Job Description
Why Join the Pack?
We understand that to win championships, it starts with the people. We’re all teammates with a united focus on fostering an inclusive winning culture that empowers, values and recognizes each other. Because working together is how we do what’s right for the communities we live, work and play in. It’s how we innovate, learn and grow as individuals and as a group. And it’s how we elevate lives through the power of basketball.
Objective:
The Basketball Communications Senior Manager position drives high-impact communications that elevate the Minnesota Timberwolves and its players, shaping the team’s narrative on and off the court while serving as a trusted, day-to-day media contact and essential voice in team storytelling.
Essential Functions:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform these essential functions:
• Serve as a secondary basketball communications contact for the Minnesota Timberwolves across all team activities, home and road, managing media availabilities at practices, games, and shootarounds while fulfilling local and national interview requests and enhancing the team’s and players’ visibility across broadcast, radio, and digital platforms.
• Help oversee all game-day duties, including the production and distribution of credentials, game notes, media seating charts and in-game and postgame notes and quotes.
• Travel with the team throughout preseason, regular season and postseason, helping to manage team media responsibilities on the road.
• Partner closely with players, coaches, and basketball operations staff to coordinate and execute media requests, ensuring clear communication, alignment on team messaging, and seamless logistics around interviews and team events.
• Proactively develop and pitch compelling storylines featuring players, coaches, and staff to local and national media, driving consistent and positive media coverage.
• Help oversee the creation and distribution of team publications, serving as an Editor of the annual media guide and as a departmental editor across all written materials.
• Write and distribute official team communications, including press releases, transaction announcements, and media advisories, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and timeliness.
• Help lead the planning and execution of press conferences, managing logistics, media coordination, and preparation of players and coaches to ensure effective and professional delivery.
• Monitor media and social media landscapes, including player, coach, and media activity, to help guide messaging, identify opportunities, and mitigate potential issues.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to develop engaging content ideas that support and enhance the Timberwolves’ presence across all media and digital platforms.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other:
• Seven or more years of experience in sports communications, including at least four years serving as a primary communications contact for professional athletes.
• Experience working with professional athletes preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• Microsoft Office experience required.
• Experience supervising interns, game night staff, or external contractors in a fast-paced team environment.
Benefits & Compensation
The base salary range for this exempt role will be: $85,000-$95,000 depending on experience. There are also opportunities for an annual corporate bonus. Total compensation & offer package will include the following:
• Benefits: Regular full-time employees have access to medical, dental, and vision plans, health savings accounts with an employer contribution, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan, and life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.
• Additional benefits may include employer-paid short/long-term disability plans, generous fitness and well-being benefits, work-related reimbursements, and fully paid family/caregiver leave.
• Regular full-time employees start with 11 Holidays, at least 20 paid PTO days, 2 Volunteer days, and 4 Personal Holidays in each calendar year.
Work Environment
This job operates in both a professional office environment and a sports arena setting. Office hours are typically Monday-Friday from 8:00AM - 5:00PM; however, this position also requires regular work during basketball games, practices, shootarounds, and other team-related events, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed. The role requires travel with the team throughout preseason, regular season, and postseason. Work is generally sedentary in nature, though the employee will frequently move throughout the arena and may need to ascend and descend bleachers or steps. Lighting and temperature are generally adequate, and there may be exposure to moderate noise levels typical of a live sports and event environment.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate and exchange information with others both in person and over the telephone. The employee frequently is required to remain in a stationary position, as well as operate computers and other office equipment, such as a copy machine, printer and telephone. Staff will frequently ascend and descend bleachers/steps and traverse around the arena both on event days and non-event days. Staff may occasionally move objects weighing up to 20 pounds.
Our DEI Commitment
Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives reflect our nature as a Pack. Each one is defined by our collective strength and effort to move everyone forward. Through DEI, we speak up against social injustices, marginalization, and oppression, provide equal opportunities, embrace the differences of others, and create an environment where everyone feels accepted and welcome. Together, we empower each other to be champions of change, help put those around us in a position to win and use our voices for good.
As an organization, we’re proud to commit to accountability, transparency, change, and building DEI into everything we do; because when we do, our community becomes stronger.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx are an equal employment opportunity organization.
E-Verify Statement
We participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot prove this, we will give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) to resolve the issue before any action might be taken against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.
Apply now to interview with us!