Sr. Director, Fan Community

At Fanatics Commerce, we’re more than just a leader in licensed sports merchandise – we’re a team united by a relentless passion for our fans and a commitment to innovation. We live by our BOLD Leadership principles: We Build Championship Teams, we’re Obsessed with Fans, we embrace a Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit, and we approach every challenge with a Determined and Relentless Mindset. If you’re ready to contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that thrives on collaboration and growth, we want you to be part of our team.

Role Overview 

Fanatics is seeking a strategic, high-impact Senior Director of Fan Community to architect and scale a national grassroots fan ecosystem across North America. This leader will build and institutionalize a Fan Stewardship Layer, transforming fan engagement from episodic activation into a durable, community-driven asset for the company. 

Reporting to the VP of Team & Fan Relations, this role will oversee five regional Fan Managers, scale our Insider program into a structured advocacy engine, and establish a nationally recognized Fan Advisory Council with meaningful agency and credibility. 

The ideal candidate is a proven community architect, someone who has built thriving, self-sustaining ecosystems that drive trust, advocacy, and cultural relevance. They understand that real community is earned, not manufactured. They are equally comfortable designing long-term strategy and leading from the field. 

This is a visible leadership role requiring strong executive presence, operational rigor, and deep fluency in professional sports culture. The role requires extensive travel, up to 50% annually.

How You Will Make an Impact:

Strategic Community Leadership 

• Define and lead a multi-year vision for Fanatics’ Fan Stewardship Layer. 
• Build a scalable, measurable community operating model that strengthens fan trust and advocacy. 
• Translate enterprise priorities into disciplined regional execution. 

Regional Fan Hub Development 

• Lead and develop five Regional Fan Managers across designated Fan Hubs. 
• Establish standards, cadence, and performance accountability. 
• Manage and deploy approximately $1M+ per region in community investment across priority sports markets. 

Insider Program Expansion 

• Scale our fan network while preserving authenticity and independence. 
• Build structured engagement frameworks that protect credibility. 
• Develop governance standards that ensure long-term sustainability. 

Fan Advisory Council and Governance 

• Recruit and lead a diverse Fan Advisory Council with defined charter and real influence on the Fanatics Commerce business. 
• Embed structured fan input into product and experience decisions. 
• Drive visible 'You Said / We Did' accountability outcomes. 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Partner with Product, Supply Chain, CX, Social, Communications, and Partnerships. 
• Ensure community insights inform enterprise decision-making. 

Resilience and Issue Management 

• Design rapid-response community protocols for high-visibility moments. 
• Prioritize transparency, fairness, and measurable remedies. 

Data-Driven Strategy 

• Define KPIs and dashboards measuring activation, retention, advocacy, and sentiment. 
• Continuously refine programming based on measurable outcomes. 

Team Leadership and Development 

• Build and lead a high-performance team aligned with Fanatics’ BOLD Leadership Principles. 
• Set clear goals, provide mentorship, and foster accountability. 

What You Bring to the Team:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred. 
• 10+ years building and leading large-scale community, ambassador, or grassroots ecosystems. 
• 5+ years in leadership roles overseeing distributed or regional teams. 
• Deep knowledge and passion for professional sports culture. 
• Ability to work at ease with professional team management, players and