Account Project Manager

Employment Type: Full-Time

Reports To: President & Vice President Timeline: Applications due by October 9th.

Position Overview: We are seeking an experienced, highly organized Account / Project Manager to join our team. This position will play a key role in managing client relationships and executing basketball events, brand activations, athlete programs, sponsorship initiatives, and other sports marketing projects. The Account Manager will serve as a primary day-to-day contact for assigned clients while working closely with internal teams, partners, athletes, coaches, brands, vendors, venues, and event partners to deliver best-in-class experiences. The ideal candidate understands the sports and basketball landscape, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is equally comfortable leading a client call, building an event timeline, managing a budget, coordinating with a venue, or being on-site ensuring an event runs flawlessly. This is a hands-on position for someone who enjoys taking ownership of projects from concept through execution.

Key Responsibilities: Client & Account Management Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for assigned clients and accounts. Build strong relationships with clients and develop a deep understanding of their brands, business objectives, audiences, and priorities. Manage client communication, meetings, status calls, presentations, approvals, and project updates. Translate client objectives into actionable plans for basketball events, marketing programs, sponsorship activations, and athlete initiatives. Anticipate client needs, identify potential challenges, and proactively develop solutions. Maintain strong communication between clients and internal teams throughout the lifecycle of each project. Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts and expand client relationships. Basketball Event Management Manage the planning and execution of basketball events including tournaments, showcases, camps, clinics, combines, invitational events, all-star games, grassroots programs, and branded basketball experiences. Develop comprehensive event plans, production schedules, timelines, run-of-show documents, staffing plans, and operational checklists. Coordinate with venues, facilities, hotels, transportation providers, production teams, officials, coaches, athletes, teams, and other event partners. Assist with team and athlete registration, scheduling, credentials, hospitality, travel, and event communications. Support development of tournament formats, game schedules, court assignments, and event programming. Manage on-site event operations and troubleshoot issues in real time. Ensure events deliver a professional experience for athletes, coaches, families, clients, partners, and spectators. Travel to events and be available for evening and weekend work as required. Sports Marketing & Brand Activation Support the development and execution of integrated sports marketing programs for brands and partners. Manage sponsorship and partnership deliverables associated with basketball events and programs. Coordinate branded experiences, signage, product integration, hospitality, athlete appearances, content opportunities, and experiential activations. Work with creative, social media, content, production, and event teams to ensure consistent execution across all client touchpoints. Help identify opportunities to connect brands authentically with basketball culture, athletes, teams, and fans. Track contractual and sponsorship deliverables to ensure all partner obligations are fulfilled. Project & Budget Management Manage multiple client projects and events simultaneously while maintaining deadlines and attention to detail. Build and maintain project timelines, budgets, trackers, and status documents. Manage vendor estimates, purchase orders, invoices, expenses, and event-related costs. Monitor project budgets and communicate potential overages or changes before they occur. Coordinate internal resources and external partners to keep projects moving forward. Conduct post-event recaps and provide clients with results, insights, photography, content, and other agreed-upon deliverables.

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in sports management, marketing, communications, business, event management, or a related field preferred.3–5+ years of experience in account management, sports marketing, experiential marketing, basketball events, event operations, or client services. Experience managing live sporting events or large-scale experiential programs strongly preferred. Knowledge of the basketball ecosystem, including grassroots basketball, high school basketball, college basketball, professional basketball, camps, showcases, tournaments, and/or athlete programming. Strong client service and relationship-management skills. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills. Exceptional organization and attention to detail. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, clients, and deadlines simultaneously. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make decisions in high-pressure, live-event environments. Experience managing event budgets, vendors, timelines, and logistics. Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office; experience with project management and CRM platforms is a plus. Ability and willingness to travel frequently during basketball and event seasons. Availability to work nights and weekends when required for events.

Preferred Experience: Candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas will be especially well suited for this position: Grassroots and youth basketball Travel and club basketball High school basketball College or professional basketball Basketball tournaments and showcases Athlete camps and clinics Sneaker circuit events Sports sponsorships Brand activations Experiential marketing Athlete and talent management Sports content and social media Hospitality and VIP experiences Event production and operations Existing relationships within the basketball industry—including relationships with teams, coaches, athletes, event operators, venues, brands, agencies, and basketball organizations—are a plus.

What We're Looking For: We are looking for someone who understands that successful sports marketing requires both great relationships and great execution. The right candidate is proactive, resourceful, organized, and comfortable taking ownership. You should be able to see the big picture of a client's objectives while also paying attention to the details that determine whether an event is successful. You should thrive in the fast-moving environment of basketball and live events, where schedules change, challenges arise, and solutions often need to happen quickly. Most importantly, you should understand the importance of delivering an exceptional experience—for the client, the athlete, the brand, and everyone who interacts with the event.

What We Offer: Competitive salary based on experience Health, dental, and vision benefits 401(k) / retirement benefits Opportunities for professional growth Exposure to leading brands, athletes, basketball organizations, and sports properties Travel to premier basketball events and marketsA collaborative and entrepreneurial work environment Opportunity to play a meaningful role in the development and execution of high-profile basketball programs To Apply Please submit your resume along with a brief introduction highlighting your experience in sports marketing, account management, and/or event operations. Candidates are encouraged to include examples of l events, sports marketing programs, sponsorship activations, or client accounts they have helped manage. Playbook Group is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.