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Senior Manager, Entertainment & Sports Relations

Remote

Who We Are: 

Our vision is to grant the wish of every eligible child. Through our mission, we are uniting communities to grant life-changing wishes. As the world’s largest wish-granting organization, we strive to create a sense of community and an environment where we warmly embrace our wish families, volunteers, and colleagues.

Joining Make-A-Wish means becoming part of a mission that believes in the power of a wish.  

Location:

Remote positions are open to applicants based anywhere in the continental U.S. Hybrid positions are open to applicants based in the Phoenix, Arizona area. 

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We do not sponsor employment visas or other immigration processes to attain or maintain employment eligibility.

Position Summary: 

The Senior Manager, Entertainment & Sports Relations plays a key role in building and managing high-impact relationships within the sports and entertainment industries to support the Make-A-Wish mission. This individual will manage cross-functional efforts to fulfill wishes, including complex, high-profile wishes involving athletes, celebrities, and influencers. Operating in a remote-first environment, the ideal candidate is a confident relationship-builder, experienced people leader, proactive communicator and project manager with the professionalism to work closely with high-profile individuals and organizations. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • Proven ability to manage high-profile relationships with tact, diplomacy, and confidentiality. 
  • Strong project management skills with experience coordinating event logistics, communications, and onsite execution with high-profile stakeholders and celebrities.
  • Ability to lead through influence and collaboration across cross-functional, remote teams.
  • Adept at balancing competing priorities and adapting quickly to change in a fast-paced environment. 
  • Familiarity with industry-standard practices for working with celebrities, professional athletes, media teams, and talent representatives. 
  • High emotional intelligence, empathy, and a mission-driven mindset.
  •  Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. 

Key Responsibilities: 

  • Cultivates, manages, and grows long-term relationships with key contacts in the entertainment and sports industries to create meaningful wish fulfillment opportunities. 
  • Provides mentorship, direction, and performance management to direct reports; align team goals with national strategy and departmental priorities.
  • Acts as a liaison between celebrity representatives, media partners, sports franchises, agents, and Make-A-Wish chapters and global affiliates to coordinate and facilitate wishes.
  • Plans and executes highly curated, high-touch experiences involving public figures, ensuring alignment with brand values and organizational protocols. 
  • Collaborates with internal Make-A-Wish America and chapter/affiliate teams and external stakeholders to deliver consistent, exceptional experiences for wish families and partners. 
  • Secures in-kind and cash support from celebrity partners including tickets, souvenirs, merchandise, experiences, etc.in support of ESR team revenue goal of 1M+ annually.
  • Maintains and supports decision making and solutioning in the Salesforce database, used for tracking wishes, celebrity account information, and communication workflows. 
  • Collaborates with Director to create and disseminate updated resources, toolkits, and best practices for chapters engaging with celebrities or coordinating wish experiences. 
  • Represents Make-A-Wish at high-visibility events and wish experiences (virtually or in person) as needed to ensure seamless execution and high-standard relationship management. 
  • Works with internal and external teams to gather stories and visuals from wish experiences for potential media and promotional use, obtaining all necessary approvals and releases. 
  • Collaborates with Make-A-Wish PR team and senior leadership to manage crisis communications involving celebrities or celebrity-related wishes, ensuring compassionate, timely, and mission-aligned messaging that protects the integrity and reputation of the organization.
  • Acts as a subject matter expert for designated industry and relationships, and stewarding those gift relationships in partnership with the revenue team.
  • Secures local volunteers and celebrity wish hosts to support events and/or wish fulfillments where personal attendance is not feasible. 
  • and maintains celebrity and talent contact profiles within the database.
  • Performs other job-related duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or related field preferred. 
  • Minimum of 5+ years of experience in the sports or entertainment industry or equivalent experience, including project and complex high-impact event management and talent/brand relations. 
  • Minimum 3 years of people leadership experience. 
  • Experience in nonprofit or cause-related organizations is a strong plus. 
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; Salesforce experience highly preferred. 
  • Experience working in a distributed or remote-first team environment is a plus. 

Working Environment:

  • Ability to thrive in a remote environment.  
  • Travel required, up to 25%.  
  • Requires work outside of the traditional Monday through Friday work week. This includes weekends and early evening weeknights.   

This Role's Hiring Range

$86,200 - $110,000 USD

What We Offer:

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefit package, effective day 1: Medical, Vision*, Dental*, Wellness
  • Competitive compensation with annual incentive potential    
  • Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account Options    
  • Health Reimbursement Account fully funded by Make-A-Wish America
  • Short Term Disability*, Long Term Disability* and Life Insurance 
  • Additional Insurance Plans: Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance through Figo 
  • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with 5% match after one year of service
  • Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program   
  • The organization will send a laptop, 24” monitor, and a docking station/adaptor to new hires 

Time Off

  • Up to 15 PTO days 
  • 10 Sick Days 
  • 11 Paid Holidays 
  • 2 Volunteer Days after one year of service 
  • 2 Personal Days accrued annually   
  • Parental Leave      

Also... 

  • Employee Awards and Recognition Programs    
  • Individual and Leadership Development     
  • Discounts and special offers for theme parks, events, hotels, concerts, and movie tickets   

*Monthly premiums paid for the employee for vision, dental, and short/long term disability.

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