Manager - Real Time Engagement

What are we building?

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

Rooted in the kindred spirits of Hard Rock and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the new 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?

We're seeking a Real-Time Engagement Manager to lead the strategy, execution, and team development for in-game and live engagement across the Hard Rock Digital Sportsbook. This role will be responsible for building and scaling our RTE program to drive incremental handle, customer retention, and engagement during key sporting moments.

You'll own the end-to-end RTE function, developing the strategic framework, managing a team of RTE analysts, partnering with Trading to identify high-value opportunities and working with CRM and BI to ensure data-driven execution and measurement.

The ideal candidate is a strategic operator with proven leadership experience, deep sportsbook knowledge, and a track record of building high-performing teams

This position requires understanding that sports betting operates 24/7, with critical decisions needed during evenings, weekends, and major sporting events. You'll need to provide coverage during peak times and build team processes that ensure consistent execution.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision:

• Own the overall RTE strategy, defining campaign taxonomy, KPIs, and measurement frameworks

• Develop seasonal engagement plans aligned to the sports calendar (NFL, NBA, NCAAF, March Madness, MLB, etc.), working backwards from business objectives

• Build and maintain the RTE process documentation, playbooks, and best practices to scale the program

• Present regular strategic reviews to senior leadership with performance trends, insights, and recommendations

• Help strategize the expansion of pre-game, personalized notifications.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Manage and develop a team of RTE analysts, providing coaching, feedback, and career development

• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations using RACI frameworks

• Conduct weekly team performance reviews and 1:1s focused on skill development and continuous improvement

• Hire and onboard new team members as the RTE function scales

Campaign Strategy & Execution:

• Implement comprehensive A/B testing program to optimize messaging, timing, audience segmentation, and creative variations

• Partner with Trading to identify high-liability moments, player market opportunities, and optimal push timing

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with Product Operations to align RTE campaigns with app display strategy (featured content, spotlight, trending now)

• Partner with CRM, BI, and Marketing teams to integrate RTE into broader promotional calendar and customer lifecycle strategies

• Collaborate with Trading on liability management, market availability, and risk guidelines for pushed selections

• Coordinate with Compliance to ensure all campaigns meet regulatory and responsible gaming standards

Data-Driven Optimization:

• Build and maintain performance dashboards tracking key RTE metrics

• Analyze campaign performance weekly to identify trends, audience fatigue, and optimization opportunities

• Continuously refine push timing, messaging, and audience strategies based on data insights

Operational Excellence:

• Own the RTE campaign calendar and ensure seamless execution across all major sporting events

• Establish quality assurance processes to minimize errors and ensure compliance

• Create and maintain SOPs, training materials, and process documentation for the team

• Monitor real-time performance during key events and make strategic adjustments as needed

What are we looking for?

The ideal candidate is a proven leader with deep sportsbook expertise, strong analytical capabilities, and a track record of building teams and processes from the ground up. You should be comfortable operating strategically while also rolling up your sleeves during critical live moments.

Requirements:

• 3–7 years of experience in sportsbook operations, CRM, customer engagement, trading, or similar roles

• Proven track record of building and managing high-performing teams in fast-paced environments

• Deep understanding of the sports calendar, betting markets (props, player markets, live betting, parlays), and customer behavior

• Strong analytical skills with experience using Amplitude, Power BI, Tableau, SQL, or similar platforms

• Demonstrated experience in A/B testing, experimental design, and statistical analysis to drive optimization

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; able to influence cross-functionally without direct authority

• Experience with campaign management platforms like Braze or similar CRM tools

• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends during peak sporting events, and provide team coverage

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience scaling engagement or retention programs in gaming, sports betting, or high-growth tech environments

• Familiarity with responsible gaming regulations and compliance frameworks

• Passion for sports and sports betting with strong intuition for customer behavior

What’s in it for you?

We offer our employees more than just competitive compensation. Our team benefits include:

• Competitive pay and benefits

• Flexible vacation allowance

• Flexible work from home or office hours

• Startup culture backed by a secure, global brand

• Opportunity to build products enjoyed by millions as part of a passionate team

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)