Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition

Player 15 Group

Phoenix, AZ

Player 15 Group – the sports & entertainment company behind the Phoenix Suns (NBA), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA), Valley Suns (G League), and PHX Arena — is redefining the industry standard. Headquartered in downtown Phoenix and engaging fans across the world, Player 15 Group is driven by possibility, innovation, and the desire to create memorable moments for our fans and community.

Our culture is anchored in purpose-driven leadership and fueled by individuals who bring passion, creativity, and vision to everything they do. We challenge convention, amplify voices, and create experiences that resonate well beyond the final buzzer. This is where talent meets purpose and bold ideas become reality.

The Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition is a thoughtful leader and hands-on builder responsible for owning and driving the full lifecycle of our talent strategy—from assessing organizational objectives to designing and implementing scalable, high-impact hiring solutions. This role is key to aligning our principles with our talent efforts while building the broader team member lifecycle practices for the business, ensuring we attract, engage, and hire top talent that fuels our growth and embodies our values.

As a trusted advisor to business and People & Culture leaders, the Senior Manager will lead the development of a forward-looking talent roadmap, identify hiring needs through workforce planning, and deliver operational excellence through process design, recruiting enablement, and data-informed decision-making. This role will champion our talent brand, build strong pipelines, and create repeatable systems that deliver exceptional candidate and hiring manager experiences. With a deep understanding of both strategy and execution, this leader will play a pivotal role in scaling our Talent Acquisition function and shaping the future of our workforce.

What You’ll Do

Talent Strategy & Execution

• Develop and own a comprehensive talent acquisition strategy that aligns with long-term business goals and organizational structure.
• Partner with People & Culture leadership and senior business stakeholders to anticipate hiring needs, workforce trends, and capability gaps.
• Create scalable, data-driven recruiting processes that elevate both candidate and hiring manager experiences.
• Own and manage senior level requisitions, primarily for roles that require specialized attention or confidential search.
  
  

Coaching & Capability Building

• Serve as a coach and educator to recruiters, hiring managers, and leaders, building interviewing skills, raising hiring practice standards, and reinforcing inclusive hiring behaviors.
• Guide and mentor an eager team of recruiters, providing regular feedback, performance development, and growth opportunities.
• Drive a culture of continuous learning and excellence in recruiting across the organization.
• Partner and influence the first 90 days of employment/ onboarding experience to ensure it matches our commitment to Connect. Grow. Celebrate. our team members.
  
  

Scalable Process Design

• Lead the design and implementation of end-to-end recruiting processes, tools, and systems that support a high-growth, multi-location business.
• Ensure operational rigor through data tracking, process optimization, and compliance with hiring standards.
• Standardize best practices that enable quality hiring at scale while maintaining a personal and inclusive candidate experience.
  
  

Collaboration & Partnership

• Collaborate cross-functionally with People and Culture BPs, Total Rewards, Team Member Experience, and Team Member Networks (TMNs) to deliver a seamless talent journey.
• Drive alignment with Finance and Operations for headcount planning, budget forecasting, and recruiting analytics.
• Be a trusted partner to executives, hiring managers, and stakeholders, fostering accountability and clarity around talent decisions.
  
  

In Partnership with the Head of People & Culture: We will drive Visionary Leadership & Talent Brand

• Contribute to the vision for talent acquisition—bringing fresh, innovative ideas to sourcing, branding, and engagement efforts.
• Help influence, strengthen and evolve our employer brand in alignment with company values, ensuring we show up authentically and attract mission-aligned candidates.
• Co-create in the talent narrative with strategic storytelling and thought leadership in the market.
  
  

What You’ll Bring

• 8+ years of progressive experience in talent acquisition, including 4+ years managing recruiting teams and strategy in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience coaching and developing both recruiting professionals and business leaders.
• Strong capability in workforce planning, process development, and talent market analysis.
• Proven track record of creating scalable, repeatable recruiting processes and systems.
• Deep commitment to equitable, inclusive, and principle-aligned hiring practices.
• Comfortable influencing senior leadership and facilitating change in complex environments.
• Passionate about innovation, storytelling, and creating world-class candidate experiences.
  
  

Who You Are

• Demonstrates sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to cut through ambiguity, simplify complex situations, and drive clarity, engagement, and execution across People & Culture teams and the larger business.
• Sharp attention to detail with strong decision-making skills and a keen understanding of the broader business landscape to inform thoughtful, strategic actions.
• Empathetic, approachable, and skilled in building trust at all levels - from executive leadership to hourly team members.
• Highly collaborative with a bias for action, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communicator, written and verbal, plus a skilled presenter.
• Organizational savvy and relationship building skills.
• Outstanding customer service mindset, including an ability to serve, lead, and influence at all levels.
  
  

Additional Eligibility Requirements

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work on site - this is nota remote position.
• Available weekends, nights and holidays to accommodate event/ game schedules.
  
  

The Player 15 Group is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

Please note this job description is not crafted to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

For questions about this career opportunity, please contact our People & Culture Recruiting team at [email protected]