The Director, Analytics & Business Operations will work closely with the World Surf League executive team to drive strategic initiatives, enhance organizational performance, and support data-informed decision-making across the WSL. This role will serve as a key partner to leadership, translating business priorities into actionable strategies and insights that drive growth and success across the organization.
The ideal candidate is a highly autonomous, entrepreneurial, and strategic thinker with exceptional problem- solving, communication, leadership, and organizational skills who thrives in a dynamic environment.
This role will report into the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer and will be based at the WSL Headquarters in Los Angeles, California, in a hybrid working environment with 3 days per week in office (Tuesday - Thursday).
Responsibilities include (but not limited to):
- Partner with the executive team and cross functional leaders to drive strategic priorities, develop long-term plans, and lead key initiatives that enhance organizational performance
- Develop, manage, and continuously improve the company-wide OKR process, ensuring alignment across departments, clear accountability, measurable outcomes, and consistent progress toward organizational priorities
- Lead the WSL analytics function and serve as a strategic insight partner to the organization, translating date and complex business questions into actionable insights that inform decision making across product, marketing, partnerships, social media, content, and other key areas
- Establish and evolve reporting, dashboards, KPIs, and analytical frameworks that provide leadership and cross-functional teams with clear visibility into business performance, audience behavior, operational trends, and opportunities for growth
- Oversee key third party vendors and external partners, ensuring strong relationships, effective performance management, and alignment with WSL’s business objectives and operations needs
- Lead the strategic and operational oversight of WSL’s sports betting and prediction market initiatives, working cross functionally and with external partners to support the development and execution of these programs
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, productivity, and organizational effectiveness while working across teams to connect strategy, operations, and analytics and support informed, high impact decision making
Qualifications & Experience:
- 5-10 years of relevant experience in strategy, business operations, consulting, analytics, corporate development, IB/PE, or related fields
- Expert in Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint or Google Suite
- Demonstrated experience partnering directly with executive leadership
- Experience building, leading, and developing high-performing teams
- Strong analytical capabilities with experience translating complex data into actional business insights and executive-level recommendations
- Experience designing executive dashboards or performance management frameworks
- Experience managing complex, cross-functional strategic initiatives from concept through implementation
- Experience managing external vendors, agencies, or strategic partners
- Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment
- Working knowledge of SQL and modern data ecosystems is preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in business, economics, finance, statistics, data science, or a related field
Personal Attributes:
- Above all, integrity and honesty
- Entrepreneurial; willingness to work independently with the best business practices in mind
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to influence senior stakeholders and simplify complex topics
- Incredibly proactive and action-oriented
- Enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and willing to take on a challenge
- A high degree of self-awareness of one’s own personal style, strengths and weaknesses and motivational triggers.
- Intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning
- Passion for surfing is a plus
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V
Base Salary Range: $150,000.00 - $175,000.00 based on relevant experience