Senior Manager Culture Marketing

This role leads the planning and execution of culture marketing partner management and activation, spanning celebrities, artists and fashion designers, to contribute to the growth of the lifestyle business. It sits within Brand Management & Communications and owns culture marketing portfolio strategy, contract negotiation and governance, talent sourcing and partner activation for the market, while ensuring alignment between global initiatives and local execution. The position also owns culture marketing budget and showroom operations, manages and develops the team, and works closely with cross-functional brand, product, sales, finance, legal and global EIM stakeholders as well as external industry contacts.

• Own the overall culture marketing portfolio strategy, created on the basis of local brand priorities and internal supervision.
• Define the partner portfolio across fashion designers, musicians and celebrities in alignment with brand priorities.
• Lead endorsement contract negotiation and sealing for all culture marketing partners.
• Take accountability for all contract governance, including the Contract Approval Form (CAF), AMS and compliance, for new partners and renewals, and maintain the AMS system.
• Act as point of contact for global EIM for any global talent activation within the market, ensuring alignment between global initiatives and local execution and that the team and market follow global operational practices.
• Lead fashion and designer network development and partnership management, establishing and maintaining strong relationships within entertainment, streetwear, art and fashion circles such as actors, musicians, stylists, designers, artists and industry VIPs
• And attending events and industry meetings for networking.
• Drive a high-impact collaboration pipeline together with CCT for product creation.
• Own culture marketing MaEx, OPEX, showroom operations and team management, including all logistics and product ordering for the culture marketing showroom — monthly stock orders
• Quarterly promotional forecasting and seasonal specialty product across all brand segments — while maintaining current product knowledge and clear target market objectives and keeping the showroom in premium condition.
• Contribute strategically to global and local brand campaigns and activations by defining celebrity and influencer partners and managing relationships from the initial negotiation process through to activation, and lead talent sourcing, negotiation and contracting for key partners such as artists
• Designers and cultural collaborators.
• Create, manage and execute the partner activation plan for signed partners and continuously update the Partner Activation Tool (PAT) with contract period, contract value, partner priority relevance, social media statistics and tracking of contractual appearances
• Encouraging optimal presence of the brand among partners.
• Maintain brand recognition and relevant brand visibility through strategic product placement, industry and consumer events and brand integration platforms in entertainment.

• Four-year college or university degree in marketing, advertising or a related field.
• Eight to ten years' marketing experience (sports, entertainment or brand marketing) with a proven experience or background.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for the degree.
• Proven track record of growth, development and success across various functions, areas and activities.
• Direct working relationships with key markets or regions, or relevant experience working in a focus adidas market.
• Business-level English.
• Fluent Japanese.
• Strong knowledge and awareness of the art, designer, fashion, style and entertainment industry.
• Creative thinker and problem solver.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience of working with legal teams.
• Ability to see the long-term opportunity through short-term objectives.
• Strong attention to detail and results focus.
• Avid communicator, vital to keeping colleagues and the community informed and engaged.
• Strong networking and interpersonal skills.
• Self-initiator capable of determining priorities.

• A network among fashion designers and creative directors is a plus.

• Unconventional business hours may be required, including evenings and weekends.

The company believes that embedding diversity, equity and inclusion into its culture and talent processes gives its employees a sense of belonging and its brand a real competitive advantage.