They will collaborate closely with both university leadership and property leadership to shape overall NIL direction and ensure alignment across stakeholders. This role bridges key internal and external relationships, including athletics administration, coaches, compliance, creative services, brand partners, donors, and collectives.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader with a strong background in sports sponsorships, influencer marketing, sports marketing, and overall revenue generation. They must be able to operate autonomously in a fast-paced environment, balancing day-to-day activation with long-term strategic planning.
Key Responsibilities:
NIL Strategy & Leadership
Lead the NIL dealmaking revenue strategy, supporting all NIL sales and activation efforts in collaboration with the Vice President and Sports Properties team; manage and develop dedicated NIL staff focused on sales and fulfillment.
Design and implement a sustainable NIL infrastructure aligned with university values and national regulations.
Partner with athletics leadership and internal units (e.g., development, MMR, compliance) to optimize NIL strategy and athlete opportunities.
Lead evaluations of NIL revenue potential, staffing needs, and organizational processes for continued growth.
Provide strategic input on potential revenue-sharing models, athlete incentives, and policies that support a competitive NIL ecosystem.
Understand the sports sponsorship landscape—including traditional, non-traditional, and digital marketing assets—and stay current on industry changes and advancements to inform strategic direction.
NIL Operations & Administration
Oversee daily NIL operations, including sales and fulfillment, local deal flow, athlete education, and stakeholder coordination.
Serve as the primary liaison between coaches, brand partners, and the athletics department.
Oversee the tracking and dissemination of deal metrics; ensure compliance standards are upheld both internally and externally.
Athlete Relations & Contracting
Act as point of contact for coaches and the Athletic Department on NIL opportunity awareness, fulfillment, and support.
Collaborate with legal and compliance on contract reviews and risk mitigation, including House settlement terms.
Support recruiting and retention efforts by developing custom NIL pitch materials and activation examples for coaches.
Business Development & Partner Collaboration
Drive NIL-related revenue by actively selling sponsorship and brand partnership opportunities in collaboration with Longhorn Sports Properties.
Partner with internal and external stakeholders to align NIL initiatives with broader sponsorship strategies and revenue goals.
Lead and participate in brand partner conversations, including non-sponsor NIL deals and donor engagement.
Oversee packaging, pricing strategies, proposal development, and contract finalization.
Identify and promote NIL revenue opportunities that extend beyond existing sponsorship structures or traditional athletics budgets.
Oversight of Events, Operations & Creative
Provide leadership oversight (but not direct execution) of NIL-related events, content creation, social media strategy, and facility management.
Support the execution of NIL marketing campaigns and events in collaboration with content and operations staff.
Monitor success metrics and athlete brand development using social and performance data.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree preferred
10+ years of relevant experience required; NIL, sponsorship sales, athlete marketing, or sports business experience preferred
Strong understanding of NCAA compliance/regulations, NIL trends, and the collegiate athletics landscape.
Proven experience leading teams, developing strategy, and driving revenue growth.
Excellent communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills.
Comfortable navigating ambiguity in a fast-evolving NIL environment.
Learfield offers a full spectrum of benefits for eligible employees including Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance and Other Insurance Plans, Flexible Paid Time Off (including Parental Leave), Paid Holidays, 401(k), and Short/Long Term Disability.
Learfield is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race; color; sex; gender identity; sexual orientation; religious practices and observances; national origin; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; status as a protected veteran or spouse/family member of a protected veteran; or disability.