.

You take a step back from assignments to see what's missing and ask bigger questions. To find new ways to distill and articulate information, new channels to communicate with audiences, and new insights that lead to impactful creative.

You're a passionate storyteller who is comfortable working across mediums. You care how something is communicated, not just what. The job will have you working with creatives, account leads, and strategists from across a number of agencies. You can't help but rally people around the work and create a collaborative creative atmosphere.

THE WORK YOU'LL DO

• Collaborate with cross-agency teams to write powerful sports strategies, creative briefs, and go-to-market plans
• Develop strategies that fully leverage a portfolio of sports partnerships and rights, maximizing reach, relevance, and return
• Define the role of sports within broader brand strategy, ensuring alignment with media, audience, and performance goals
• Guide research and analytics to uncover fan insights, track performance, and inform future planning
• Transform research into a constant stream of inspiration, insights and thought starters for a cross-agency creative team
• Create consumer journeys and define messaging architectures that connect the brand to sport/fan experience
• Understand and monitor the insurance landscape

THE BIGGER TEAM YOU'LL JOIN

Recognized as one of the"Best Places to Work in Sports", Octagon is the global sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing arm of the Interpublic Group.

We take pride in being Playmakers - finding insightful, bold ways to create play in our work, our lives, and in the world. We believe in the power of play to create big ideas and unlock potential for our clients and talent.

We can put ourselves in the shoes of fans because we ARE fans - of sports, entertainment, and culture at large. This expertise allows us to continually evolve the fan experience across sports and entertainment alongside some of the biggest brands and talent in the world.

The world needs play more than ever. Are you a Playmaker?

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 10+ years of relevant advertising/marketing experience, ideally in brand planning, strategy, or research
• Extensive experience working in the sports/sponsorship space
• Have played a leadership role in an IAT
• Awareness of marketing trends and activity in the insurance category
• Demonstrated history of developing creative briefs and strategies that directly impacted creative and channel planning
• Led research and analysis that uncovered consumer or brand insights
• Additional experience with sponsorship positioning, campaign creation, strategic frameworks, and customer journeys
• Flexibility and willingness to travel domestically and work weekends or holidays as needed. Anticipated travel level: Moderate (20-45%)

The base range for this position is $140,000 - 155,000.Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure, and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee's/applicant's background, pertinent experience, and qualifications

Octagon's comprehensive benefits packages include:

• Unlimited PTO policy - we understand you need time for play!
• Competitive medical/dental/vision insurance plans with FSA/HSA and Dependent Care FSA options. Pet Insurance for those who need it too!
• Generous Family and Parental Leave Policy (12 weeks) with eligibility extended to all parents regardless of gender or primary/secondary caregiver status
• Access to our parent company (IPG) Savings plan (401K program) with company match as well as an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Pretax Transportation/Commuter Benefits and Parent Travel Program
• Dedicated Mental Health resources including Headspace membership, Employee Assistance Program (CCA), and more
• Discount portal for everyday goods and services
• Employee Resource Groups and Inclusive Diversity Programming and initiatives - Personal Development programs

Octagon is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law