Director, Talent Marketing (Sports & Athletes)

The Director, Talent Marketing (Sports & Athletes)

The Director, Talent Marketing (Sports & Athletes) will lead the development and execution of athlete-driven marketing strategies across Authentic Brands Group’s global portfolio. This role will be responsible for leveraging athletes and sports talent as a core marketing channel to drive cultural relevance, brand storytelling, and measurable business growth.

What you’ll be working on

• Marketing Strategy & Campaign Development

• Lead athlete-driven marketing strategies across ABG’s portfolio, aligning talent to seasonal campaigns, product launches, and key cultural moments
• Translate brand objectives into integrated marketing plans powered by athlete talent
• Develop campaign frameworks that drive full-funnel impact—from awareness to conversion

• Content & Creative Leadership

• Oversee the development of athlete-led content across campaigns, including shoots, social content, and brand storytelling
• Partner with creative and brand teams to shape narratives that resonate culturally and elevate brand positioning
• Ensure all talent content is optimized for performance across platforms (social, digital, retail, ecomm)

• Campaign Execution & Channel Integration

• Lead execution of athlete marketing campaigns across paid, owned, and earned channels
• Partner with paid media, social, and PR teams to maximize reach, engagement, and conversion
• Ensure seamless integration of athlete talent into broader marketing ecosystems (retail moments, events, brand activations)

• Talent Strategy

• Identify and recommend athletes who align with brand positioning, audience targets, and campaign objectives
• Build a strategic roster of athletes to support ongoing marketing needs (ambassadors, campaign talent, cultural moments)
• Partner with internal teams to ensure talent is leveraged effectively across all marketing touchpoints

• Cross-Functional & Global Collaboration

• Collaborate with global and regional marketing teams (EMEA, LATAM, APAC) to scale campaigns and localize athlete-driven content
• Act as a central connector across brand, PR, social, and events teams to ensure cohesive campaign execution
• Align talent marketing efforts with broader business and retail priorities

• Performance & Optimization

• Define and track campaign success metrics, including engagement, impressions, traffic, and sales impact
• Analyze performance and optimize talent-driven marketing strategies based on data and insights
• Develop executive-level recaps highlighting marketing impact and ROI

• Leadership & Team Development

• Mentor and manage junior team members, fostering a marketing-first mindset
• Establish best practices for athlete-driven marketing across the organization
• Drive operational excellence across campaign planning, execution, and reporting

Must Haves

• 7–10+ years of experience in marketing, talent marketing, sports marketing, or influencer marketing
• Proven experience developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns
• Strong understanding of how talent (athletes/celebrities/influencers) drives brand marketing and consumer engagement
• Experience working across content, social, PR, and paid media channels
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to tie marketing efforts to business outcomes
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing senior stakeholders
• Excellent communication, leadership, and presentation skills
• Passion for sports, culture, and modern marketing

Primary Location Salary Range

$125,000 - $140,000

Benefits

At Authentic, we foster an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought and expertise drive competitive advantage. Our global teams are built by go-getters who contribute unique perspectives and push the boundaries of creativity and innovation. Headquartered in New York City, Authentic has offices in major metropolitan cities including Los Angeles and Miami, as well as Toronto, Mexico City, London, and Shanghai.