Overview

Chief Brand and Commercial Officer – True North Sports + Entertainment

THE OPPORTUNITY

True North Sports + Entertainment (True North or TNSE) is looking to add to its team of employees who excel at providing a superior patron experience at all our venues, while managing and showcasing a premium lineup of sports and entertainment brands. The True North family is a committed, passionate and hard-working team of dedicated employees that consistently deliver results, demonstrate innovation, and embrace True North’s vision, mission and values. As described in this position profile, the newly created position of Chief Brand & Commercial Officer (CBCO), will be an exciting role that will take on the challenge of advancing True North’s commercial strategy, integrating the planning and execution of a range of existing and new revenue opportunities for True North’s teams and venues.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

True North owns and operates the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and Manitoba Moose (AHL), who both play at Bell MTS Place, which hosts 150+ events annually. TNSE also operates a Bell MTS Iceplex, Burton Cummings Theatre, True North Real Estate Development, and we are closely tied to the True North Youth Foundation (TNYF). While having a diverse portfolio of operations, TNSE’s focal point is operating an NHL franchise in a Canadian market landscape with passionate fans and partners that care deeply for our community and teams. This offers tremendous opportunity, but also the responsibility of being the steward of sports and entertainment in our market.

As an organization, we are guided in our day to day under the direction of our Vision, Mission and Values.

VISION

True North endeavours to be recognized as a preeminent organization within the National Hockey League, the American Hockey League, and the North American entertainment industry. We further strive to establish ourselves as an integral asset to the City of Winnipeg and Province of Manitoba, and to be a consistent source of pride for our entire community.

MISSION

We are relentless in our pursuit of providing a superior patron experience in all of our facilities, developing championship caliber hockey teams, nurturing and providing opportunities for our colleagues, and collectively making a meaningful and consistent contribution to our community.

THE ROLE

A newly created position, the CBCO will serve as the champion for True North’s brand and the customers/community it serves. Reporting to the President & Chief Operating Officer, the CBCO will bear overarching responsibility for all revenue generating commercial activities of True North.

Through the advancement and execution of its strategic plan, the CBCO will lead an experienced and successful team that executes True North’s ticket-, corporate partnerships-, and premium-sales and service; marketing & creative; communications & content; digital; broadcast; and other ancillary/evolving revenue opportunities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Advance True North’s Organizational/Integrated Commercial Strategy

  • Consolidating input from the commercial leadership team, consumer insights/expectations, industry trends and the broader vision and mission of True North, advance True North’s integrated commercial strategy that maximizes organization-wide direct and indirect revenues, while ensuring consumer experience meets or exceeds expectations.
  • Bring the commercial strategy to life through the development of operating plans, communication, measurement and contributing to the culture and behaviors of True North’s family of employees who shape the brand of True North and its teams/venues.

Leadership

  • Provide direct leadership (coaching, support, direction) to an experienced and successful commercial leadership team responsible for: ticket sales & service, premium services, corporate partnerships, marketing & creative services, communications & content, regional and national broadcast, digital, and other ancillary revenue opportunities.
  • Leverage the strengths of and provide relevant feedback to True North’s finance, business intelligence, guest experience, and events/venues teams, to grow and maximize True North’s commercial activities.
  • Actively participate at True North’s leadership table, guiding the development and execution of True North’s vision, mission, strategy, and goals.

Commercial Scope

  • Actively participate in multi-year scaling/pricing of ticket inventory, premium sales offerings, corporate partnerships opportunities, and broadcast properties.
  • Take an active role in identifying and developing relationships with existing and potential business partners, sponsors, broadcasters, and customers.
  • Work with the Marketing/Creative, and Communications/Content teams to support the aforementioned commercial scope, to further build True North’s brands, and to assist in the growing fan bases.
  • Maintain and demonstrate a clear focus on return on investment in all commercial deals.
  • Be aware of and provide direction on new technologies and trends, exploring and pursuing evolving revenue opportunities.

Accountability and Governance

  • Be aware of and ensure compliance with rules/standards/procedures required by statute, the NHL/AHL, and agreements entered into with business partners.
  • Advise the President/COO and/or Board of Directors of all material developments within the commercial area warranting immediate consideration.
  • In conjunction with True North’s CFO, ensure preparation of annual operating and capital budgets for each commercial department.
  • Together with the Commercial Leadership Team, set respective team objectives/timelines and ensure reporting systems in place to allow for timely measurement of both lead and lag measures – and in turn providing guidance, motivation, feedback and support as required.

Other

  • Act as an ambassador for the organization in a host of circumstances.
  • Undertake such other duties as maybe required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the post and the needs of the organization.

THE CANDIDATE
Fundamental Competencies

  • A Bachelor or Masters degree in business or sports marketing/management.
  • A broad experience base and career progression that demonstrates the ability to lead and integrate a talented, experienced and successful team of leaders.
  • A unicorn set of characteristics that include being:
    • A strategic thinker with the ability to align initiatives, systems and resources in support of True North’s mission, vision, strategic plan and goals – in an evolving sports and entertainment industry, and within the regional, national and international context that True North operates.
    • A superior communicator with exceptional interpersonal skills, interacting with colleagues and customers alike.
    • An innovator, comfortable with current and new technologies.
    • A multi-tasker, capable of managing/leading multiple and competing demands.
    • Driven by operating results, growing/maximizing earnings and providing a superior experience for True North guests, fans and stakeholders.
    • A demeanor and disposition that embraces the demands and rigours of a career in the sports and
      entertainment industry.

Cultural and Values Alignment
At its core, True North’s economic and operational engine is fuelled by an employee team that is aligned with True North’s culture and values.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION:

  • Please email a cover letter and CV, including salary expectations in PDF format as one document to [email protected].
  • The closing date for accepting submissions for this position is: Sunday, February 28, 2021.
  • Applicants should identify if they require accommodation during the competition process (on a confidential basis).
  • This posting is available in alternate formats upon request.
  • A competitive compensation/benefits package will be commensurate with the experience and capacity of the successful candidate.

We thank all that apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.