Senior Strategy Associate – Sony Sports Businesses

Sony Sports is a growing portfolio of sports data technology companies, including Hawk-Eye Innovations, Beyond Sports and STATSports. This role sits within the newly formed Strategy Office and will support the Sony Sports businesses across post-merger integration, strategy and corporate development. Reporting to the Head of Strategy Development, the role owns workstreams end to end and works directly with ELT members and senior stakeholders. The role also offers exposure to Sony's other businesses (e.g., PlayStation & Sony Pictures). It is a senior role with real autonomy, involving ambiguous briefs, exec-ready content and managing and mentoring associates.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of investment theses and strategic business cases for potential M&A, JVs and partnerships; Own commercial and strategic due diligence workstreams; Own ROI, sizing and strategic fit analysis and the recommendations that follow; Drive the integration of newly acquired assets, owning post-merger integration planning and delivery; Qualify and rationalise investment and JV inbounds in a consistent format; Originate and screen warm leads for acquisition or partnership; Shape acquisition activity pre-, during and post-completion; Lead market analysis and provide strategic insight into areas for current and potential growth; Own the view on size, forecasts, profit pools and trends across main and adjacent markets; Stay up to date on the competitive landscape; Size, evaluate and prioritise commercial opportunities; Own strategic inputs into mid- and long-term planning (e.g., Mid-Range Plan, 5-year plan); Own strategy updates and materials for ELT review, tracking progress against strategic goals; Manage relationships with external advisers on specialised data; Represent the Strategy Office in senior executive meetings with partners and prospective partners; Manage and mentor associates, reviewing their work and raising the standard of output

Requirements

2.5–4 years of experience at a top-tier strategy consultancy or within a comparable in-house strategy function; Knowledge of and interest in sport and technology; Strong analytical skills, including advanced financial modelling; Highly proficient in Excel, PowerPoint and additional software packages; Outstanding research ability; Highly analytical, able to structure ambiguous problems and translate market insight into a defensible recommendation; Clear communicator with strong storytelling ability, credible in front of groups of any size and seniority; Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with senior personnel and gain the trust of both the senior team and wider stakeholders; Solid business acumen and commercial understanding; Operate with a high degree of autonomy, taking a loosely defined brief and returning exec-ready content with limited iteration; Natural team leader, comfortable managing, coaching and reviewing the work of others; Intellectually curious with a strategic mindset; Ability to manage and prioritise multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously; Desire to work in a fast-paced environment

Nice to have

Experience in PMI (post-merger integration) and M&A