VP of Strategy ACE (Playfly Sports)

Access Holdings is a next-generation alternative asset manager providing investors with access to the lower-middle market. Founded in 2013, Access Holdings has approximately $2.3 billion in assets under management. The firm implements its systematic research and data-driven operating model - The Access Edge - to partner with lower-middle market businesses in industries essential to economic growth and resilience. For more information, please visit www.accessholdings.com.

Access Executive Development Program Overview:

Access is seeking exceptional individuals for the Access Creating Executives Program (“ACE Program”). ACE roles provide hands-on experience and exposure to key operational best practices and tactics of Access’ portfolio strategy execution.

Candidates (“ACEs”) join the ACE Program as members of an Access portfolio company, directly supporting and reporting to executives in key functions including Lead Generation, Revenue Operations, Digital / Business Intelligence, Finance, M&A / Corporate Development, Strategy, and Marketing. ACEs are expected to improve, execute, and document best practices within the key roles, developing a meaningful operational skillset.

ACEs will attend and participate in Access networking events, training sessions, and summits with other executives and ACEs across the Access portfolio. ACEs will work with Access to build skillsets, report out to other ACEs, develop playbooks, and provide insights to executives where appropriate. They will leverage key learnings across the current and future portfolio, while also driving projects and new investment opportunities. Top performers will have career path opportunities within their respective portfolio company and/or across other areas of the Access Holdings ecosystem.

Company Detail:

Company: Playfly Sports

Industry: Sports Marketing & Media

Location: New York, NY

Playfly Sports is a dynamic, high-growth sports media and marketing enterprise that bridges media innovation with sports passion. With deep roots across collegiate and professional sports, and powered by proprietary data, technology, and creativity, Playfly delivers unmatched commercial value to partners, fans, and brands. The company is backed by Access Holdings, a growth-oriented private equity firm focused on building essential service-based platforms.

Responsibilities:

The VP of Strategy will serve as the strategic ideation and evaluation leader of Playfly’s growth ambitions. This individual will help to identify and articulate enterprise-wide strategies, including new market expansion, partnership innovation, business model optimization through industry and competitor benchmarking and corporate development. With a strong background in sports and media, the VP of Strategy will bring analytical rigor, commercial creativity, and transformative energy to the leadership team.

This role will work closely with the executive team, and Access Holdings to deliver outsized value creation and strategic clarity.

Strategy & Destination Planning

• Develop and lead the long-range strategic roadmap aligned with Playfly’s growth and value creation goals.

• Translate market insights into actionable strategies across sports media rights, sponsorship, and digital fan engagement.

• Support EVP, Strategic Finance in annual strategic planning, own scenario modeling, and partner with EVP, Operations to ensure successful cross-functional strategy implementation.

Commercial Innovation

• Evolve monetization models across Intellectual Property (“IP”), media rights, and sponsorships.

• Design strategic partnerships that deepen revenue potential and enhance client value.

• Identify and evaluate marketplace pricing, packaging, and go-to-market (“GTM”) to determine impact and best practice application for Playfly commercial teams.

Organizational Alignment & Strategic Ops

• Partner with business line and functional leaders to align operations, product development, and go-to-market execution with corporate priorities.

• Partner with TMO to establish and implement enterprise-level KPIs and strategic dashboards to drive accountability and visibility.

• Foster a culture of intellectual curiosity and continuous improvement across the company.

Corporate Development & Transactions

• Identify, evaluate, and execute M&A opportunities to accelerate platform expansion.

• Collaborate with Access Holdings on diligence, negotiation, integration, and value realization.

• Build and manage a robust M&A pipeline underpinned by established destination plan and growth priorities with consistent frequency of deal origination.

Qualifications and Characteristics

Successful candidates will have the following qualifications and characteristics:

• Outstanding written and interpersonal communication skills; demonstrated ability to synthesize and simplify complex business concepts to communicate in a clear and concise manner.

• Innovative and creative thinker with the ability to derive best practices.

• Ability to model and design strategic proposals for an investor and board level audience.

• Strategic planner with the ability to plan and execute upon a defined task or strategy.

• Passion for innovation and demonstrates intellectual curiosity.

• Demonstrated leadership skills with an ability to drive change across a matrixed organization.

• Fast learner with a desire to move with urgency, accountability, and intent.

• Ability to skillfully navigate and lead negotiation processes to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Comfortable working with complex operational data and financial and operational analysis.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, or consulting roles, ideally within sports, media, or entertainment.

• Deep familiarity with media monetization, sponsorship models, and rights negotiations.

• Demonstrated success in designing and executing complex strategic initiatives.

• Deep experience deconstructing large markets, identifying targets, and talking to the marketplace.

• Demonstrated Investor Relations and executive communication experience.

• Early-career experience in investment banking, private equity, or top-tier consulting is preferred.

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, AI tools, and business intelligence platforms such as Tableau or Power BI.

Compensation

• The compensation for this role ranges $150,00 - $200,000 annually