Senior Director, Game Experience

Reports To: Vice President, Brand Direct Reports: 5+ Full-Time FLSA Status: Exempt Application Deadline: Rolling Work Location: Ochsner Sports Performance Center (5800 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA 70003); Smoothie King Center and Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA Our Mission and Your Impact The New Orleans Saints and Pelicans proudly represent both the NFL and NBA, using our platform to uplift the Gulf Coast and create lasting community impact. Rooted in the vibrant spirit of New Orleans, we celebrate diversity, embrace culture, and unite people through the power of sports. Guided by our core values-community, teamwork, celebrating individuality, people first, integrity, and excellence-we foster an inclusive culture and seek people who share these values to help strengthen the bond between our teams and the city we call home. Position Summary We're looking for a Senior Director of Game Experience & In-Game Production to join the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. This role is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Saints and Pelicans Game Experience and In-Game Production, with the overall goal of engaging fans in-stadium and in-arena and providing the best fan experience in all of sports. This position is responsible for overall direction of the department, including creating an authentic and unforgettable in-stadium and in-arena experience, staff development, strategic planning, content development and budget allocation. What You'll Be Doing / Responsibilities Oversee and manage all elements of the Game Experience and In-Game Production department, partnering with the VP, Brand Strategy to lead cross-functional and strategic long-term planning Interview, hire, train, and develop full-time staff members; guide them on best practices and development techniques for their staff (part-time, seasonal team members) Areas of supervision include: Live Entertainment/Live Programming, In-Game Production, Game Experience, and Entertainment Teams/Mascots (Includes Saints Cheer Krewe, PelSquad, Early Birds, Mascots, etc.) Challenge the team to conceptualize and continually produce innovative ways for the department to develop in-stadium and in-arena entertainment and enhance fan engagement year-over-year Establish regular evaluation and analyze data to adapt the Game Experience and Production elements to deliver quality partner content that enhances the fan experience, event day execution, benchmark achievements, customer satisfaction and team synergy including but not limited to video, sound and entertainment elements Develop strong, collaborative relationships with the production, creative, digital media, analytics, sponsorship and marketing team stakeholders to ensure a good cultural foundation is established for leadership of departmental staff. This includes collaboration and effectively communication with Football and Basketball Operations staff to coordinate purposeful and impactful in-game elements to create an environment that helps our team win. Serve as the primary game experience/game presentation contact for NFL and NBA league needs to ensure compliance to league regulations and track/follow up on all aspects of Game Experience Manage and allocate budgets and resources for game experience initiatives, including live entertainment, halftime shows, apparel, travel, logistics, etc. Act as executive producer of all games; actively manage lead showcaller on game day to ensure alignment across control room, video board, activations, in game elements, performances, halftimes, and other elements Oversee creation and drafting of game day scripts for Saints and Pelicans home games using ShoFlo Oversee the management of corporate partnerships in-game asset inventory and led regular communication with head of partnerships to assess needs for contractually obligated assets What You'll Bring: Bachelor's Degree in Sports Management, Marketing, Communications, or a related field of study 8-10 years' experience producing live entertainment, preferably in the sports industry; Prior experience in calling games is a strong preference, but not mandatory 5-7 years of leadership experience to include development of both full-time and part-time staff, training, crewing of production and camera crew staff Strong experience with brand campaign development, content creation, and customer engagement A team player attitude, receptive to design critique and able to take feedback from multiple sources and incorporate it into cohesive creative assets A passion for creating memorable fan experiences that contribute to the overall winning of games Proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, Power Point and other computer skills Strong oral and written communication skills Strong organizational and time management skills Must possess the ability to walk, sit and stand while directing events long and potentially extended periods Must possess the ability to work with technology and on a computer for long and potentially extended periods Ability to work collaboratively with all levels of the organization Availability and willingness to work extended hours, including nights, weekends and holidays All Candidates Should Have Commitment to community and a people-first mindset Strong teamwork and collaboration skills Ability to celebrate individuality and value diverse perspectives High integrity and a proactive, solutions-oriented "winning" mindset What We Offer Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance options 401K with employer contributions Paid parental leave PTO and paid holidays Wellness Program