ABOUT THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFounded in 1917, the National Hockey League (NHL®) is the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.  With more than 1500 employees across the US and Canada, the NHL is a global sports and entertainment organization committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey to celebrate fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. At the NHL, we are looking for dynamic, energetic and impactful individuals who are committed to doing the same by sharing in our philosophy that Hockey is for Everyone – and inclusion belongs on the ice, in the locker rooms, boardrooms and stands.

WHAT WE EXPECT OF YOUSUMMARYWe are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking individual to join our NHL Innovation team as a Sr. Manager, Innovation Technology Partnerships. This individual will play a key role in facilitating collaboration between interdisciplinary teams, managing projects, and driving innovative initiatives which improve tools used by hockey operations, venue management, and/or empowers fans with the ability to get “closer” to the game. The ideal candidate will have a curious mindset, good understanding of technology and software principles, strong project management skills, team mindset and desire to drive change while generating incremental revenue. Join our team as a Sr. Manager, Innovation Technology Partnerships and help evolve the game of hockey across all aspects of our operations and fan experience.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supporting NHL’s current League technology partners, i.e. Apple, AWS, Extreme Networks, Presidio, Rogers, SAP, ServiceNow, and Verizon
• Manage innovation initiatives from inception to completion, including defining objectives, developing project plans, assigning tasks, and tracking progress to ensure timely delivery and alignment with strategic goals
• Facilitate collaboration between internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders to identify opportunities for innovation and develop solutions that enhance performance, engagement, and fan experience
• Establish opportunities to generate incremental revenue for the League, our Clubs, our technology partners, and our media partners
• Support and conduct market research, trend analysis, and competitor benchmarking to identify emerging technologies, best practices, and opportunities for innovation in sports performance, fan engagement, and business operations
• Work closely with IT, design, engineering, and development teams to prototype and test innovative solutions, leveraging rapid prototyping techniques and agile methodologies to iterate and refine concepts
• Identify and evaluate potential technology partners, vendors, and startups with innovative solutions that align with NHL’s goals, and facilitate partnerships and collaborations to accelerate innovation initiatives
• Manage knowledge sharing sessions, workshops, and training programs to disseminate best practices, insights, and learnings from innovation projects across the organization, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the impact and success of NHL initiatives, and prepare regular reports and presentations for technology partners, NHL management and stakeholders

QUALIFICATIONSKnowledge Areas/Experience

Required

• Strong interest and understanding of technology as it pertains to a) fan/consumer experiences in sports and/or entertainment industries and b) live event and sports operation requirements and needs
• 5+ years of professional experience, preferably at a technology or software company, media company, or live event productions
• Experience working as part of a team focused on delivering tier 1 products and firm understanding of cross-functional development projects
• Experience in testing and trialing new and emerging technologies
• Interest in tech systems and their intersection with the sports and entertainment experience
• Understanding of and experience developing revenue opportunities across multiple revenue streams including advertising and sponsorship, direct to consumer, ticketing, and media rights