Vice President, Consumer Brand, Sports - Burson

Who we are: Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation. WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com   For more information visit  bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and  Instagram . More about the role: The Consumer Brand team partners with some of the world's most recognized sports brands, properties, leagues, and organizations to create culturally relevant communications programs that drive conversation, engagement, and business impact. We operate at the intersection of sports, earned media, entertainment, influencer engagement, athlete partnerships, and brand storytelling to help clients connect with consumers through compelling narratives, strategic partnerships, and integrated communications campaigns. We are seeking a Vice President, Consumer Brand Sports to serve as a senior communications leader responsible for developing and executing integrated earned media and brand communications programs for a diverse portfolio of sports and consumer brand clients. This role will lead strategic communications initiatives that generate meaningful earned media results, elevate brand reputation, and connect clients with consumers through sports, culture, talent, and experiences across diverse consumer audiences. The ideal candidate brings established relationships with key media outlets, publishers, journalists, producers, influencers, and industry stakeholders, along with expertise in athlete marketing, sponsorship activation, sports business trends, and culturally relevant storytelling that helps brands authentically engage consumers. This individual will lead account teams in the development and execution of media relations campaigns, athlete and brand partnership programs, experiential events, press trips, and integrated communications initiatives. They will serve as a trusted counselor to senior clients, delivering strategic recommendations, executive communications support, and compelling presentations while building long-term relationships and driving client growth. The Vice President will manage and mentor team members, collaborate across agency disciplines, and contribute to agency growth through business development, client expansion, innovative communications strategies, and thought leadership. The preferred locations for this role are Los Angeles (Hybrid), Southern California (Remote), or San Francisco (Hybrid). What you'll do: Lead Client Communications Programs Develop and execute integrated earned media and communications programs for leading consumer brands, sports properties, and entertainment clients. Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to clients, providing senior-level counsel on media strategy, reputation management, athlete partnerships, sponsorship activations, and brand storytelling. Build and maintain strong relationships with key client stakeholders while proactively identifying opportunities to deepen partnerships and grow business. Drive Earned Media Excellence Lead earned media strategy and execution across sports and consumer brand accounts, driving impactful coverage and measurable business outcomes. Leverage deep knowledge of key sports, consumer, lifestyle, entertainment, and business media outlets, publishers, journalists, podcasts, newsletters, broadcast partners, and emerging media platforms. Develop media strategies that generate earned coverage, cultural relevance, and audience engagement across traditional, digital, social, and emerging channels. Build and maintain strong relationships with sports, consumer, lifestyle, entertainment, and business media. Lead Athlete Activations and Experiential Programming Develop and execute athlete activation programs that align with client business objectives and brand narratives. Identify and manage athlete, ambassador, influencer, and talent partnerships that drive visibility and engagement. Lead the planning and execution of press trips, media tours, product launches, experiential activations, sporting event programs, and marquee consumer experiences. Partner closely with talent agencies, athlete representatives, leagues, teams, and industry partners to maximize program impact. Provide Team Leadership Manage, mentor, and develop account teams while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performance culture. Provide ongoing coaching and career development support to junior and mid-level team members. Lead cross-functional teams across strategy, creative, social, influencer, analytics, and production disciplines to deliver integrated client solutions. Contribute to Agency Growth Play an active role in business development, including prospecting, pitch strategy, proposal development, and presentation delivery. Lead or contribute to new business opportunities by developing communications strategies and presenting recommendations to prospective clients. Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships through strategic counsel and innovative programming. Partner with account leadership to identify organic growth opportunities, support account planning and resource management efforts, and contribu