Director, LidsU Business Operations
Indianapolis, IN, US, 46278
About Our Company
Lids Sports Group is the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear and apparel across the US. Operating out of Indianapolis, IN, our retail stores offer officially licensed headwear and apparel from collegiate and professional sports teams, plus top brands like Nike, New Era, Lululemon, and Mitchell & Ness. In addition to our wide assortment, we are the industry leader in on demand customization.
We currently operate 1,300+ brick and mortar locations, including specialty concept stores for the NBA, NHL, and the two largest MLB franchises, via our Yankees & Dodgers Clubhouse stores. Lids have built partnerships and collaborations with iconic global brands including Marvel/Disney, Playboy, Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack, and Post Malone, creating a community where fans, fashion, and culture collide.
Lids U proudly provides a comprehensive and diversified product assortment of all emblematic apparel, hard goods, backpacks and more to Barnes and Noble College Bookstores.
General Position Summary
The Director, Business Operations will serve as a leader driving both strategic growth initiatives and day-to-day operational execution for LidsU’s collegiate merchandising partnership with Barnes & Noble Education (BNED). This role is responsible for identifying, developing, and expanding NCAA partnerships while also ensuring seamless operational alignment, program execution, and partner satisfaction across a complex portfolio of collegiate accounts.
This leader will operate at the intersection of business development, relationship management, and operational oversight, acting as both a growth catalyst and a trusted operational partner. Success in this role requires a hands-on, enterprise-minded approach, balancing external-facing expansion efforts with internal collaboration, executional rigor, and continuous improvement to deliver sustainable, long-term value.
Principle Duties and Responsibilities
• Identify, evaluate, and pursue new growth opportunities that expand LidsU’s presence within the collegiate marketplace, including new NCAA partnerships and program enhancements.
• Lead and support negotiations with prospective and existing partners.
• Assess market trends, competitive dynamics, and portfolio performance to inform growth strategies and acquisition initiatives.
• Act as an executive contact for a diverse portfolio of NCAA partnerships, fostering trusted, collaborative relationships across all stakeholders.
• Provide holistic oversight of partner programs, ensuring alignment between strategic intent, operational execution, and partner expectations.
• Proactively identify risks, challenges, and opportunities within the portfolio and drive solutions in partnership with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Partner closely with BNED and internal LidsU teams to ensure strong in store execution, operational consistency, and effective implementation of merchandising strategies.
• Oversee the operational health of partner programs, ensuring processes, timelines, and deliverables support both growth objectives and day to day success.
• Translate company leadership’s strategic priorities into clear, actionable plans that are executed effectively across all partner initiatives.
• Serve as a connective leader across multiple functions to ensure alignment, accountability, and shared ownership of outcomes.
• Communicate clearly and consistently, synthesizing partner feedback, operational insights, and performance data into actionable recommendations.
• Champion a solutions oriented mindset, driving continuous improvement across both external partnerships and internal workflows.
Additional Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Job Required Knowledge & Skills
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Sports Marketing, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 8–10 years of progressive experience across business development, partnership management, operations, or merchandising within sports, retail, or the collegiate ecosystem.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, structure, and advance growth opportunities through strategic partnerships.
• Strong negotiation skills with experience aligning commercial terms, strategies, and long term partner objectives.
• Ability to assess market dynamics, financial performance, and portfolio health to inform strategic decision making.
• Brings prior hands on retail experience that informs sound operational judgment, enabling a practical understanding of store level operations, executional workflows, and field realities.
• Proven ability to balance strategic initiatives with operational discipline, ensuring consistent execution across complex, multi partner programs.
• Experience translating high level strategy into actionable plans, processes, and deliverables that support day to day operations and long term growth.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity, managing multiple priorities, and driving solutions in a fast paced environment.
• Strong track record of building and sustaining trusted relationships with senior level stakeholders, including NCAA institutions, athletic departments, licensing offices, and external partners.
• Executive presence with the ability to influence, communicate, and present effectively to internal leadership and external audiences.
• Skilled at balancing partner advocacy with internal alignment and organizational priorities.
• Demonstrated success leading cross functional initiatives and working collaboratively across multiple leadership teams.
• Ability to operate autonomously while maintaining strong alignment and accountability across stakeholders.
• Solutions oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and shared ownership of outcomes.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) with the ability to synthesize data into insights and executive level materials.
• Familiarity with merchandising systems, reporting tools, or analytics platforms preferred.
• Proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion, integrity, and professionalism.
Preferred Job Required Knowledge & Skills
Education
Reports To
| Employment Requirements Candidates must possess the experience, skills, physical abilities, and qualifications, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform the essential duties of the role and must be able to meet all applicable employment standards. Being legally authorized to work in the United States is a pre-condition of employment for this position. Current or future employment-based visa sponsorship is not available for this role. |
| Equal Employment Opportunity We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. |
| Notice to Applicants In connection with your application, we collect information that identifies, reasonably relates to, or describes you (“Personal Information”). The categories of Personal Information we collect include your name, email address, mailing address, other contact information, employment history, and educational history. We collect and use this information for human resources and business management purposes, including identifying and evaluating candidates for employment or future contract opportunities, and maintaining recruiting and hiring records. Upon a conditional job offer, we may require additional Personal Information for business purposes and background checks as permitted by law, including but not limited to government-issued identification numbers, work authorization, emergency contact information, criminal record information, and demographic data used for analytics and compliance with applicable legal requirements and Company policies. |
| Need Accessibility Assistance? Applicants who require accessibility assistance to submit an employment application may email hr@lids.com. A member of our Talent team will respond as soon as reasonably possible. This email address is only for individuals seeking reasonable accommodation when applying for a career at Lids. |
Nearest Major Market: Indianapolis