Position Overview

The Charlotte Hornets are seeking a Director of Digital Marketing to lead the strategy, execution, and optimization of the organization's owned digital ecosystem-including email, SMS, website, and mobile app-to deliver personalized fan experiences that increase engagement and drive ticketing, membership, retail, food & beverage, and other revenue initiatives.

Reporting to the Vice President of Integrated & Performance Marketing, this role sets digital strategy, oversees day-to-day execution, leads a high-performing team, and partners across the organization to align digital channels with business objectives and fan experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Digital Marketing Strategy

• Develop and execute the digital marketing strategy across email, SMS, website, and mobile app.
• Set annual channel roadmaps, campaign priorities, KPIs, and performance goals.
• Drive strategies that increase fan acquisition, engagement, retention, and lifetime value.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and best practices to improve digital capabilities.
• Provide executive reporting and recommendations using campaign and audience insights.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of four digital marketing professionals.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Set team goals, performance expectations, and development plans.
• Manage priorities, resources, workflows, and project execution.
• Manage budgets, timelines, and vendor relationships.

Owned Digital Experience (Email, SMS, Website & Mobile App)

• Lead strategy, execution, and optimization across the organization's owned digital channels including: email marketing, SMS marketing, website and mobile app.
• Manage the owned-channel marketing calendar and coordinated campaign execution.
• Own website and mobile app promotional strategy and customer experience.
• Partner cross-functionally to improve functionality, accessibility, UX, and engagement.
• Support digital merchandising for ticketing, retail, food & beverage, and key initiatives.

CRM, Audience & Lifecycle Marketing

• Lead audience growth, database health, and lifecycle marketing strategies across all owned channels.
• Develop and optimize automated customer journeys through CRM and marketing automation platforms.
• Establish audience segmentation, personalization, and communication strategies that improve engagement and conversion.
• Increase fan registration, retention, and customer lifetime value.
• Leverage CRM and business intelligence insights to inform strategy.

Integrated Campaign Strategy

• Lead integrated campaigns supporting ticket sales, memberships, retail, food & beverage, brand, community, events, and NBA initiatives.
• Partner across departments to deliver consistent customer messaging.
• Align digital initiatives with organizational priorities and measurable outcomes.

Marketing Technology & Digital Innovation

• Own marketing technology platforms, including CRM, automation, CMS, and mobile engagement tools.
• Manage agency and technology vendor relationships.
• Evaluate automation and AI solutions that improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Develop the long-term roadmap for owned digital channels.

Analytics, Optimization & Revenue Growth

• Define channel KPIs and success metrics.
• Monitor performance and optimize campaigns.
• Lead testing for segmentation, personalization, messaging, journeys, and conversion.
• Analyze performance to improve engagement, conversion, and revenue.
• Optimize customer journeys and conversion funnels across key revenue streams.

Digital Governance

• Establish governance and best practices across owned channels.
• Maintain standards for segmentation, personalization, accessibility, brand consistency, and customer experience.
• Ensure compliance with privacy and data governance standards.
• Maintain quality across all digital communications.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner across business functions to develop integrated marketing strategies.
• Provide digital marketing expertise across organizational initiatives.
• Drive cross-functional alignment between marketing and business priorities.

Required Skills, Experience and Abilities

To perform the job successfully, you should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field.
• 7-10 years of progressive experience in digital marketing, CRM, lifecycle marketing, or related disciplines.
• 3-5 years of people leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading email, SMS, website, and mobile app marketing strategies.
• Experience with CRM platforms and marketing automation technologies (e.g., Braze, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Campaign, HubSpot, or similar).
• Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting digital marketing performance and customer data.
• Exceptional project management, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, select holidays and events as required within a professional sports environment.

Preferred

• Experience within professional sports, entertainment, media, hospitality, or consumer brands.
• Familiarity with website content management systems and mobile engagement platforms.
• Experience with web analytics platforms such as Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar.
• Knowledge of customer journey mapping, personalization, and digital optimization best practices.

Additional Information

This is a full time benefit eligible position. HSE is dedicated to creating and upholding a welcoming environment that celebrates diversity. HSE provides valuable benefits and competitive time off policies to help you and your family lead healthy, balanced lives.