Merchandise Specialist; Ford Racing

Ford Motor • Allen Park, MI

5h • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford Racing is seeking a highly motivated Merchandise & Lifestyle Specialist to support the growth and execution of its global merchandise, apparel, and lifestyle partnership portfolio. This individual will play a critical role in developing annual go-to-market plans, managing licensee and apparel partnerships, and shaping product and go-to-market strategy across Ford Racing's own direct-to-consumer (DTC) collections. The role combines partnership management, brand and creative direction, and works directly with the Ford Racing Brand and Merchandise Team.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience spanning the merchandise and apparel industry
• Working knowledge of go-to-market strategy within a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business
• Strong presentation development skills, with advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Microsoft Office
• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines
• Genuine passion for motorsports and automotive lifestyle culture

Nice To Haves

• Experience or knowledge in social media strategy or brand building
• Hands-on experience managing Tier 1 apparel partners or licensees through the collection development process
• Experience running team kit or apparel programs for a large, global organization
• A knack for translating DTC sales and market data into product strategy
• Prior experience in motorsports, professional sports, or lifestyle/licensing business development
• A self-starter mentality with the flexibility to roll with a dynamic, fast-paced schedule

Responsibilities

• Implement go-to-market strategy across social, ecommerce, and retail channels
• Co-develop and message annual planning calendar for Ford Racing's DTC merchandise collections, including creative direction and launch timing
• Analyze DTC sales and market trends to generate insights that inform partnership decisions and where-to-play choices
• Own day-to-day relationships with lifestyle licensees, including annual planning and creative direction for collections
• Shape go-to-market and creative strategy for licensee collections that fuel Ford Racing's brand growth
• Connect partner product plans to broader brand, production vehicle, and motorsports marketing calendars
• Act as the connection point between Ford Merchandise & Licensing and Ford Racing Employees to facilitate team kit roll out.
• Manage the team kit partnership that outfits Ford Racing's global network of employees, drivers, and executives
• Coordinate delivery timelines and ensure on-brand execution across all team kit touchpoints
• Partner closely with Ford Racing Social to align go-to-market execution and content strategy
• Partner with Ford Racing Global Brand to connect product and partnership plans to broader brand-building goals
• Partner directly with the Ford Merchandise and Licensing team on collections developed with external partners and licensees

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level