Director, Global Market Development

Job Title: Director, Global Market Development
Location(s): Remote, USA (East Coast preferred)

Reports to: SVP, Global Market Development (based West Coast US)

About Us
We’ve entered a new chapter at X Games. With new leadership, fresh momentum, and a clear vision, we’re building what’s next for action sports. Backed by MSP Sports Capital and ESPN/Disney, now operating as an independent company, we’re scaling fast, launching our summer & winter leagues, expanding our events, pushing content forward, and building a global home for athletes and fans who live this culture.

About the Role
X Games is looking for a strategic, commercially-minded leader to report to and work in close partnership with the SVP, Global Market Development. You'll drive work across all pillars of the global host market development function, identifying and evaluating new markets, developing bid strategy and proposals, managing key stakeholder relationships, and coordinating post-event delivery. In this role, you'll engage government, tourism boards, resorts & venue partners, and internal teams (live event operations, commercial, marketing, league operations, finance, legal) to ensure X Games continues to expand its global footprint and executes best-in-class events.. 

Responsibilities

Global Market Strategy
Drive the development and execution of X Games' global market strategy — evaluating new markets, prioritizing opportunities, and shaping the competitive roadmap.

• Research and evaluate potential host markets, assessing event fit, funding potential, and long-term strategic value
• Build market analysis, feasibility assessments, and scenario models to support decision-making
• Track global events, competitor properties, and tourism economics to keep X Games ahead of the market

Event Strategy & Market Scouting
Partner with the SVP to shape the X Games event schedule, identifying the right markets, venues, and formats for future seasons.

• Lead scouting and evaluation of new host markets, venues, and event formats across winter and summer seasons
• Contribute to multi-year schedule development, balancing strategic priorities, market demand, and operational feasibility
• Coordinate feasibility reviews with event operations, finance, and production teams

Host Market Partnership Development
Build and manage the processes that drive X Games' host city deal pipeline — from first contact to signed agreements.

• Develop and document best-practice processes for host market identification, outreach, proposal, and contract execution
• Lead creation of bid presentations, pitch materials, and financial models for prospective host cities
• Coordinate across internal teams to structure compelling & compliant offers
• Manage post-agreement delivery: economic impact reports, milestone tracking, and host market partner engagement

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in strategy consulting, sports business, global events, or entertainment
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• Strategy or consulting background strongly preferred with the ability to build rigorous business cases, financial models, and market assessments
• Strong project management skills; able to manage multiple workstreams, markets, and stakeholders simultaneously
• Exceptional stakeholder management, credible with senior government officials, tourism boards, and commercial partners
• International business experience, ideally including exposure to deal-making or partnerships in non-US markets
• Entrepreneurial and adaptable and very comfortable building process from scratch in a fast-moving, high-ambiguity environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication; confident presenter to senior audiences
• Experience in sports, particularly growth properties, international leagues, or action sports, preferred
• Multi-language skills, financial modeling, live event operations experience, and familiarity with AI tools are all a plus