Careers | Marketing Manager – Engagement

ABOUT AUCKLAND FC

Bill Foley and the Foley Entertainment Group are excited to bring Isuzu A-Leagues football action back to Auckland. With a dedication to winning, this new club will join a sporting family of excellence alongside AFC Bournemouth in the English Premier League, FC Lorient in French Ligue 1, Hibernian F.C in Scottish Premiership, and the defending Stanley Cup Champions Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League.

Auckland FC arrived on the scene as football was gaining huge momentum in New Zealand as one of the fastest growing sports, with more than 40,000 members and 100,000 Kiwis playing across clubs/organisations in Auckland.  Auckland FC places Aotearoa’s largest city and Oceania’s fifth largest city firmly on the elite professional football map and with our men’s team kicking off in the 2024/25 season and women’s the year after, we’re in an exciting phase.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Marketing Engagement Manager role is responsible for leading and delivering the strategic engagement plan for the Club with a focus on the Auckland football community.  You’ll create integrated marketing campaigns that; build Auckland FC brand equity, aligns with the values of these communities, and supports the membership, ticketing and retail team’s objectives.

Reporting to the Head of Marketing, the Marketing Engagement Manager joins a team of eight marketing professionals.

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Community development

  • Ensure the community & fan engagement operational plans align with the Club’s strategic goals/objectives and direction
  • Build, implement and review the yearly community engagement plans with support from the Head of Marketing
  • Work closely with the Consumer Business team to support membership, ticketing and retail growth at the grassroots level
  • Identify key growth community groups to strategically target with engagement plans to increase brand connection and ticket conversion
  • Work with key stakeholders within the Auckland football community to enhance community engagement and reach
  • Drive and manage Auckland FC participation and presence at key community events and create new initiatives in this space
  • Coordinate with local football clubs to promote Auckland FC in a meaningful way that supports business objectives and drives community engagement
  • Identify opportunities for the wider Auckland FC team to engage with clubs, schools and community groups that align with business objectives
  • Act as a brand ambassador, forging connections between the Auckland football community and the Auckland FC brand
  • Educate the local football community about Auckland FC’s vision and purpose

Marketing

  • Responsible for helping to deliver promotional campaigns to support the above objectives and to raise Auckland FC’s profile as a preferred sports and entertainment product in Auckland
  • Work with the Head of Marketing on implementing Auckland FC’s vision of the brand & contribute to the annual marketing strategy
  • Assist in the delivery of marcomms including advertising and promotional materials, social media & website on time and within budget
  • Keep up with best practice, industry knowledge, technology and apply new concepts
  • Execute marketing activity with the highest degree of professionalism, attention to detail and adherence to brand guidelines
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with the operations team, commercial team and wider club, both individually and as a group
  • Work with the operations team to deliver engagement and acquisition plans each season with a focus on Auckland clubs

GENERAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Prioritise workload to ensure work of the greatest importance to the business is undertaken with urgency and to a high standard.
  • Support and help develop a positive workplace culture.
  • Demonstrate excellent interpersonal communication skills.
  • Responsibly manage all business resources within accountability levels.
  • Comply with all employment obligations
  • Undertake all duties and responsibilities outlined in this job description and all other duties as required 
  • Serve the business in good faith, promoting and protecting the business’s best interests.
  • Demonstrate through own actions a commitment to Health and Safety at work when undertaking work or observing others in the workplace.

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

  • Proven history and success working within a sport marketing or engagement position with 5+ years experience
  • A demonstrable love of football and understanding of the football landscape within New Zealand
  • Existing networks and contacts within the Auckland football community would be advantageous
  • A track record of delivering successful marketing and brand campaigns, especially with regards to community or fan engagement
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight timelines and demonstrated ability to successfully work with a diverse range of stakeholders at all levels
  • Understanding of data and analytics and how they can be used to drive business outcomes
  • A tertiary degree in a marketing, management or communications discipline
  • Highly organised and the ability to manage workloads while maintaining high attention to detail
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to collaborate well and form meaningful relationships with stakeholders at all levels
  • A team player who works for team, business and delivery success