Manager, Local Marketing & Merchandising (Mn & Il)

Company Overview
Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. The company ignites the passions of global sports fans and maximizes the presence and reach for hundreds of sports partners globally by offering innovative products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans, a global partner network with over 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, teams, players associations, athletes, celebrities, colleges, and college conferences, and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail business stores.
As a market leader with more than 18,000 employees, and hundreds of partners, suppliers, and vendors worldwide, we take responsibility for driving toward more ethical and sustainable practices. We are committed to building an inclusive Fanatics community, reflecting and representing society at every level of the business, including our employees, vendors, partners and fans. Fanatics is also dedicated to making a positive impact in the communities where we all live, work, and play through strategic philanthropic initiatives.
Primary Purpose
As a Manager, Local Marketing & Merchandising, you will be responsible for collaborating with our in-venue retail partners on marketing, promotions, venue exclusives, and local product opportunities.
This is a remote role covering our North territory (CST Operating Hours) regional candidates preferred.
Key Responsibilities

• Key items
• Events including hot markets, seasonal activity, promotions.
• Coordinate merchandise strategy between Fanatics and team partners. Includes, but not limited to:
• Meet regularly with team partner contacts to brainstorm, collaborate, plan, execute, and evaluate results.
• Partner closely with Buying & Planning to determine financial plans, projections, and maintain open-to-buy.
• Theme Nights
• Item of the Game
• Develop marketing assets at venue on digital, social, & other platforms for featured items, league & team marketing campaigns, item of the game, and all other promotions.
• Responsible for all facets of a local product assortment, using merchandise data to inform strategies and decisions.
• Identify trend categories & opportunities. Explore incremental sales opportunities through innovative programs that enhance the fan experience.
• Develop and manage promotional calendars for each team partner.
• Seasonal Strategies
• Obtain feedback regularly from team partners for pre-book deadlines or new product offerings.
• Local Collaborations & Capsule Collections
• Negotiate with vendors relative to product cost, terms, and issues.
• Team-Steered Initiatives
• Review inventory, maintaining current data on sales and fashion trend.
• New product launches

Position Requirements

• Sports marketing or retail marketing experience encouraged
• Exhibits high standards and accountability; takes pride in accuracy
• Strong written communication skills
• Ability to utilize retail math skills to analyze and drive business
• Ability to offer solutions to challenges
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Able to independently organize and prioritize broad workload to meet deadlines
• 5+ years of licensed sports experience or team partner management required
• Ability to successfully collaborate with internal and external partners
• High aptitude; processes information quickly
• Some travel may be required.
• Business and financial savvy
• Passion for sports and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Result-oriented and self-motivated with a strong sense of urgency
• Strong computer skills (intermediate Excel skills necessary)
• Seeks to be the leader, wants to be in a position of influence
• Curious about complex issues or opportunities – ability to view things in new ways or from a different perspective
• Outstanding verbal communication skills with the ability to influence
• Strong strategic ability
• Readily grasps numerical concepts and interprets financial information accurately

Tryouts are open at Fanatics! Our team is passionate, talented, unified, and charged with creating the fan experience of tomorrow. The ball is in your court now.
Ensure your Fanatics job offer is legitimate and don’t fall victim to fraud. Fanatics never seeks payment from job applicants. Fanatics recruiters will only reach out to applicants from an @fanatics.com or @fanatics.co.uk email address. For added security, where possible, apply through our company website at www.fanaticsinc.com/careers
Fanatics is committed to responsible planning and purchasing (RPP) practices, working with its business partners across its global and multi-layered supply chain, to ensure that planning, sourcing, and purchasing decisions, along with other supporting processes, do not impede or conflict with the fulfillment of Fanatics’ fair labor practices.
NOTICE TO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS/APPLICANTS: In connection with your application, we collect information that identifies, reasonably relates to or describes you (“Personal Information”). The categories of Personal Information that we collect include your name, government issued identification number(s), email address, mailing address, other contact information, emergency contact information, employment history, educational history, criminal record, and demographic information. We collect and use those categories of Personal Information about you for human resources and other business management purposes, including identifying and evaluating you as a candidate for potential or future employment or future contract positions, recordkeeping in relation to recruiting and hiring, conducting criminal background checks as permitted by law, conducting analytics, and ensuring compliance with applicable legal requirements and Company policies. For additional information on how we collect and use personal information in connection with your job application, review our Candidate Privacy Policy-CA