Nike exists to innovate for athletes. Nike Sports Marketing professionals provide the vital link between the company and Nike-sponsored athletes, teams and federations worldwide. Sports Marketing employees partner with premier athletes to collect insights about existing and future products, gather inspirational stories about sport, and nurture long-term partnerships between the athletes and the company. The team develops and executes Sports Marketing strategies, negotiates endorsements and licensing agreements and serves as Nike ambassadors to the sports community worldwide. Their partnerships build the foundation of Nike’s product creation: Nike creates exceptional products because its employees listen to exceptional athletes.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

As part of the Asia Pacific Latin America (APLA) Sports Marketing Leadership Team, the Latin America (LATAM) Sports Marketing Director will drive the overall Sports Marketing strategic plan for Nike’s portfolio in LATAM in partnership with APLA Sports Marketing and cross-functional business leaders in LATAM.  The LATAM Sports Marketing Director will monitor ongoing marketing processes and business results, tailoring strategic shifts based on consumer behavior, interests and marketplace needs across LATAM. Additionally, you’ll leverage sports marketing teams and athletes relationships to drive growth, maximizing and modernizing our contractual rights. The candidate needs to have a people-first mindset, critical thinking and problem solving skills with an ability to lead and operate in a complex environment, while driving clarity for their team and cross-functional partners.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

On a daily basis, you’ll partner closely with cross-functional brand and business partners, including the territory GM, to ensure that Nike gets maximum value from our athlete and team relationships. At the same time, you will align your strategy with Field of Play leads, while reporting directly to the APLA Global Football Director.

You will create and execute tiered athlete journey plans for our contracted athlete partners that aligns with brand management, catalyst marketing, product, comms and any other key stakeholders identified.

You will also lead a team with direct reports based in Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. Your strategy will inform all invest/divest decisions with the LATAM Sports Marketing Portfolio to ensure evolution of Nike Sports Marketing portfolio with the correct level of investment across focused dimensions.

This includes aligning our athletes against Nike’s Purpose Offense, specifically around sustainability, community, diversity and equality. You will also manage a territory budget with accountability around accurate forecasting and communication.

You will build and maintain key partnerships across NIKE’s business functions, as well as with key influencers within the region, including athletes, agents, coaches, federations and governing bodies.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

You will report to the APLA Director of Global Football Sports Marketing  and work closely with other members of the Global Field of Play leads. Additionally, you’ll partner closely with other LATAM territory leaders to ensure Sports Marketing efforts are in service of brand and business objectives.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 8+ years of experience in Sports Marketing, Brand Marketing or closely related field
• Portfolio management and critical thinking across multiple sport dimensions. Possess enterprise thinking and end to end business knowledge
• Partnership management; ability to develop and leverage internal and external partnerships. Ability to conduct high level, complex negotiations aligned to APLA’s long term vision & strategy
• Proven ability to lead, develop and engage high-performing teams
• Proven ability to embrace ambiguity and change, helping the team adapt for the future
• Business and financial acumen to create strategies and drive financial plans. Drive financial plans using analytics and Key Performance Indicators to understand return on investments
• Facilitate our athletes’ connection to the product creation process to help drive innovation, performance and style for both on and off the field of play