Brand Activations + Events Manager

Fanatics • Tampa, FL

3h • Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Director of Brand Activation, the Brand Activation & Events Manager is responsible for owning and leading the planning, execution, and optimization of Fanatics and Nike brand events, activations, trade shows, and corporate sales meetings in alignment with overarching marketing strategy. This role drives cross-functional alignment across internal teams and external partners to deliver best-in-class event programs, ensuring a high level of operational excellence and brand execution. The Manager is accountable for end-to-end program delivery, from strategic planning through execution and post-event analysis. This role requires the ability to manage multiple priorities, operate in fast-paced environments, and influence cross-functional teams to deliver against business objectives. This position is based out of the Fanatics Tampa, FL office; remote employment may be considered for a qualified candidate.

Requirements

• 5–8+ years of experience in brand marketing with experiential marketing, retail activations, and event management experience
• Proven experience leading large-scale events and managing multiple concurrent activations
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities in fast-paced environments
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and operational processes
• Ability to travel up to 50%, including weekends and evenings as required
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and/or SketchUp or similar rendering tools
• Experience working with inventory management systems (e.g., Airtable or similar platforms)
• Strong understanding of retail fixtures, event production, and experiential design

Nice To Haves

• Prior people management or team leadership experience strongly preferred
• Experience in sports marketing, retail environments, or consumer brand activations helpful
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Sports Marketing, or equivalent experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Leading end-to-end event planning, scheduling, and execution across multiple programs
• Driving logistics and operational strategy to ensure seamless delivery at scale
• Managing and reconciling budgets, with accountability for financial performance and cost efficiencies
• Overseeing the development and execution of displays, environments, and branded graphics in alignment with brand standards
• Building and managing vendor and partner relationships to ensure quality and consistency
• Leading on-site event execution, including oversight of staff, agencies, and partners
• Evaluating program performance through ROI, insights, and continuous improvement recommendations
• Lead the end-to-end execution of a portfolio of events, activations, and retail experiences across Fanatics and Nike business units
• Establish event objectives, and success metrics aligned to marketing and business goals
• Oversee planning, logistics, and execution across multiple concurrent large-scale activations
• Ensure consistency and excellence in execution across all events, elevating overall program quality beyond individual project
• Provide clear direction, manage workloads, and ensure team accountability across all projects
• Lead by example in high-pressure environments, ensuring composure, problem-solving, and execution excellence
• Partner with Director to shape activation strategy, identifying opportunities to enhance fan engagement and retail impact
• Recommend innovative experiential concepts, fixture strategies, and event enhancements
• Leverage post-event insights, re-cap metrics, and learnings to continuously improve future activations and events
• Drive consistency in planning processes, documentation, and standard operating procedures across the team
• Serve as point of contact for assigned events to internal stakeholders (Marketing, Merchandising, Sales, Creative, Retail Ops)
• Lead alignment across departments to ensure clarity on event strategy, scope, timelines, and deliverables
• Manage external agencies, vendors, and fabrication partners to deliver high-quality execution
• Own event budgets from planning through reconciliation, ensuring alignment with financial targets with the Director
• Review and approve vendor estimates, negotiate costs, and identify efficiencies
• Oversee expense tracking, POs, and invoicing processes across all assigned programs
• Ensure accurate and timely budget reporting at weekly, monthly, and annual levels
• Oversee all event logistics including staffing, shipping, installation, and on-site execution
• Act as escalation point for complex operational challenges and real-time issue resolution
• Ensure compliance with venue regulations, union labor requirements, and local guidelines
• Maintain high standards across displays, graphics, fixtures, and overall brand presentation
• Oversee event and asset inventory systems across vendors and storage location
• Drive improvements to asset tracking, utilization, and lifecycle management
• Ensure readiness and accuracy of all assets for upcoming activations
• Recommend improvements to asset management systems and processes

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees