Senior Manager Commercial Strategy

JOB TITLE: Senior Manager, Commercial Strategy

ORGANIZATION: Marquee Development

DEPARTMENT: Marquee Development

REPORTS TO: Director, Placemaking & Activation Strategy

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

COMPENSATION: $105,000 - $135,000 base salary USD and eligible for discretionary bonus plan

BEING PART OF THE TEAM

Our business is a team sport that began on a field with baseballs and bats and has evolved into one of the most recognizable brands in sports and entertainment through Cubs baseball and live events. Our success is driven by our people, who work to create and inspire change in an engaging, collaborative and inclusive environment. As a team, we continue to build a culture on and off the field that delivers unforgettable experiences for one another, our fans and community. In support of that effort, we expect associates to work primarily in our office. Are you ready to be part of it?

OUR STORY

MARQUEE DEVELOPMENT is a full-service real estate firm that specializes in mixed-use sports and entertainment districts. We strategically manage every aspect of a sports-adjacent mixed-use development with a best-in-class ability to curate the experience for a team, fans and community. By bringing a sports-operational mindset to traditional real estate development, we focus on the critical integration of team operations and real estate to ensure the experience amplifies the brand of the district, while complementing and protecting the team brand to maximize long-term franchise value.

HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE:

The Senior Manager, Commercial Strategy is a strategic, analytical, financial, and creative thinker responsible for building the commercial foundation behind our district activation strategies. This individual works closely with the Director of Placemaking & Activation Strategy to develop business plans, go-to-market strategies, pro formas, and revenue models that support the launch and long-term success of high-profile public spaces, including stadium-adjacent districts, cultural destinations, and urban mixed-use environments.

Ideal candidates will bring a management consulting background (e.g., 3-5 years at Bain, McKinsey, BCG, or similar) with strong skills in business plan development, financial modeling, market sizing, and strategic storytelling. This role plays a key part in connecting real estate development, activation planning, and revenue strategy, informing both internal decision-making and client-facing deliverables.

RESPONSIBILITES:

Strategic Planning & Visioning

• Build structured, data-backed strategic frameworks that clarify market opportunity, audience goals, revenue drivers, and activation scope
• Translate business vision into actionable activation roadmaps and commercial recommendations
• Support the development of long-range placemaking and activation strategies for sites in planning, development, and operation

Market Analysis & Opportunity Identification

• Lead or oversee market research and competitive scans to assess comparable destinations, audience profiles, and whitespace opportunities
• Size the market opportunity and inform pricing strategic for public-facing activations, seasonal programming, and commercial uses of space
• Identify revenue opportunities across sponsorship, vendor models, premium experiences, event activation, and community partnerships

Business Planning & Financial Modeling

• Develop business plans and financial models to inform activation ROI, vendor strategies, and public realm monetization
• Build pro forma income statements, revenue forecasts, and scenario models to support internal approvals and client recommendations
• Partner with the Finance team to align activation planning with broader project underwriting or operational budgeting

Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare high-quality presentations, reports, and briefing materials for executive leadership, clients, and cross-functional partners
• Contribute to client deliverables, internal business cases, and site-specific strategy and financial documents
• Coordinate with internal teams (e.g., Development, Marketing, Ops) to ensure strategic alignment across functions

Measurement & Iteration

• Define KPIs for activation programs and track performance metrics to inform future planning
• Evaluate vendor performance, pilot activations, and programming initiatives through a commercial lens
• Partner with Finance team on reporting and performance analysis to support executive decision-making and long-range planning
• Synthesize learnings into strategy refinements and best practices

Work Travel

• Requires occasional travel to project sites across the U.S., including market tours, client meetings, or project milestones. Note: Travel needs may vary based on project timelines and organizational priorities.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING:

• 5 years of experience in management consulting, corporate strategy, or real estate advisory; experience at Bain, McKinsey, BCG, or similar strongly preferred
• Demonstrated fluency in financial modeling, business case development, and commercial strategy
• Exceptional deck building, storytelling, and analytical communication skills
• Experience or interest in real estate, hospitality, placemaking, or public space strategy preferred
• Comfortable working cross-functionally in fast-paced environments with evolving priorities

TOTAL REWARDS:

• On-site parking
• Transit benefits
• Paid time off: Personal, Sick, Vacation Time, Office Holidays & Winter Break
• Flexible work arrangement
• Casual work attire environment
• Complimentary Meal & beverage plan
• Access to campus wide Wrigley Field events & pre-sales
• 401K Plan Employee Contribution & Employer Match
• Benefit Plans: Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance
• Health & Wellness engagement & programming
• Variety of associate special events, volunteer opportunities and partnership discounts
• Free access to EV charging stations

* This job posting includes the anticipated compensation, which reflects the hourly rate or salary range the Chicago Cubs and its affiliates are considering for this role in the specified location(s) as of the posting date. Where anticipated compensation is a salary range, the actual base salary offered within that range will be reflective of the candidate’s skills and experience.

The Chicago Cubs and its affiliates embrace diversity and are committed to building a team that represents all communities. We hold ourselves accountable to include new and different voices in our organization. Everyone is welcome here, and we celebrate what makes each of us unique.