Senior Manager - Commercial Programming
About the job
- A bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Media, Communications, or a related field is preferred, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
- At least 7 years of relevant experience across commercial or growth marketing, content or editorial programming, live commerce, marketplace businesses, media and entertainment, or related fields, including meaningful experience leading teams or complex multidisciplinary programs.
- Demonstrated success developing and implementing programming, commercial, content, or growth strategies tied to measurable business and customer outcomes.
- Experience managing and developing professional employees, building effective team operating models, and allocating resources across a complex portfolio of priorities.
- Deep understanding of live selling ecosystems and the relationship between content quality, seller behavior, audience engagement, product experience, and commercial performance.
- Ability to translate broad business objectives into clear strategies, priorities, operating plans, processes, and measurable programs.
- Strong commercial judgment, analytical capabilities, and experience defining KPIs, evaluating portfolio performance, and using data to make prioritization, investment, and resource-allocation decisions.
- Ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders across teams with different objectives, priorities, and dependencies.
- Experience working effectively in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
- Own the Commercial Programming strategy, operating plan, and integrated roadmap across product releases, sports and cultural moments, seasonal opportunities, seller-led programming, recurring franchises, and original Fanatics Collect programming.
- Establish annual and quarterly programming priorities, investment principles, KPIs, and decision frameworks based on commercial objectives, customer behavior, seller opportunities, platform capabilities, and the sports and cultural calendar.
- Translate broader Commercial strategy into actionable programming objectives and make prioritization, budget, and resource-allocation decisions across competing opportunities and short lead-time business needs.
- Lead the development of scalable programming concepts and original franchises involving creators, athletes, teams, leagues, sellers, and other talent, including new live selling formats that combine compelling entertainment experiences with strong commercial outcomes.
- Establish scalable programming models, processes, and standards to repeat successful concepts across categories, sellers, sports, and customer segments; create mechanisms to test new concepts, measure results, and scale winning formats.
- Serve as the senior Commercial Programming partner across Account Management, Paid, Lifecycle, Influencer, Product, and other functions, establishing operating rhythms, ownership models, and decision-making processes from concept through execution.
- Partner with Product leadership to align programming strategy with platform capabilities and identify product capabilities that can enable differentiated commercial, entertainment, and customer experiences.
- Partner with Account Management leadership to define the seller programming strategy, including seller participation in major platform moments and opportunities to evolve seller streams into stronger entertainment experiences.
- Own performance management for the programming portfolio, using commercial and customer KPIs to identify opportunities, diagnose gaps, and inform changes to strategy, investment, and execution.
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Commercial Programming team, establishing roles, workflows, performance expectations, and resource plans while developing expertise across commercial strategy, programming, live selling, content, and performance analysis.
- Experience working with creators, livestreamers, athletes, teams, leagues, or on-camera talent is strongly preferred; deep knowledge of the collecting, breaking, sports, and entertainment ecosystems is a significant advantage.
About the company
Fanatics China is a joint venture between Fanatics Inc. and Hillhouse Capital that localizes and scales licensed sports merchandise for China. It designs, manufactures, and markets fan gear for Chinese consumers, operating a multi-channel model that includes building and running e-commerce sites for global leagues and teams, exploring online marketplaces, and developing physical retail concepts. Its product workflow combines technology, data, and on-demand manufacturing to manage the entire supply chain, enabling fast response to demand. The company differentiates itself through a China-focused approach backed by Hillhouse’s network and investments, its end-to-end vertical commerce model, and partnerships with hundreds of sports organizations, which together help it navigate China’s complex retail landscape. The goal is to satisfy a previously underserved Chinese market for licensed sports merchandise by creating localized products and channels that connect fans with official gear.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
Growth Equity (Venture Capital)
Total Funding
$5.2B
Headquarters
Huangpu, China
Founded
1995
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Fanatics signed exclusive 2026 NFL event-retail rights across Super Bowl and Draft.
- Fanatics and FIFA expanded into trading cards, stickers, and trading-card games on May 7, 2026.
- Hong Kong's Hysan Place concept store opened April 6, 2026, proving Asia expansion.
What critics are saying
- Fanatics is closing Riverview, Florida, distribution center, cutting 286 jobs by July 31, 2026.
