NBA Commissioner Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities
If you are searching for the NBA Commissioner job description, this post will give you the information you need on the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that commonly define the role.
This post will also help you discover the requirements you need to meet to gain an NBA Commissioner role with most organizations.
Please, continue reading:
What Does an NBA Commissioner Do?
The NBA Commissioner functions as the President or Chief Executive Officer of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He/she is responsible for the administration of the NBA as an organization and undertakes several administrative tasks that enable the association run smoothly and efficiently.
They work for the National Basketball Association.
The NBA Commissioner job description entails overseeing the activities of the organization, including arranging for game referees, scheduling games, and dealing with media bodies such as ESPN, TNT, and others; and negotiating contracts worth multi-billion dollars.
The Commissioner does not own a team but has extensive authority to manage the league.
The previous Commissioners who have managed the NBA have solid legal background; hence if you are considering a career as NBA Commissioner, it is important that you have broad knowledge and expertise in handling legal matters.
You also need to be familiar with the league and basket ball and have practical experience managing some other aspects of the Association.
NBA Commissioner Job Description Example/Sample/Template
The NBA Commissioner performs various functions, which primarily involve responsibility for the administration of the association and steering the direction that the NBA will go during his/her leadership.
The major tasks, duties, and responsibilities of that make up the NBA Commissioner job description are listed below:
- Responsible for bargaining contracts for game broadcasts, sponsorships, and franchise ownership or participation
- Follow the contract agreement to discipline erring players for the violation of league rules, including personal conduct policy and misbehavior in games
- Responsible for the appraisal of suspended players
- Responsible for the provision of guidelines, recommendations, and other assistance to owners in connection with making rules, including on draft eligibility and conduct of games
- Grant media interviews as needed
- Responsible for employing league front office personnel
- Take action for lawsuits against the league and also instigate lawsuits by the league as necessary
- Provide direction over the draft of NBA prospects.
Download job description template.
NBA Commissioner Job Description for Resume
If you need to complete the professional experience section of your resume and have worked or are presently working as an NBA Commissioner, you can apply the duties of the role highlighted in the above job description to make it.
It is helpful to have a professional experience section in your resume if you have worked as an NBA commissioner. This will enable you to highlight the duties and responsibilities that you performed, giving proof of your ability to succeed on the job.
NBA Commissioner Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success
If you are seeking the role of an NBA Commissioner, you will be expected to fulfill certain requirements, including possessing relevant skills, abilities, knowledge, etc. to prove that you will be effective in performing the obligations, objectives, and purpose of the position that will be assigned to you.
Shown below are major requirements you may be expected to meet to qualify to access the NBA Commissioner job:
- Education: To work as an NBA Commissioner, applicants must possess at least a Bachelor’s degree in Law, Sports Management, or Business Administration, or in a related field; and an MBA is a plus
- Knowledge: Previous Commissioners have a background in Law, so it is suggested that applicants have an in-depth understanding of law and strong business acumen. It is essential for the discipline of players, to engage in collective bargaining and negotiation of contracts, and matters such as broadcast rights
- Analytic skills: The NBA Commissioner job involves advising owners on rules, so it is vital that applicants can apply logical thinking and draw relationships from available information to reach a valid conclusion. They must be able to analyze the impact of rules on players and the effect of rest on players, and interpret fans and sponsors reactions to sanctions on players
- Communication skills: Applicants for the NBA Commissioner role must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey appropriate and uncontroversial information in a clear and concise manner during public comments, to media, and on press releases etc. They must be able to respond to questions and remark diplomatically to avoid misunderstanding and litigations
- Organizational skills: they must have the ability to handle multiple and competing issues in an organized manner within a limited time-frame. It is also essential that they have a good judgment to prioritize tasks, delegate when needful, and schedule tasks
- Negotiation skills: It is important that applicants have strong negotiation skills to influence decisions by capitalizing on the strengths of the league, quality of games/players, and popularity of players to get sponsorship and deals
- Problem-solving skills: It is vital that they have the ability to identify problems and come up with creative and logical solutions to manage the situation and advance the Association
- Interpersonal skills: They are required to have interpersonal skills to influence the political class, players, and the profession. It is also useful in managing public relations with the multiple stakeholders of the profession
- Leadership skills: The NBA Commissioner is a top administrative position; hence it requires an individual with strong leadership abilities to motivate and influence those working with him/her to shape the NBA.
Conclusion
If you are an HR manager or recruiter hiring for the position of an NBA Commissioner, you can make a detailed description of the job by adopting the sample job description above.
Individuals interested in the NBA Commissioner career will also find this post helpful in learning about the duties and responsibilities commonly assigned to the role.
Did this article increase your knowledge of what NBA Commissioners do? Please, make a comment in the box below. You can also share your job description if you work as an NBA Commissioner.