Our mission is to “provide the finest in sports, entertainment and community leadership”, and our goals are to “win championships and create sustained success.”

In all of our operations and in everything we do we seek to be the global leader in our industry in innovation, technology and fan experience.

Director, Basketball Information & Research

Basketball Strategy

Location

Phoenix, Arizona

Job Summary:

Suns Legacy Partners includes several companies and many different departments that support the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Footprint Center.

Would you like to win championships and create sustained success? Suns Legacy Partners is looking for individuals that are committed to pursuing excellence and be part of creating memorable experiences.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated individual to join our team as Director, Basketball Information & Research with the Basketball Strategy Department. This position will be responsible for the development, management, and execution of the Phoenix Suns’ Basketball Strategy data-level needs. Responsible for managing the strategic oversight of data infrastructure, micro-level analysis, and macro-level analysis, this position will leverage database engineering, full stack development, data science, advanced modeling/machine learning, and other advanced technological means in its general job function. In addition, the Director is responsible for the ongoing advancement of the operations’ data science capabilities, along with direct communication with Basketball Operations executives and ownership.

Suns Legacy Partners (SLP) strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many departments, many SLP employees participate in the SLP Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona.

What Will You Do:

• Lead and build the Basketball Information & Research team to execute Basketball Operations’ strategic goals and create new opportunities though data science/technology capabilities
• Report to executive leadership to create, support, and execute an agreed upon data and technology roadmap/strategy
• Manage projects with multiple time horizons (short and long-term) within the department, ensuring all deliverables are met on schedule
• Constantly assess the data and technological needs of the operation
• Develop and manage all rigorous analytic solutions, including defining the business need, sourcing the data, exploratory data analysis, model selection and validation, communicating the results, and linking the results to tangible operational drivers
• Provide strategic thought leadership and communicate the benefits of data-driven decision science Attract, hire, and retain top talent with hard data skills
• Create best practices and work to build the most efficient platforms and systems possible

What We Need From Our Director:

• Strong technical skills, including SQL & Python or R
• Strong background in data science fundamentals, including statistical methodology and validation
• A proven track record building and leading data & analytics teams
• Deep experience in project management, data science research, data visualization, and data architecture (local and cloud)
• Baseline experience with full stack development, hands-on experience preferred
• Comfortable working flexibly and iteratively with large sets of structured and unstructured data
• Ability to proactively identify opportunities and risks, while also providing proposals for improvement

Experience/ Education Requirements:

• 4+ years in direct leadership and practical application of data science, big data techniques, machine learning, model optimization, and/or statistics to real-world problems; experience in a collegiate or professional sport preferred, but not required

What You Can Expect:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Flexible schedule to include weekends, evenings, and some holidays to meet business needs
• Ability to stand, walk, sit for various periods of time
• Occasional travel from time to time for professional development
• This position works mainly indoors, removed from extreme weather; exposure to weather is <5%
• Position is predominately computer-based, requiring the use of a computer monitor
• Must be able to carry on a conversation both on the phone and in-person
• Ability to Read, Write & Speak in English
• Wide range of fulltime benefit options including
  • Medical, Dental and Vision coverages
  • Life and Disability options
  • Vacation, sick and holiday leave programs
  • In-arena work requirements with the potential of hybrid schedules based on each role and department.
• Perks:
  • Discounts at Fanatics Team Shop
  • Tickets available for Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Rattlers games

• Visit our Culture page learn more about our culture and work environment

Suns Legacy Partners, LLC. is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

For questions about this career opportunity, please contact our People & Culture Recruiting team at email.