- Fanatics still depends on league licenses; Panini remains entrenched until FIFA transitions in 2031.
- Losing NFL, MLB, or FIFA renewals would cripple Fanatics' vertically integrated model.
What makes Fanatics unique
- Fanatics controls design, manufacturing, e-commerce, and on-site retail across major leagues.
- Topps and Fanatics won FIFA collectibles rights beginning 2031.
- Hillhouse-backed Fanatics China localizes merchandise for Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong.
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Benefits
Work Life Balance - At Fanatics we place our focus on results and empowerment and encourage you to enjoy your time on and OFF the field with our competitive time off policies.
Recognition and Rewards Program - Fanatics values our internal fans too! Our programs are designed to thank and reward Fanatics athletes for their hard work and commitment to winning as a team.
Company Sponsored Events - From breakfast to happy hour and every hour in between – Fanatics employees can enjoy time together at one of our many company events.
Fanatics.com Employee Discount - As an employee you will receive a special discount on all of your favorite sports merchandise and memorabilia.
Give Back - Fanatics cares about the fans around us. We encourage you to partner up with your teammates in giving back and serving the communities where we work and play.
Meet & Greets - You never know who will show up to the office. You might just meet one of your all-time favorite athletes.
Invest in You - Here at Fanatics we want you to accomplish your goals. We offer tuition reimbursement.
Healthy Lifestyle - Fanatics cares about helping and supporting our teams in their busy lifestyles. Through wellness relationships with fitness and weight management partners we are here to support you in whatever your lifestyle goals.
Wellness Coverage - Your health is important to you – and it’s important to us too! We offer a number of benefit plan options for convenience and flexibility.
Financial Security - Through our plans, Fanatics offers you a way to budget for health care expenses that you’d typically pay for out of pocket.
Retirement - The sooner you begin planning for your retirement, the better. Fanatics offers generous plans to help you prepare for the future.
Network of Support - Fanatics understands that sometimes you may need someone in your corner. Through the Life Assistance Program, you and your family have access to support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Fanatics Family First - Afterall we are #OneFanatics. Put your family first with our paid maternity and paternity leave program, or take advantage of our infertility treatment reimbursement program to get the support you need while you try to grow your family.
IDEA - We invite you to join one of our Employee Resource groups, or celebrate and honor what’s most important to you through our IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equality & Advocacy) floating holiday. We recognize diversity helps foster innovation, and people perform better when they can be themselves. Gender Affirmation Treatment reimbursement is available to employees.
Company News
Scorability, a sports tech platform, raised $40 million in funding led by Bluestone Equity Partners, with participation from Fanatics and others. The startup, founded in 2023 by Brian Cruver, aims to modernize college sports recruiting. It has 1.2 million athletes and 3,000 college sports program users. Scorability is free for athletes, while colleges pay $10k-$40k annually. The platform simplifies recruitment by providing comprehensive data and AI-driven tools for coaches.
417 likes, 21 comments - blacksportsbiz on May 30, 2024: "Day one of #BlackSportsBiz launched the inaugural @BlackSportsWallStreet + @Pitch.Black.Sports, presented by @Fanatics, while also featuring @CariChampion, Eli Kumekpor, @RyanHoward_006 and @1JeremiahBrown! 🎤🛍️ Congrats to @Reel_Analytics for winning Pitch Black Sports! We can’t wait to see what’s next for Cory and his team. 📈 🎥: @travisellisonproductions @aumemedia".
Fanatics raised a new round of funding valuing the online sports-merchandise retailer at $18 billion, people familiar with the matter said, roughly tripling its valuation from a year ago.
Fanatics is launching a new events vertical, in partnership with IMG, to capitalize on the company’s growing suite of business ventures, including merchandise, memorabilia, fashion, music, trading cards and sports betting. Starting next year, Fanatics Events will create fan festivals that feature athletes and brands from across the industry, including those in the Fanatics orbit. […]
What began as a single e-commerce deal in 2002 has grown into a mobile-first, tech and data-fueled consumer brand, built to satisfy global fans who purchase gear in-the-moment when passion is burning highest. Fanatics provides the ultimate shopping experience to sports fans whether buying gear onlin