Director of Brand Strategy, Yahoo Sports

Yahoo serves as a trusted guide for hundreds of millions of people globally, helping them achieve their goals online through our portfolio of iconic products. For advertisers, Yahoo Advertising offers omnichannel solutions and powerful data to engage with our brands and deliver results.

A Little About Us

Yahoo Sports is one of the world's leading sports destinations and the original pioneer of fantasy sports, connecting tens of millions of fans to the games, players, and moments they care about most. Yahoo Sports delivers real-time scores, breaking news, highlights, and expert analysis across desktop, mobile, and streaming platforms, powering millions of fantasy leagues every season across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college football, and college basketball.

With original editorial voices, award-winning programming, daily fantasy and sports betting experiences, personalized alerts, and deep first-party fan data, Yahoo Sports gives brands a direct line to passionate, high-intent audiences at the emotional peaks of the sports calendar.

About the Role

The Director of Brand Strategy for Yahoo Sports is someone who enjoys the product as much as they enjoy the business of selling it. They will lead and inspire a high-performing team responsible for developing innovative, client-focused advertising solutions for Yahoo Sports' direct ad sales business. This role combines strategic vision, collaboration across orgs, operational excellence, and a deep understanding of digital advertising to create impactful products, programs, and proposals that meet client objectives and drive business growth.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.

• Set and execute a strategic vision for the Brand Strategy team, aligning on business objectives and delivering innovative client solutions.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to internal stakeholders and clients, driving effective strategies and tactics that meet business goals.

• Drive AI adoption and innovation within the team, identifying opportunities to leverage emerging technologies to enhance strategy, creativity, and operational efficiency.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Cultivate strong relationships with key internal stakeholders — including Sales, Account Management, Operations, Editorial, Business Development, and Product — to ensure seamless execution of strategies.

• Serve as the primary liaison between Editorial and Sales to develop new ideas and content offerings across tentpole moments, season-long franchises, and live event programming.

• Partner with the Product and Fantasy teams to shape and innovate roadmaps that drive commercial growth, including in-game, in-app, and betting-adjacent ad experiences.

• Align with Pricing, Yield Management, and Finance teams to develop scalable, high-impact revenue strategies that account for the seasonality of the sports calendar.

Brand Storytelling & Problem Solving

• Develop tailored, client-centric solutions by deeply understanding client business objectives, marketing goals, and challenges.

• Craft high-impact marketing materials, pitches, and presentations, integrating cultural insights, fandom dynamics, and data-driven strategies to captivate audiences.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Editorial, Product, and Marketing to design innovative sponsorships, branded content, and advertising solutions across all formats — anchored to tentpole moments such as NFL Kickoff, fantasy draft season, March Madness, and the playoffs.

Executional Excellence & Insights

• Gain and leverage deep insights into marketplace trends, competitive landscapes, and customer needs to guide the development of innovative ad products and GTM strategies.

• Monitor and analyze campaign performance, identifying opportunities for optimization and ensuring alignment with client KPIs.

• Actively drive brainstorming sessions and client workshops, fostering creativity and trust with key decision-makers.

Qualifications:

Experience & Expertise

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in sales strategy, brand strategy, account management, or related roles, with at least 6 years leading teams in the sports category or at an endemic sports company or agency.

• Proven track record of leading and motivating high-performing teams, achieving ambitious revenue targets, and building long-term strategic client relationships.

• Working knowledge of the sports media landscape — rights and live events, fantasy, sportsbook and DFS, and endemic categories such as QSR, auto, beer, and telco — including how seasonality shapes planning and pacing.

• Deep understanding of digital advertising trends, content marketing, and monetization strategies across platforms.

• Strong executive presence and experience developing and presenting C-Level narratives that drive decision-making.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Ability to align big-picture strategies with actionable plans that deliver measurable results.

• Exceptional Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.

• Analytical Acumen: Proficiency in using insights and data to inform decision-making, evaluate performance, and guide strategies.

• Innovative Thinking: A passion for questioning conventional approaches and delivering client-focused solutions that challenge the status quo.

• Collaborative Mindset: Proven ability to work effectively across teams, fostering alignment and driving collective success.

#LI-KS2

The material job duties and responsibilities of this role include those listed above as well as adhering to Yahoo policies; exercising sound judgment; working effectively, safely and inclusively with others; exhibiting trustworthiness and meeting expectations; and safeguarding business operations and brand integrity.

At Yahoo, we offer flexible hybrid work options that our employees love! While most roles don’t require regular office attendance, you may occasionally be asked to attend in-person events or team sessions. You’ll always get notice to make arrangements. Your recruiter will let you know if a specific job requires regular attendance at a Yahoo office or facility. If you have any questions about how this applies to the role, just ask the recruiter!

Yahoo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, gender, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected category. Yahoo will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. Yahoo is dedicated to providing an accessible environment for all candidates during the application process and for employees during their employment. If you need accessibility assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please submit a request via the Accommodation Request Form (www.yahooinc.com/careers/contact-us.html) or call +1.866.772.3182. Requests and calls received for non-disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace strengthens Yahoo and deepens our relationships. When you support everyone to be their best selves, they spark discovery, innovation and creativity. Among other efforts, our 11 employee resource groups (ERGs) enhance a culture of belonging with programs, events and fellowship that help educate, support and create a workplace where all feel welcome.

The compensation for this position ranges from $163,155.00 - $354,965.00/yr and will vary depending on factors such as your location, skills and experience.The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary annual bonus or commissions. Our comprehensive benefits include healthcare, a great 401k, backup childcare, education stipends and much (much) more.

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