Director, Brand Marketing

Chicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997 and is Chicago’s ambassador to the global sport of soccer. The Club returned to Soldier Field as well as opened a new 50,000 square foot business office in the heart of the city. With tremendous growth and expansion, the Club is laying the foundation for an audacious and ambitious vision that will transform the brand and the success of the Club in the coming years.

Job Overview:

Chicago Fire FC is seeking a highly-motivated, enthusiastic, creative, and strategic Director of Brand Marketing to oversee the Club’s day-to-day operations of brand marketing, advertising, social media, match presentation and grassroots events. The role will focus on achieving short- and long-term goals and the individual in this role must have a proven track record of conceiving and executing comprehensive marketing and advertising strategies and campaigns that are brand-forward and results-driven. This is a role for someone with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit, a fantastic collaborator and team player, who will push themselves and their colleagues to maximize their potential and business results. The role will report to the VP of Marketing & Matchday Experience.

Job Responsibilities:

• Partner with the VP Marketing and Creative Director on long-term brand strategy planning
• Develop and implement comprehensive marketing advertising campaigns to increase brand awareness, generate leads and support the growth of our fanbase, across various channels
• Manage brand health research and measurement and translate results into actionable strategy
• Ensure seamless marketing collaboration across all internal departments for the consistency of visual identity and brand voice
• Facilitate marketing strategy and programs for Kids Club, Grassroots, Pub Partners and Influencers
• Partner with Director of Marketing, Ticket Sales and Business Strategy & Analytics departments to launch and regularly promote ticket products and offers
• Collaborate with the Creative teams to produce promotional content that drives business results by using insights and data
• Partner with Creative Director to develop and implement match day presentation strategy and assets each season (visual identity, graphics, music selection, fan engagement, entertainment, etc.)
• Oversee social media strategy, content planning and day to day operations
• Assist with the development of Club’s merchandise design, collaborations and product launches
• Advise the Corporate Partnership department in the creation of marketing programs, promotions, and initiatives to integrate the Club’s corporate partners
• Provide marketing support to the Chicago Fire Foundation and its signature PLAYS (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth Soccer) program, ensuring visibility for the Club’s community efforts
• Support the Club’s content and creative design team
• Act as a brand steward for the Club’s visual identity both internally and externally, ensuring consistent use of all marks
• Serve as the advertising liaison to external media partners
• Facilitate the communication of the Club’s marketing plans with the MLS
• Cultivate a culture of enthusiasm, commitment, collaboration, results-driven and creativity across the Marketing department and organization
• Lead and mentor marketing team members, encouraging professional growth by identifying opportunities to help each person maximize their potential
• Ensure commitment to elevating all voices and diverse perspectives to find the best and most creative solutions
• Stay abreast of marketing and advertising industry trends
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Sports Marketing, Communications, Marketing, or related field
• Minimum eight (8) years of relevant marketing experience
• Minimum four (4) years of experience managing, leading, and developing a team
• Proven experience and knowledge in brand marketing & advertising
• Demonstrated and proven experience and success in brand marketing and creative design
• Experience bringing a mindset of innovation to digital marketing, content development, and integrated marketing campaigns
• Previous experience working in professional, collegiate, or elite sports preferred
• Demonstrated leadership traits, experience managing and inspiring a team
• Positive attitude and desire to be successful while having fun within a professional and team-oriented environment
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple duties under tight deadlines
• Proven ability to interact and brainstorm concepts within a team setting
• Great communicator, professional in presentation and able to work with multiple stakeholders and personalities
• Passion for understanding fans – what moves them, leads them to act, deepens connections, etc.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to problem-solve, prioritize, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Provide candid feedback with good intentions to help get the best out of colleagues
• Strong time management and project management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Bilingual Spanish fluency strongly preferred
• Ability to work non-traditional hours, in non-traditional settings, including all home games (or other work events) that fall on nights, weekends, and/or holidays

Please Note:

• Chicago Fire Football Club is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Our diversity initiatives start with the recruitment and selection process; therefore, we’d like to welcome all diverse candidates to apply to opportunities within our Club.
• Chicago Fire Football Club is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination. The Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, age, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual orientation or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.
• If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information

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Chicago Fire FC