Rip City Careers

Become a part of the team behind the team.

As employees of the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter, we do more than basketball. We are blazing trails toward winning championships on and off the court. 

We are pioneers and innovators. We look for people who push boundaries, who dream, who are committed to inclusivity – who want to contribute to Rip City!

As our Vice President of Global Partnerships, you will lead one of the most dynamic teams in professional sports. You will drive the vision, strategy, and innovation that shape the Trail Blazers into an industry leader in partnerships. In close collaboration with the Vice President of Partnership Development, you will guide an impact-driven approach that prioritizes fan connection, brand integration, and meaningful business outcomes. You will be tasked with delivering meaningful revenue growth while deepening impact with partners, fans, and the community. You will also be responsible for developing a high-performing and expanding the Trail Blazers’ brand across local and international markets.

Reporting to the Chief Revenue Officer, you will oversee all core commercial partnership functions, including leadership of our existing partner roster. This is a highly visible role with influence across the organization. You will play a key part in shaping the future of our business, our brand, our venues, and the communities we serve.

DAY-TO-DAY:

Strategic Vision & Business Growth

• Define and lead the Commercial Partnerships strategy in alignment with Trail Blazers, Rip City Remix, and Rose Quarter business objectives
• Champion a values-driven philosophy that prioritizes:
  • Long-term relationships over short-term transactions
  • Integrated platforms and purpose-driven activations over individual assets
  • Measurable business outcomes and fan advocacy over traditional media impressions
  • Data-informed strategy that drives connection and partner success
  • Creativity as a catalyst for innovation and impact
  • Team brand as the initiator of value and connection; partnerships that deliver for partners, fans, community and team brand
• Deliver sustainable growth across the partnership portfolio while advancing team, partner, and community outcomes.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Lead and collaborate with revenue leaders across partnership strategy, fulfillment, and operations.
• Foster a high-performing, inclusive, and team-first culture rooted in clarity, coaching, and development.
• Cultivate individual and team growth through thoughtful leadership, talent development, and clear expectations.
• Partner cross-functionally to energize and contextualize the organizational strategic pillar of Everyone Drives Revenue
• Ensure the partnership business supports all areas of the organization, including Ticketing, Premium, Community, DEI, Marketing, People & Culture, Venue Operations, Food & Beverage, Strategy & Analytics, Finance, Rip City Remix
• Scale existing Partnership Marketing practices to support international growth, including talent strategy, relationship building, operational frameworks, and measurement.
• Serve as a member of the Revenue Leadership Group, shaping strategic direction and commercial priorities across the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter.

Client & Market Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior leaders across our partner roster and the broader business community.
• Strengthen the Trail Blazers’ market reputation through progressive partnership models that challenge industry norms.
• Represent the organization at key industry events and forums as a brand ambassador and thought leader.
• Manage & build ongoing league and team relationships across the NBA & NBA China
• Align local and third-party creative strategy with departmental objectives and growth ambitions
• Liaise with the Trail Blazers international agency network and NBA China to help establish international growth opportunities, partnership performance and market reputation

Innovation & Performance

• Leverage partner insights, market trends, and customer behavior in collaboration with internal Strategy and Analytics teams to drive data-informed growth opportunities.
• Drive innovation in partnership proposition, valuation, and storytelling, leaning into leading internal capabilities around AI
• Track and report on performance KPIs tied to revenue, partner business outcomes, and fan impact
• Lead revenue ideation and planning efforts for future venue transformation as part of the Moda Center reimagination project
  
   

WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU:

• Have 10 or more years of experience in brand strategy, sports partnerships, or revenue leadership, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Are energized by the opportunity to lead local and industry-wide transformation in the sports partnership space.
• Inspire through vision, rally through planning, and win by building and empowering high performing teams
• Are a consumer centric, results driven, marketing leader with a passion for innovation.
• Build authentic relationships, thrive in collaborative settings, and are fueled by curiosity and a drive for impact.
• Believe team success creates individual opportunity and are motivated by work that makes a difference.
• Bring experience in international marketing or operations and understand the nuances of global brand growth.
• Are a bold thinker with a strong grasp of marketing, sponsorship, and cross-platform brand integration.
• Have a proven track record of developing, leading, and retaining diverse, high-performing teams.
• Operate with a data-informed mindset and a drive for creativity and innovation
• Bring strong executive presence to collaborate with C-suite executives, senior league stakeholders and ownership
• Excel in fast-paced, dynamic environments and care deeply about team culture and fan impact

WE’D BE THRILLED IF YOU ALSO HAVE:

• Familiarity with global markets and a track record of building partnerships that resonate across cultures and regions.
• Experience partnering with creative agencies, media networks, or rights holders in multi-channel campaigns.
• A background in venue transformation, capital planning, or naming rights strategy.
• Comfort navigating complex, matrixed organizations and aligning cross-functional teams around shared goals.

Offers of employment are conditional upon the successful results of an individual background check. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories and review results on an individual basis.

The Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter embraces diversity and inclusion. We celebrate individual expression and uniqueness on our campus. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination. We are committed to hiring individuals that reflect the community we serve without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. We are an equal opportunity employer.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

PERKS: 

We invest in our employees inside and outside of work. Our benefits package for full-time teammates includes:

• Salary Range: $185,000.00 - $195,000.00 annually
• Competitive Healthcare Coverage
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Maternal & Parental Leave
• Flexible Time Off (3 weeks + 11 holidays)
• Wellness Perks
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Free Parking + Discounted Mass Transit Passes
• Discounted & Complimentary Tickets
• Ongoing Learning & Development
• Daily Free Lunch