Manager, MiLB Business Development

MLB is seeking to hire an experienced professional to help execute MLB’s business goals and broader commercial initiatives across its Minor League portfolio. This individual will be a key team player in identifying new revenue growth opportunities for “one baseball”, collaborating with cross-functional MLB and MiLB commercial teams, and overseeing day-to-day business operations for partners and affiliated MiLB Clubs.

Key Goals

The eventual candidate hired to the position will be asked to focus on several key goals:

• Growing MiLB Revenues and maximizing commercial opportunities for all league-affiliated stakeholders.
• Improving the scalability and efficiency of the business development team’s MiLB revenue channels.
• Creating enhanced connections between parent MLB Clubs and their MiLB Affiliates.
• Developing grassroots models for growing fan engagement, youth participation, and overall baseball fandom.
• Identifying technologies and innovations to help modernize MLB and MiLB Business Operations.

Primary Responsibilities

Candidates will be asked to fulfill the following primary day-to-day responsibilities:

• Business Development
  • Identifying new, high growth MiLB revenue opportunities.
  • Staying on top of current sports, media, and entertainment trends to identify business categories technologies for potential partnerships and investments.
  • Proactively networking with other professional leagues and potential partners to learn best practices and establish a steady stream of new business leads.
  • Ensuring the collective value of new commercial opportunities are fully realized across all MLB and MiLB departments.
• Operations
  • Help oversee operational day-to-day tasks across the full MLB Business Development portfolio, with a particular emphasis on the MiLB Business Operations function.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g. Sponsorship, Marketing, Media, Technology, Gaming, etc.) to ensure strategic projects are on-schedule and executed efficiently.
  • Work with legal teams to ensure new partnership contracts are properly negotiated, executed, and fulfilled through the life a partnership.
• Financial and Business Analysis
  • Leverage analytical skills to identify trends and summarize commercial insights from large data sets and financial reports.
  • Provide benchmarking to affiliated MiLB Clubs to provide insights on best-practices, business optimization opportunities, etc.
• Strategy
  • Be a thought-partner to MLB leadership on broader strategic initiatives, including but not limited to:
    • Reaching younger audiences.
    • Re-imagining the presentation of MLB’s live broadcasts to fans.
    • Leveraging technology to improve the in-stadium fan experience.
  • Leverage the MiLB system as a testing-grounds for these strategic initiatives, helping to spur greater MLB innovation.

Requirements

We seek individuals with the following core attributes and skills:

• Strong leadership skills, with proven experience leading complex teams and cross-functional groups.
• Excellent written and communication skills, specifically for executive-level internal communication, and senior-level partner relationships.
• Strong analytical skills and a general data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Strong relationship-building skills, both with colleagues and clients.
• A collaborative, team-first attitude and approach to office-work.

Required experience includes:

• Undergraduate-level degree. A graduate level degree, particularly in a business field (e.g. MBA, Masters in Sports Management), is preferred but not required.
• At least 4+ years of relevant work-experience in strategy, business operations, marketing, or other business-oriented field.
• Previous work within professional sports is preferred, but not required