EMEA Marketing Manager, Football

JOB MISSION:

New Balance Football is dedicated to crafting untold stories which make football the most played and spectated sport in the world. We exist to push the game forward, break through innovation barriers and enable a whole new generation of football players and fans, by participating in – rather than reporting on - the dialogue between football and the culture it stirs beyond the pitch. To help us in this mission, we are seeking an outstanding Marketing Manager. This role supports the football segment in EMEA and plays a meaningful role in crafting and delivering the regional Football brand vision.

This role acts as a strategic and operational partner, owning key workstreams across seasonal Go-To-Market, category storytelling, and activation. The Marketing Manager will help translate global and regional strategy into powerful, locally relevant execution across EMEA, spanning product franchises, clubs, athletes, and major urban ecosystems.

This role requires a strong football attitude, cultural credibility, and the ability to operate at both strategic and executional levels in a fast-moving, matrixed environment.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Category & Go-To-Market Leadership:

• Support the lead for the FOP in developing and accomplishing the EMEA Football category strategy and seasonal GTM plans.

• Own key category workstreams across footwear, clubs, athletes and communities, ensuring alignment with brand and commercial objectives.

• Drive consistent, high-quality execution across essential markets and key city platforms.

Brand & Storytelling:

• Help shape compelling football storytelling rooted in culture, performance and community.

• Be a key partner in creative development with internal teams and external agencies, providing clear strategic direction, inspiring briefs and sharp feedback.

• Act as the voice of the football consumer inside the organization, ensuring audience insight and cultural relevance inform all decisions.

Activation & Market Leadership:

• Coordinate and prioritize key account and partner activations in collaboration with local marketing teams, Sports Marketing, DTC and Retail.

• Ensure activations are integrated across channels and touchpoints, creating consistent brand heat in priority moments and cities.

• Lead and coordinate across club kit launches, activations and cultural fan moments for an established top division football club.

Operational Excellence:

• Partner with the FOP Lead on budget planning, tracking and optimization.

• Manage timelines, deliverables and cross-functional alignment across global, regional and local stakeholders.

Team & Collaboration:

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with local EMEA marketing teams.

• Contribute to developing high-performing teams through mentorship, feedback and leadership.

What success looks like:

• Strong EMEA Football GTM execution across key launches and moments.

• Increased brand heat and cultural relevance in priority markets and football ecosystems.

• Best-in-class creative output and storytelling quality.

• Seamless cross-functional and market collaboration.

• Delivery against timelines, budgets and business objectives.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:

• Relevant years of experience in brand marketing, category marketing or agency environments, preferably within a global brand.

• Deep passion for football and strong understanding of European football culture, ecosystems and communities.

• Established football network and credibility within the sport, culture or creative space.

• In addition, extensive knowledge of, and a passion for, the sports and fashion/entertainment industry.

• Proven ability to lead complex projects across multiple partners and markets.

• Commercial competence with understanding of product, retail and DTC dynamics.

• Experience working in a matrix organization and across EMEA markets (highly desirable).

• Willingness to travel across EMEA as required.