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Job Title: Manager, Player Development & Experience
Department: Basketball Operations
Reports to: Director, Player Development & Experience
Position Summary: The Manager, Player Development & Experience, will be a standard bearer for Lakers excellence and critical liaison between the Lakers organization and its players, as well as their families and support network. This role will play an important part of creating a consistent yet curated experience for each player and their family. This person will manage several key relationships and require a service-oriented approach to ensure players and their families feel welcome and supported during their entire time with the Lakers organization.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
- Serve as a primary day-to-day contact and manage relationships with Lakers players, families, friends, and support network (agents, managers, assistants, guests)
- Manage player and family requests for tickets, guest passes, business referrals and events
- Ensure best-in-class hospitality and experience at family/guest arena entrance and family room for all home games
- Serve as contact and manage requests for families and support network, during all away games
- Utilize company resources effectively to support off-court player development initiatives, in an effort to foster an optimal environment and mindset for players to perform on the court
- Manage onboarding process for newly drafted and acquired players
- Lead the Lakers welcoming committee for all new players
- Develop a Welcome Packet and process that transitions the player to the organization and the community
- Assist all new players and families with their off-court transition, including but not limited to transition into the NBA (Rookie Transition Program, etc.), relocation, transportation, real estate, childcare, local guides/vendors, immigration paperwork, legal document renewal, etc.
- Engage and provide resources for players’ families and support network
- Organize a formal meeting to orient the players’ family members to the team, the community, and the rules/expectations
- Serve as a key liaison between the Lakers organization and players’ family members, conducting meetings with each players’ family to discuss their situation and special needs
- Serve as liaison between basketball operations and other Lakers departments (community relations, corporate partnerships, communications, etc.) for player appearances and outreach initiatives
- Assist with overall coordination and maintenance of calendar and assist with scheduling of appearances and outreach initiatives
- Act as a support to the Director, Player Development & Experience, and Manager, Travel Operations as it relates to player requests and needs
- Work closely with basketball operations front office in assisting with various administrative tasks and needs on a day-to-day basis
Education/ Previous Experience
- Bachelor’s degree (required)
- Minimum of five (5) years working with professional athletes or teams, with high demands for levels of organization, execution, and time management
- Background in customer service preferred
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Demonstrated ability to act with the utmost integrity, professionalism, and discretion, to represent a premier brand
- A history of developing strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels of an organization
- A proven track record of making sound decisions in fast-paced, high-stakes environments
- Must enjoy working with people in a customer service-oriented environment
- Proactive communicator
- Proven critical thinker and problem-solver
- Highly organized with an extreme attention to detail
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and messaging platforms
- Experience and familiarity with basketball industry and NBA landscape
Location / Hours / Travel
- Monday-Friday regular office hours in El Segundo office/practice facility
- Crypto.com Arena for all Lakers home games
- Significant travel for away games (subject to change year-to-year)
- Role requires flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays, as well as reliable communication and availability at all hours for one-off needs
The pay range for this role is $80,000 to $110,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
