Job Overview: Director of Fan Development – Lake County Captains
Location: Eastlake, Ohio
Join the Lake County Captains and help bring the excitement of Captains baseball to more fans throughout Northeast Ohio! As the Director of Fan Development, you’ll play a key role in growing attendance and ticket revenue by leading our Fan Engagement Specialists, developing creative sales strategies, and connecting marketing campaigns with ticket opportunities. This is your chance to build a successful team, strengthen community connections, and create unforgettable experiences at the ballpark.
You will oversee approximately 4–7 Fan Engagement Specialists, with responsibility for department strategy, coaching, accountability, and performance. This is a non-selling leadership position, with no individual sales quota or personal book of business. Your success will be measured by the success of your team.
Responsibilities:
- Local Community Engagement:
- Develop targeted ticket programs for schools, youth sports, businesses, community organizations, and theme-night audiences.
- Collaborate with Partnerships to turn community and business relationships into ticket sales opportunities.
- Sales Strategy & Execution:
- Build and execute season-long sales strategies for season tickets, memberships, groups, suites, hospitality, and single-game tickets.
- Translate department revenue goals into clear weekly priorities, target audiences, and assignments for each Fan Engagement Specialist.
- Review sales pace and available inventory 30–60 days ahead to identify games and products that need additional support.
- Leadership & Training:
- Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship focused on sales preparation, customer service, follow-through, and accountability.
- Review calls, proposals, and sales opportunities to help team members improve their approach and results.
- Assist with recruiting, onboarding, and training, while creating repeatable sales practices and opportunities for professional growth.
- Team Management:
- Conduct weekly sales meetings and regular one-on-one meetings to review pipelines, address challenges, and track progress.
- Establish individual goals and expectations that align with department objectives.
- Build a supportive, results-driven culture where every team member understands their priorities and responsibilities.
- Marketing Coordination & Campaign Management:
- Partner with Marketing and Promotions on email, digital, social media, and lead-generation campaigns.
- Establish each campaign’s target audience, offer, timing, revenue goal, and sales follow-up plan.
- Evaluate campaign results and adjust strategies to improve lead quality, conversion, and ticket revenue.
- Lead Generation & CRM Management:
- Oversee lead distribution, maintain accurate CRM records, and ensure timely follow-up.
- Monitor calls, emails, appointments, proposals, conversions, and renewals to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Use ticketing and customer data to guide targeted outreach and support team performance.
- Reporting & Analytics:
- Establish and track weekly, monthly, and seasonal department revenue goals.
- Maintain accurate revenue forecasts by game and ticket product.
- Provide leadership with weekly reports outlining sales pace, campaign results, risks, opportunities, and planned actions.
- Ticketing Platform & Sales Support:
- Manage the department’s use of the ticketing platform, including promotional codes, seating options, and special offers.
- Coordinate with the box office to ensure offers are set up accurately and support the team’s sales efforts.
- Game Day & Fan Experience:
- Support home games and team events, including evenings and weekends.
- Promote a high standard of customer service that strengthens fan relationships and encourages repeat attendance.
- Additional Responsibilities:
- Support additional tasks and duties as assigned, demonstrating flexibility and collaboration across departments.
Goals & Deliverables:
- Achieve department ticket revenue goals through clear targets across team members, games, and products.
- Ensure each Fan Engagement Specialist has defined weekly sales priorities, target audiences, and performance expectations.
- Identify underperforming games 30–60 days in advance and coordinate sales and marketing plans to improve results.
- Deliver campaigns that generate qualified leads, timely follow-up, and measurable ticket sales.
- Provide weekly sales recaps and reliable revenue forecasts to leadership.
- Improve team performance through consistent coaching, training, and accountability.
- Participate in leadership meetings and provide updates on department progress.
Qualifications:
- Experience leading and developing a sales team, with demonstrated success improving results through coaching, planning, and accountability.
- Ability to translate sales data into practical strategies and communicate priorities clearly.
- Experience collaborating with marketing on campaigns, lead generation, and conversion.
- Comfort using CRM systems, spreadsheets, and sales reporting tools and system backend knowledge.
- Familiarity with Tickets.com or comparable ticketing and backend systems.
- Strong organization, judgment, and follow-through, with a direct and supportive management style.
- Ticketing or sports experience is welcome but not required. Candidates from hospitality, membership sales, inside sales, SaaS, fitness, and other customer acquisition environments are encouraged to apply.
- Availability to work home games and team events, including evenings and weekends.
Reporting Structure:
This position will report to the team's President, General Manager, and Assistant General Manager
This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead a growing sales team, connect more fans with Captains baseball, and shape the future of the Lake County Captains.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.