Job Description
This role will define and oversee the execution of comprehensive marketing strategies across brand marketing, trade marketing, events marketing, and social media channels in Japan. The successful candidate will lead initiatives to drive brand growth, engage consumers, and deliver impactful marketing campaigns, aligning local efforts with global objectives. This position is pivotal in building the company's brand presence and fostering growth in the Japanese market through innovative and culturally relevant marketing strategies. This is a full time role, in the designated office 5 days per week.
Responsibilities
Brand Marketing Leadership
- Build the Japan marketing team, fostering a high-performance culture while aligning efforts with global strategic goals.
- Develop and execute localized marketing strategies that align with the company’s overall branding, ensuring consistency in tone, messaging, and visual identity while incorporating elements that resonate with Japanese consumers.
- Strengthen the company’s brand identity and awareness in Japan through culturally relevant and innovative marketing initiatives.
- Partner with global teams to ensure consistency in brand representation across all touchpoints while adapting campaigns to suit regional preferences.
Events Management:
- Oversee the planning and execution of key activations, including local sports collaborations, card shows, and high-impact initiatives.
- Collaborate with local events agencies and event management teams globally to deliver impactful consumer and trade marketing events.
- Work closely with stakeholders to align activations with business goals, ensuring measurable ROI.
- Evaluate event performance and gather consumer insights to enhance future activations.
Strategic Planning and Execution:
- Develop comprehensive marketing strategies tailored to Japan’s unique market landscape, encompassing product launches, digital campaigns, and trade promotions.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure seamless implementation of marketing initiatives.
- Conduct consumer research to refine marketing strategies and enhance product positioning.
Content and Digital Marketing:
- Oversee the development of engaging content for local social media platforms ensuring alignment with brand guidelines.
- Drive innovative digital marketing strategies to strengthen online presence and consumer engagement.
- Utilize influencer partnerships and other digital tools to maximize reach and impact.
Relationship and Partnership Development
- Cultivate relationships with key partners, such as local sports leagues, media companies, and entertainment entities.
- Collaborate with brand partners and licensors to expand the reach of marketing campaigns.
- Manage partnerships with agencies to ensure cost-effective and impactful marketing activities.
Team Development and Collaboration
- Build a cohesive marketing team capable of delivering against ambitious goals.
- Foster collaboration between regional and global teams, ensuring seamless integration of strategies.
Budget and Financial Management
- Manage promotional and advertising budgets, ensuring alignment with financial goals.
- Work closely with sales teams to develop retail strategies that maximize market penetration and revenue.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 10+ years of marketing experience in Japan’s sports/entertainment or consumer products sectors, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
- Proven track record of delivering successful localized marketing campaigns.
- Strong understanding of Japan’s consumer landscape, including digital platforms and emerging trends.
- Visionary thinker with a creative approach to problem-solving and strategy.
- Experience organizing high-profile events and managing complex activations.
- Self-driven, proactive, and results-oriented with strong organizational and communication skills.
- Fluent in Japanese and English.
- Extensive experience working for an international company.
The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Subject to applicable laws, Fanatics Collectibles may choose to run a background check.
About the Company
Fanatics Collectibles is a new model and vision for the hobby, fundamentally changing the experience for current and future collectors, leagues, and players across many U.S. and international professional and college sports. The organization has long-term, exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards for several sports and entertainment properties, including MLB, MLBPA, the Premier League, MLS, UFC, Formula 1 as well as Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, among others. In January 2022, Fanatics Collectibles announced the acquisition of Topps, establishing the preeminent licensed trading card brand as the cornerstone of Fanatics’ trading cards and collectibles business, and jumpstarted its MLB and MLBPA rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards.