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Sports Marketing Manager - Cycling & Special Events

GU Energy

Berkeley, CA

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Job Description

Posted On: March 29, 2016

GU’s Marketing Team connects our sports nutrition products with athletes. The department develops brand, promotional and activation plans to drive the GU brand and product lines forward in the Specialty Run, Cycling, Triathlon, Outdoor and Health/Vitamin marketplaces.


The Sports Marketing Manager, Cycling & Special Events reports to the Director of Marketing and is responsible for the overall success of innovative, engaging and authentic marketing initiatives and activations that reinforce and develop recognition, use, appreciation, and love of GU products within the cycling community. He/She will own marketing events start to finish.


RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Works closely with a counterpart in Sports Marketing and with the Marketing Communications Manager to build a marketing program that meets needs and requirements of key stakeholders and business goals for the Product, Sales and Marketing components of the GU brand. “Road warrior” skills, including but not limited to: approachability, organizational agility, learning on the fly, conflict management, timely decision making, patience, planning, presentation skills, problem solving, process management, energy/timeline management, organizing and managing people and multiple schedules, and grit.
  • Collaborates with Marketing team to plan and budget; develops the annual Master Calendar, Content Plan, Athlete and Event Plan and associated marketing plans.
  • Manages cycling athlete(s) and team(s); serves as the primary liaison and provides GU athletes with exceptional customer service.
  • Negotiates contracts and facilitates content projects.
  • Manages the Event program for cycling, special events and all verticals GU participates in on an annual and week-to-week basis, negotiating contracts, defining and executing activations, representing GU at events and serving as the primary liaison with race directors and event organizers, providing them exceptional customer service.
  • Fields all requests for new athlete sponsorship and all requests for new cycling and special event sponsorship in a timely manner.
  • Plans, stages, coordinates, attends/staffs and manages all aspects of events and is responsible for operational details (hands-on approach)
  • Manages staffing (booth employees and contractors) at select events to effectively support superior brand activation.
  • Collaborates with Marketing Communications Manager to document select athlete content gathering projects and event activations.
  • Troubleshoots and resolves any and all problems on event days.
  • Liaises cross-functionally with sales team, executive team and other key departments to identify their needs and ensure expectations are met.
  • Gathers and provides feedback and periodic reports to stakeholders.
  • Performs other duties as required.
  • 60% travel in/ out of state.


    Required Skills

  • Bachelor's degree in marketing or equivalent work experience required.
  • Graduate-level degree in marketing-related discipline preferred.
  • 5+ years with proven event management experience required.
  • Expertise with soup-to-nuts event planning and execution.
  • Expertise in sponsored athlete and event activation/management.
  • Experience with Public/Media Relations for Run, Bike, Tri, Outdoor and mainstream consumer marketplaces. Comfortable speaking on behalf of the company to media channels in ad hoc situations.
  • Knowledge of endurance sports.
  • Experience with a cycling/run/tri/outdoor or action sports industry brand preferred.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Facility with marketing process development; proven ability to work effectively with a team.
  • Proven experience providing excellent customer service.
  • Creative problem-solving abilities.
  • Ability to work in an open workspace environment.
  • Works well under pressure and deadlines; comfortable with change.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office.
  • Familiarity with GU Energy products.


    Preferred Qualifications:

  • Expertise with Marketing ROI measurement, reporting and analysis.
  • Visionary marketing leader with track record of innovating marketing programs that drive measurable increases in customer demand and retail sell-through.
  • Expertise with athlete promotion and content generation.
  • Expertise with sports marketing activation via social media.