Manager, Entertainment and Sports Relations

Who We Are

Our vision is to grant the wish of every eligible child. Through our mission, we are uniting communities to grant life-changing wishes. As the world’s largest wish-granting organization, we strive to create a sense of community and an environment where we warmly embrace our wish families, volunteers, and colleagues.

Joining Make-A-Wish means becoming part of a mission that believes in the power of a wish.

Location

• Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We do not sponsor employment visas or other immigration processes to attain or maintain employment eligibility.
• Remote positions are open to applicants based anywhere in the continental U.S. Hybrid positions are open to applicants based in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

Position Summary

The Manager, Entertainment & Sports Relations serves as a key liaison between the sports and entertainment industries and Make-A-Wish chapter representatives, managing the end-to-end coordination of celebrity and sports-related wishes experiences. With experience in project management and a strong background in entertainment, sports, or event planning, this role requires a high level of professionalism, emotional intelligence, and commitment to providing world-class customer service to internal and external partners and wish families.

Core Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated success in managing complex projects and coordinating logistics in fast-paced environments.
• Exceptional customer service and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to build trust across diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively with high-profile industry professionals, talent representatives, and nonprofit chapter staff.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and meet critical deadlines.
• Sound judgment and discretion when working with sensitive information or high-visibility individuals.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages the fulfillment of celebrity and sports-related wishes , acting as a primary point of contact between Make-A-Wish chapters and talent representatives, including agents, publicists, and team PR managers.
• Delivers high-touch customer service to Make-A-Wish chapters and international affiliates, ensuring all logistics are handled with empathy, professionalism, and responsiveness.
• Coordinates multiple aspects of the wish experiences , including scheduling, talent communication, onsite support (where-needed), and contingency planning.
• Builds and maintains relationships with key entertainment and sports contacts to support ongoing and future wish opportunities.
• Ensures that wish experiences are tailored to the unique needs and preferences of each wish child and family, with close attention to medical, mobility, or scheduling requirements.
• Leads cross-functional planning and logistics for wishes involving athletes, celebrities, influencers, or media properties, ensuring alignment with Make-A-Wish brand values.
• Maintains and updates Salesforce CRM records , tracking wish statuses, follow-ups, and industry engagement; generates reports to support planning and workload management.
• Attends select events and wish experiences , providing onsite support and relationship management when appropriate; identifies and deploys local volunteers when travel is not feasible.
• Collaborates with internal and external teams to gather stories and visuals from wish experiences for potential media and promotional use, obtaining all necessary approvals and releases.
• Creates and maintains celebrity and talent contact profile database.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to support the Entertainment & Sports Relations team and broader organizational goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Event Planning, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 5 or more total years of professional experience
• 3+ years of specialized experience working in the sports, entertainment, event production, or talent management industries
• Proven project management responsibilities and experience.
• Experience working in or alongside nonprofit organizations is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite is required; experience with Salesforce or other CRM tools is strongly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and thrive in a remote-first environment with a collaborative, mission-driven team.

Working Environment

• This is a remote-first role; candidates must reside in the U.S. and be able to work across multiple time zones.
• Occasional travel to attend annual all-staff meetings and to host wishes or events (up to 15%).
• May require work outside a traditional Monday – Friday work week, including nights and weekends.

This Role's Hiring Range

$61,916 — $68,000 USD

What We Offer

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefit package, effective day 1 : Medical, Vision*, Dental*, Wellness
• Competitive compensation with annual incentive potential
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account Options
• Health Reimbursement Account fully funded by Make-A-Wish America
• Short Term Disability*, Long Term Disability* and Life Insurance
• Additional Insurance Plans: Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance through Figo
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with 5% match after one year of service
• Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• The organization will send a laptop, 24” monitor, and a docking station/adaptor to new hires

Time Off

• Competitive PTO starting at 15 days, with enhanced time off for senior roles
• 10 Sick Days
• 11 Paid Holidays
• 2 Volunteer Days after one year of service
• 2 Personal Days accrued annually
• Parental Leave

Also...

• Employee Awards and Recognition Programs
• Individual and Leadership Development
• Discounts and special offers for theme parks, events, hotels, concerts, and movie tickets

*Monthly premiums paid for the employee for vision, dental, and short/long term disability.