Creative Strategist, Brand & Partnerships

Develops original ideas that connect advertising partners with audiences through branded content, social storytelling, talent partnerships and live experiences. Sitting on the Brand & Partnerships team and reporting to the Head of Marketing, it translates client objectives, audience insights and cultural trends into compelling sponsorship concepts and persuasive pitches. The position focuses primarily on ideation, creative strategy and pre-sale development, requiring a strong conceptual thinker and storyteller with a deep understanding of sports, basketball culture and entertainment.

• Develop original partnership concepts across branded video, social, editorial, talent, gaming and experiential.
• Translate advertiser objectives and target audience needs into clear creative strategies, campaign narratives and distinctive ideas, using audience insights, category research, cultural trends and past campaign learnings to explain why an idea will resonate.
• Lead brainstorms and synthesise contributions into focused, pitch-ready concepts, and identify credible ways for brands to participate in basketball culture, sports, entertainment and emerging fan conversations.
• Partner with Sales and Brand Partnerships to respond to RFPs, owning creative strategy, concept development and the written narrative of proposals.
• Write compelling campaign overviews, series descriptions, sample episode ideas, talent recommendations and brand integration concepts.
• Present ideas to clients, agencies and internal stakeholders, confidently explaining strategic rationale and responding to feedback, and refine concepts throughout the sales process while preserving the central idea and addressing client priorities.
• Develop proactive ideas that give Sales new reasons to engage prospective and existing partners, and create original branded content franchises, recurring formats and sponsorship platforms with potential for repeat investment.
• Package opportunities around major sports and entertainment moments, editorial properties, talent access and live events, and maintain a pipeline of ideas, creative references and partnership opportunities informed by emerging trends and advertiser needs.
• Consult with Editorial, Social, Production, Talent and other relevant teams during proposal development to assess feasibility, audience fit and resource requirements, and refine concepts to reflect production parameters, budget guidance and available talent or rights.
• Prepare creative briefs that capture the approved concept, strategic rationale, brand role and essential storytelling elements, lead the creative conversation with the Project Manager to Production and Project Management once a partnership is sold
• And serve as a resource for questions about the original concept, with campaign delivery, timelines, budgets and day-to-day client management owned by the execution teams.

• 5–7+ years of experience in creative strategy, integrated strategy, branded content development or partnership ideation at a media publisher, sports or entertainment company, creative agency or brand.
• Proven ability to translate client briefs and audience insights into distinctive, commercially relevant partnership ideas.
• Excellent writing, storytelling and presentation skills, including experience developing proposals and pitching to clients or agencies.
• Strong understanding of sports, basketball culture, entertainment, creators and social platform behaviours.
• Experience developing ideas across social, video, digital, talent partnerships and experiential.
• Strong organisation and judgement, with the ability to manage multiple briefs and pitch deadlines.

• Annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Life/AD&D insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability.
• Tax-advantaged accounts such as FSA, HSA and healthcare/dependent care FSAs.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Commuter benefits.
• Unlimited time off benefits that include vacation and sick time.
• Fertility and family-forming assistance.
• Wellbeing allowance.
• Educational assistance.
• Mental health coaching/therapy.
• Time off benefits that include vacation, sick time and personal days.