Manager, Sports Marketing (New Zealand)

About the Company At adidas, we are dedicated to maintaining a market-leading, diverse portfolio of partners, athletes, clubs, and federations that align with our brand and category objectives. Our mission is to position adidas as the premier performance brand in New Zealand by identifying and activating the right partnerships during key cultural and sporting moments. About the Role We are seeking a Manager for Sports Marketing in New Zealand who will play a crucial role in developing and executing our local Sports Marketing Plan. This position will ensure alignment with our business objectives and global Sports Marketing strategy. The successful candidate will identify market opportunities that align with our brand objectives and collaborate with our Brand Communications team to bring these opportunities to life across New Zealand. Key Responsibilities In this role, you will lead the development and execution of our local Sports Marketing Plan, manage a diverse partner portfolio, and oversee the local strategy for partnerships, particularly with NZR across the Pacific Market. You will also ensure that all partners consistently reflect adidas' brand positioning both on and off the sporting landscape. Your responsibilities will include managing contract negotiations, ensuring compliance with global Sports Marketing policies, and integrating local partners into key brand initiatives and campaigns. You will develop leveraging plans to maximize partner and brand impact while leading and coaching the Sports Marketing team. Additionally, you will manage the local partner budget, supervise partner-related activities in collaboration with the Brand team, and provide industry-leading service to our contracted partners. Building and maintaining strong relationships with key industry stakeholders will be essential, as will ensuring that teams and partners represent adidas products in line with our Brand Plans. Key Relationships Your role will involve collaboration with various stakeholders, including: Local: Brand Marketing, CTC, Digital, Customer Service, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain Global: Sports Marketing, adidas Rugby Business Unit External: Athletes, Teams, Federations, Agents Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities The ideal candidate will possess strong negotiation and commercial decision-making skills, coupled with strategic marketing experience and excellent interpersonal abilities. A deep understanding of the New Zealand sporting landscape and established relationships within the sports industry are crucial for success in this role. You should have proven sports marketing experience, the ability to multitask and manage competing priorities effectively, and strong planning and strategic development skills. A high level of commercial and business acumen within sports marketing is also required. Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications To be considered for this position, you should have a university degree in Marketing or a related field. A minimum of five years of experience in the sports marketing industry and a well-established industry network with demonstrated stakeholder management success are essential. Benefits At adidas, we foster a winning culture where mental strength is as important as physical power. Our unique company culture encourages the development of an athlete's mindset through a set of behaviors that we strive to cultivate. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our culture and talent processes, which we believe enhances our employees' sense of belonging and provides our brand with a competitive advantage. By recruiting talent that reflects the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we create a culture of inclusion that engages employees and connects our brand authentically with consumers. Job Title: Manager, Sports Marketing (New Zealand) Location: Auckland Team: Brand Management & Communications Contract Type: Full time Date: December 18, 2025 If you are passionate about sports marketing and want to contribute to our mission at adidas, we encourage you to apply.