TITLE: Director, Brand Marketing
POSITION TYPE: Full Time, Exempt
COMPANY: Sharks Sports and Entertainment, LLC
LOCATION: San Jose, California
REPORTS TO: Vice President, Marketing
POSTING DATED: $125k-$145K
Position Overview
Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE, home of the Sharks, Barracuda, SAP Center, Sharks Foundation, Sharks Ice locations and Tech CU Arena) is seeking a strategic and creative Director of Brand Marketing to define, elevate, and activate the SSE family of brands across the Bay Area and beyond. This leader will ensure the SSE brands show up powerfully, consistently, and authentically at every touchpoint.
This role will focus on brand strategy and outreach activation while leading the programs that bring the brand to life in the market. The Director will oversee key initiatives including Sharks Around the Bay, the Sharks Ambassador Program, Street Team activations, Youth marketing platforms, and outreach-based marketing programs designed to grow awareness, engagement, and fandom focused on the organization’s Key Growth Audiences with a goal of diversifying our audience.
Working cross-functionally with Performance Marketing, Platform Marketing, Content & Creative, Ticket Sales & Services, Partnerships, Communications, Government Affairs, Community & Foundation along with Hockey Operations, this leader will ensure the SSE brands are not just a place for fans to watch, but a brand they experience throughout the region year-round.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Brand Strategy & Stewardship
- Oversee and evolve the SSE brand positioning, voice, and narrative across fan-facing platforms.
- Ensure brand consistency across activations, programs, partnerships, and outreach.
- Activate brand playbooks, activation frameworks, and guardrails that guide external initiatives to grow fan affinity and reach to develop lifetime fan value.
- Identify opportunities to expand authentic engagement and brand relevance among Key Growth Audiences, including Youth, Millennial Moms, the Hispanic, Vietnamese and South Asian communities, along with other emerging Bay Area audiences.
- Ensure Sharks brand presence reflects the organization’s energy, innovation, and connection to the Bay Area community.
Ambassador & Street Team Leadership
- Oversee Ambassador Coordinator role, including strategy and day-to-day management of the Sharks Ambassador Program
- Oversee Marketing Coordinator who manages Sharks and San Jose Barracuda Street Team presented by Coca-Cola, including recruitment, training, and scheduling.
- Ensure ambassadors and street team members authentically represent the Sharks brand with energy and professionalism.
- Manage the coordination of appearances, grassroots activations, fan interactions, and promotional efforts throughout the Bay Area.
- Partner with Performance Marketing and Digital teams to leverage ambassador content across social channels.
Sharks Around the Bay & Brand Activation
- Oversee Brand Coordinator role and lead and evolve Sharks Around the Bay as the franchise’s flagship outreach visibility platform.
- Develop relationships across the Bay Area community with key audiences to ensure SSE brands are included in decision making.
- Identify high-impact cultural events, grassroots opportunities, and community moments for brand presence.
- Ensure activations are premium, energetic, and uniquely Sharks.
- Drive consistent year-round visibility beyond SAP Center.
- Partner with Manger of Event Presentation to share resources to bring the brand to market, both at SAP Center and externally for non-game day events.
Marketing Programs & Fan Development
- Develop and execute experiential marketing programs that increase brand awareness and fan engagement.
- Oversee the Marketing Coordinator who manages youth marketing platforms including, but not limited to:
- Sharks Crib Club presented by Kaiser Permanente
- FINatical Kids Club
- NHL Youth Initiatives
- SSE Youth activations (Youth / Next Gen / IP games)
- Lead theme/promotion/celebration game brand activation and outreach marketing initiatives that drive fan connection and attendance across the season.
- Serve as the liaison with IP leads to ensure legal guidelines are fulfilled for these games.
- Oversee execution of these games brand elements to ensure they meet brand standards to create memorable experiences for fans including defining key KPIs, ROIs and ROOs.
- Integrate programs with ticketing and fan development strategies to build the next generation of Sharks fans.
Budget Management & Performance Tracking
- Lead budgeting for brand activations, marketing programs, ambassador programs, and street team initiatives.
- Ensure cost-effective execution and responsible allocation of program resources.
- Track through recap reports on program performance including:
- Fan engagement
- Participation levels
- Social media reach
- Community impact
- Provide regular insights and recommendations to senior marketing leadership.
Community & Government Affairs Integration
- Support Government Affairs initiatives by aligning brand presence with civic priorities and community programs.
- Build relationships with local organizations, city leaders, schools, and community stakeholders.
- Position the SSE brands as active stewards of San Jose and the greater Bay Area.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner with Marketing, Sales, Partnerships, Community Relations, and Digital Media to integrate brand programs into broader campaigns.
- Collaborate with Communications to amplify earned media around community impact and brand moments.
- Manage and mentor staff responsible for ambassador programs, street team operations, and marketing activations.
- Support the capture of content (photo/video) from brand activations for use across social and digital platforms.
