Director, NIL Revenue & Activation - Ohio State University

About the role

The Director, NIL Revenue & Activation will serve as Buckeye Sports Properties strategic lead for all Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives. This individual will be responsible for aligning NIL strategy with institutional values and NCAA/conference guidelines, driving revenue through NIL-related opportunities, and ensuring flawless execution of athlete engagements. This role bridges key internal and external relationships, including athletics administration, coaches, compliance, creative services, brand partners, and donors.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader with a strong background in sports marketing, athlete relations, sponsorship sales, and overall revenue generation. They must be able to operate autonomously in a fast-paced environment, balancing day-to-day activation with long-term strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities

NIL Strategy & Leadership

• Drive NIL Dealmaking Revenue strategy, support all NIL sales efforts with the Sports Properties Team, manage and lead dedicated NIL Sports Properties staff (sales and fulfillment)
• Design and implement a sustainable NIL infrastructure aligned with university values, athletic priorities, and national regulations.
• Partner with athletics leadership and internal units (e.g., development, MMR, compliance) to optimize NIL strategy and athlete opportunities.
• Lead evaluations of NIL revenue potential, staffing needs, and organizational processes for continued growth.
• Provide strategic input on potential revenue-sharing models, athlete incentives, and policies that support a competitive NIL ecosystem.

NIL Operations & Administration

• Oversee daily NIL operations, including fulfillment, local deal flow, athlete education, and stakeholder coordination.
• Serve as the primary liaison between student-athletes, brand partners, and the athletics department.
• Ensure accurate dissemination of deal metrics and uphold internal and external compliance standards.

Athlete Relations & Contracting

• Act as point of contact for athletes on NIL opportunity awareness, fulfillment, and support.
• Collaborate with legal and compliance on contract reviews and risk mitigation, including House settlement terms.
• Support recruiting and retention efforts by developing custom NIL pitch materials and activation examples for coaches.

Business Development & Partner Collaboration

• Partner with the MMR sales team to align NIL initiatives with existing and new sponsorship revenue opportunities.
• Lead and participate in brand partner conversations, including non-sponsor NIL deals and donor engagement.
• Oversee packaging, pricing strategies, proposal development, and contract finalization.
• Identify and promote NIL revenue opportunities that extend beyond existing sponsorship structures or traditional athletics budgets.

Oversight of Events, Operations & Creative

• Provide leadership oversight (but not direct execution) of NIL-related events, content creation, social media strategy, and facility management.
• Support the execution of NIL marketing campaigns and events in collaboration with content and operations staff.
• Monitor success metrics and athlete brand development using social and performance data.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience including but not limited to NIL, sponsorship, athlete marketing, or sports business.
• Strong understanding of NCAA/compliance regulations, NIL trends, and the collegiate athletics landscape.
• Proven experience leading teams, developing strategy, and driving revenue growth.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity in a fast-evolving NIL environment.
• Experience developing or supporting content strategies for social media, with a clear sense of what drives engagement across different platforms.
• Familiarity with creative production elements such as graphic design, motion graphics, photography, and social storytelling.
• Understanding digital and social media best practices within NIL and influencer marketing.

Additional information

Learfield offers a full spectrum of benefits for eligible employees including Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance and Other Insurance Plans, Flexible Paid Time Off (minimum 10+ days annually), including Parental Leave, 20 Paid Holidays, 401(k) + Match, and Short/Long Term Disability. Leave benefits are consistent with state and local laws, including the Colorado Health Families and Workplaces Act.