Description

The Fan Vertical General Manager is a strategic leader responsible for setting the vision and roadmap to drive revenue and profitability. This role combines high-level strategy with hands-on execution in a matrixed environment. The GM must deliver sustained organizational performance, develop talent, manage resources, and lead relationships with leagues, teams, and properties. Success requires deep knowledge of the fan vertical, strong financial acumen, and the ability to inspire and influence across complex partnerships.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define annual financial and performance objectives aligned with Fanatics Commerce’s four pillars: (1) Delightful Experience Everyday; (2) Great Products, Storytelling & Availability; (3) New Rights & New Markets; (4) One Commerce Wins.
• Establish and evolve the fan vertical vision and roadmap for short-, mid-, and long-term success, leveraging consumer insights, performance data, and market intelligence.
• Lead end-to-end fan vertical strategy tailored to league, partner, and fan needs, ensuring timely product availability and compelling storytelling throughout the season.
• Provide strategic oversight across merchandising, pricing, inventory, SKU optimization, channel segmentation, promotional strategies, and in-season replenishment.
• Analyze performance metrics (sales, inventory, etc.) to guide decisions and optimize results.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships (Buying, Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, Sourcing, Sales, Finance, Operations) to drive execution and shared accountability.
• Maintain deep understanding of contractual rights and obligations (e-commerce, wholesale, in-venue merchandising, sponsorships, events).
• Monitor industry trends to identify growth opportunities and pursue rights renewals/expansions.
• Develop scalable solutions for financial ROI across fan verticals.
• Lead Quarterly Business Reviews (internal and partner-facing) and monthly Fan Vertical Exchange meetings; participate in weekly business reviews.
• Align with other GMs to ensure consistency and scale across Fanatics Commerce.
• Provide guidance to analytics teams for data-driven decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with league/team policies and applicable laws.
  (NFL/MLB/College/NHL only): Oversee Team Services/Promo support for uniforms and team-issued apparel.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Proven track record of building and leading high-performance teams to achieve aggressive financial and operational goals. 
• Significant leadership experience with P&L ownership in consumer products, DTC, e-commerce, omni-channel, and wholesale environments. 
• Deep understanding of league/team/property dynamics and fan engagement strategies. 
• Strong focus on delivering best-in-class fan experience across all touchpoints, with expertise in omni-channel strategy and supporting technologies. 
• Highly analytical and data-driven, with structured problem-solving skills and ability to leverage customer intelligence. 
• Inspirational leader with resilience, adaptability, and ability to drive change and align teams around a shared vision. 
• Strong executive presence; comfortable influencing and presenting at senior and board levels. 
• Collaborative and persuasive, able to lead through influence in a matrixed environment. 
• Thrives in fast-paced, dynamic settings; embraces change and continuous improvement. 
• High integrity, emotional intelligence, and intellectual agility. 
• Effective mentor who listens, supports, and inspires while remaining self-aware and coachable.

 
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to travel up to 35%.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Apparel, Merchandising, or equivalent experience with strong understanding of product and sales creation processes. 
  15+ years of progressive leadership experience with P&L ownership in licensed apparel, sporting goods, consumer products, e-commerce, or related retail/wholesale environments (buying, merchandising, inventory management, planning, operations). 
• Deep knowledge of U.S./Canadian retail and consumer trends, preferably in sports licensed merchandise. 
• Passion for sports and strong understanding of associated consumer demographics. 
• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing teams; proven talent acquisition and mentoring skills. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written, verbal, listening) with executive presence. 
• Ability to collaborate and influence across a matrixed organization, managing multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Highly analytical with experience leveraging sales data and financial metrics (P&L, margin analysis, pricing strategies) to drive decisions. 
• Skilled in problem-solving and driving creative, timely solutions with a big-picture perspective. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) and familiarity with data warehouses and database management.