Industry Growth Funds Activation
- Strategically deploy Industry Growth Funds to drive awareness, participation, and long-term fan pipeline development.
- Develop scalable outreach and marketing programs that convert engagement into sustained brand affinity.
- Establish and track KPIs tied to participation, reach, brand awareness, and fan conversion.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in brand management, experiential marketing, or community marketing (sports or entertainment preferred).
- Proven ability to build and scale brand platforms and experiential programs.
- Ability to build, motivate, and retain high-performing staff while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive work environment. Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience developing, managing, and optimizing marketing budgets, including forecasting, tracking expenditures, and maximizing return on marketing investment.
- Deep understanding of audience segmentation, fan development, and growth strategy.
- Experience leveraging marketing technology platforms to support campaign execution, customer engagement, performance measurement, and data-driven decision-making.
- Experience engaging multicultural audiences, youth sports communities, and emerging fan segments.
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to measure ROI on brand initiatives.
- Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced sports and entertainment environment.
- Passion for sports, entertainment, and creating memorable fan experiences.
- Willingness to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required for games and events.
What Success Looks Like
- The Sharks brand is visible, vibrant, and consistent across the Bay Area year-round.
- Outreach activations and programs drive measurable increases in fan engagement and brand affinity.
- Industry Growth Funds translate into participation growth and new fan pipeline development.
- The Ambassador and Street Team programs become a recognizable extension of the Sharks brand in the community.
- Sharks Around the Bay is recognized as a flagship engagement platform.
- Youth programs meaningfully connect the next generation of Bay Area fans to Sharks hockey.
- The franchise is viewed as a trusted community steward beyond the ice.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to sit, stand and utilize a computer for extended periods of time
- Communicate via phone and email with a variety of individuals
- Ability to bend at the waist, reach overhead and lift up to 15 lbs with or without accommodation
- Physically navigate stairs and catwalks at SSE facilities during normal work hours and events with or without accommodation
- Ability to work occasional extended hours including nights, weekends, holidays (all with advance notice)
- May be required to travel to other company locations
- May be required to attend conference, events, and training sessions within Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.
What We Offer
- Competitive compensation (base salary and variable incentive plan)
- Medical/Dental/Vision/Flexible Spending Accounts (all LGBTQ+ friendly)
- Pretax Transportation Benefit
- 401K (pre-tax and Roth options)
- Minimum of 10 Paid Holidays and Wellness Days per year
- Complimentary or discounted sports and event tickets
- Other League & partner discounts
- Central office location in downtown San Jose at the heart of Silicon Valley; convenient access to Caltrain, VTA, major freeways and free parking
- An inclusive culture which values diversity of background and a passion to improve our SSE’s commitment to change with impact on our community and industry
- Potential for flexible scheduling and telework opportunities
- Access to on-site EV charging stations on non-event days
This position is not eligible for U.S. work authorization sponsorship.
Summary:
Born in 1991, Sharks Sports and Entertainment (“SSE”) has grown into a multi-faceted organization that includes the SAP Center, the NHL San Jose Sharks, the AHL San Jose Barracuda, the Tech CU Arena, three Sharks Ice facilities, and the non-profit Sharks Foundation. Additionally, we are growing our organization through expansion in the Bay Area and surrounding communities in Northern California.
We work and play in the Bay Area, and are deeply influenced by the technology, innovation, diversity, and commitment to excellence that surrounds us. Our culture is transforming to reflect those values, with an eye towards a pioneering, forward-thinking, and inclusive environment in sports and entertainment.
We live, work, and innovate by a set of Pioneering Principles:
T – Team success is more important than individual success
E – Exceptional experience is non-negotiable in everything we do
A – Appreciate others for their diversity and opinions
M – More risk leads to more rewards and expands our comfort zones
T – Trust that all teammates have the best intentions
E – Empower all teammates to make informed decisions
A – Always say what you really mean and do what you say
L – Lead by showing the respect to others you expect from them
We strive to unite people through a shared love of ice sports, entertainment, and our hometown. We are #TealTogether.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
Here at Team Teal, we recognize and celebrate that individuals come with a wealth of experience and talent well beyond any list of required skills and qualifications – in fact, we believe diversity of backgrounds and skills, combined with passion, are the most important keys to meaningful innovation and excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Sharks Sports and Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer. We accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, marital status, medical condition as defined by state law (genetic characteristics or cancer), physical or mental disability, military service or veterans’ status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
Notice to Recruiters and Agencies
SSE recruits candidates directly, rather than through third-party recruiters or agencies. Under no circumstances will SSE pay a fee for candidates submitted or presented without a signed recruiting agreement in place between SSE and the recruiter or agency prior to the submittal; any submittal must be for requisition specifically and individually assigned in writing by SSE’s HR department. In the case of candidate(s) submitted or presented to SSE by a recruiter or agency without a signed agreement AND written assignment by SSE Human Resources, SSE explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) with no financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.
