Associate Market Development Manager

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

About the role

This role will organize, manage, and deliver projects and programs for the organization.

Responsibilities

• Expand Retail Partnerships – Recruit, develop, and manage Play! Pokémon Store partnerships across the U.S. and Canada, driving engagement and retention.
• Subject Matter Expertise – Serve as a trusted expert in Play! Pokémon market development, ensuring strategies align with broader business objectives and industry best practices.
• Support Event Growth – Identify and cultivate opportunities to grow the Play! Pokémon program, facilitating casual and competitive events that create inclusive gaming experiences.
• Market & Competitive Analysis – Evaluate program performance, analyze market trends, and recommend strategies for improving player participation and retailer success.
• Retailer & Community Engagement – Strengthen Play! Pokémon awareness by working directly with stores, organizers, and community leaders to increase access and support.
• Strategic Partnerships – Conduct KPI analyses and forecast growth opportunities.
• Program & Competitive Monitoring – Oversee program impact, assess industry trends, and implement best practices to ensure Play! Pokémon remains a top-tier experience.
• Event Representation – Attend key international events to connect with retailers, vendors, and Pokémon Professors, fostering relationships and gathering insights.
• Vendor & Contract Management – Ensure vendor agreements align with Play! Pokémon goals, supporting event execution and retail success.
• Cross-Team Collaboration – Work effectively across teams to coordinate efforts and align strategies for market expansion and program development.
• Retailer & Player Support – Provide exceptional customer support to store partners, vendors, and players, ensuring strong engagement and program growth.
• International & Domestic Growth – Lead domestic expansion through retailer onboarding and player engagement while supporting programming in global markets.

Requirements

• Four (4) to Six (6) years of related professional experience.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience in delivering results in diverse markets.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Thorough understanding of or the ability to quickly learn about the project or product being developed.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with Salesforce a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 8 times per year.

How You’ll Be Successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

Benefits

• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

Pay

For this role, new hires generally start between $86,000 - $102,000 per year. The full range is $86,000 - $150,000 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.