Vice President, Sports Strategy

Summary

Join Octagon as Vice President, Sports Strategy, a flexible role based in Stamford, CT, New York, NY, or remotely (East Coast hours required). You will collaborate with cross-agency teams to develop and implement sports strategies, leveraging partnerships to maximize reach and return. Responsibilities include defining the role of sports in brand strategy, guiding research and analytics, and transforming insights into creative inspiration. You will create consumer journeys and messaging architectures, and monitor the insurance landscape. The ideal candidate possesses 10+ years of relevant experience, extensive sports/sponsorship experience, and a history of impactful strategy development. Octagon offers a comprehensive benefits package, including unlimited PTO, competitive insurance, generous parental leave, and retirement benefits.

Requirements

• 10+ years of relevant advertising/marketing experience, ideally in brand planning, strategy, or research
• Extensive experience working in the sports/sponsorship space
• Have played a leadership role in an IAT
• Awareness of marketing trends and activity in the insurance category
• Demonstrated history of developing creative briefs and strategies that directly impacted creative and channel planning
• Led research and analysis that uncovered consumer or brand insights
• Flexibility and willingness to travel domestically and work weekends or holidays as needed

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-agency teams to write powerful sports strategies, creative briefs, and go-to-market plans
• Develop strategies that fully leverage a portfolio of sports partnerships and rights, maximizing reach, relevance, and return
• Define the role of sports within broader brand strategy, ensuring alignment with media, audience, and performance goals
• Guide research and analytics to uncover fan insights, track performance, and inform future planning
• Transform research into a constant stream of inspiration, insights and thought starters for a cross-agency creative team
• Create consumer journeys and define messaging architectures that connect the brand to sport/fan experience
• Understand and monitor the insurance landscape

Preferred Qualifications

Additional experience with sponsorship positioning, campaign creation, strategic frameworks, and customer journeys

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO policy – we understand you need time for play!
• Competitive medical/dental/vision insurance plans with FSA/HSA and Dependent Care FSA options. Pet Insurance for those who need it too!
• Generous Family and Parental Leave Policy (12 weeks) with eligibility extended to all parents regardless of gender or primary/secondary caregiver status
• Access to our parent company (IPG) Savings plan (401K program) with company match as well as an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Pretax Transportation/Commuter Benefits and Parent Travel Program
• Dedicated Mental Health resources including Headspace membership, Employee Assistance Program (CCA), and more
• Discount portal for everyday goods and services
• Employee Resource Groups and Inclusive Diversity Programming and initiatives - Personal Development programs