Director - Media Partnerships

What Are We Building?

Hard Rock Digital is a team focused on becoming the best online sportsbook, casino, and social casino company in the world. We’re building a team that emanates passion for learning and building new products and technologies for millions of consumers. We care about each customer's interaction, experience, and behavior and strive to ensure we’re always acting authentically.

Rooted in the iconic legacy of Hard Rock and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Hard Rock Digital taps a brand known the world over as the leader in gaming, entertainment, and hospitality. We’re taking that foundation of success and bringing it to the digital space — ready to join us?

What's the position?

Hard Rock Digital is seeking a Director of Media Partnerships to lead the development and execution of our media partnership channel, focusing on acquiring customers at scale, and  building the Hard Rock Bet brand into a nationally recognized powerhouse in the online gaming category.

You’ll own the strategy across the media partnerships landscape, taking over day-to-day activation of existing partnerships, and prospecting new partnerships that will drive Hard Rock Digital’s marketing goal and overall business objectives. Partnerships you will oversee span across both digital and traditional media and will touch not only customer acquisition and brand building tactics, but also cross over into events and hospitality, custom content development, and ambassador marketing. You will work directly with the SVP of Marketing and Engagement and the rest of the executive team with the focus of maximizing the value Hard Rock is able to achieve in the media partnership space.

As a senior leader, you'll be expected to build and inspire a high-performing team, foster a culture of innovation and accountability, and ensure marketing strategies reflect a deep understanding of the sports betting audience, industry trends, and media landscape.

This position reports directly to the SVP of Marketing and Engagement.

What You'll Do

• Lead execution of existing media partnership channels. This will include activating media talent for events and VIP marketing, establishing sponsorship and promotional strategy across media networks, and developing custom content ideas to be co-produced with media partners. 

• Evolve existing media partnership strategy and evaluate innovative ways to bring the Hard Rock Digital brand to life across the media landscape. You will be responsible for distilling Hard Rock’s high level marketing objectives into a media partnership strategy maximizing the channel’s impact on driving customer acquisition, retention, and brand awareness.

• Identify, negotiate, and manage high-impact partnerships with major media networks, streaming platforms, publishers, and broadcast partners. You will be responsible for owning the full stack business development process as it pertains to identifying and closing partnerships with some of the largest media networks in the country.

• Evaluate partnership opportunities, balancing brand-building and performance-driven outcomes. You will be responsible for applying an analytical mindset to our partnership evaluation process, and advocating for your strategic direction across a diverse set of executive stakeholders.

• Build and own relationships with media partners as well as third party agencies retained to help evaluate partnership opportunities and deliver optimal performance across the channel

• Partner cross-functionally with the Media, User Acquisition, Creative, CRM, Social, Content, and Product teams to deliver impactful marketing campaigns that are aligned with business priorities.

• Report on partnership performance and consistently optimize campaign deliverables to ensure they are aligned with Hard Rock Bet’s larger marketing objectives.

About You

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field (MBA a plus)

• 8+ years of progressive experience in partnership marketing, with a strong background in the sports betting or real money gaming industry.

• Demonstrated track-record in negotiating and executing media partnerships across both traditional and digital media networks, driving marketing goals across the funnel.

• Experience partnering closely with Creative, Product, and Media teams, with a deep understanding of performance marketing and brand storytelling.

• A natural leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and knows how to motivate and develop high-performing teams.

• Expert communicator with exceptional organizational skills — you can move from strategy to details seamlessly.

• Deep passion for sports and gaming culture, with a finely tuned understanding of sports betting audiences and how to communicate effectively with them.

• Comfortable operating with ambiguity and making data-informed decisions under pressure.

• Entrepreneurial spirit, collaborative mindset, and a deep desire to innovate and make an impact.

What’s in It for You?

• Competitive compensation and benefits package
  Flexible vacation allowance and remote-friendly environment (EST hours)

• The energy and agility of a startup, backed by a legendary global brand

• A diverse, inclusive team that celebrates authenticity and empowers everyone to contribute meaningfully

Roster of Uniques

We care deeply about every interaction our customers have with us, and trust and empower our staff to own and drive their experience. Our vision for our business and customers is built on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where regardless of background or beliefs you feel able to be authentic and bring all your talent into play. We want to celebrate you being you (we are an equal opportunities employer).