Sports Marketing Manager

UFCU Main•Austin, TX

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sports Marketing Manager ensures all sponsorship fulfillment of UFCU’s sports property partnerships including, but not limited to, Texas and Texas State University Athletics. This role develops and executes marketing campaigns that deliver value to the team and university, aligning with UFCU’s vision of helping Members achieve financial success. The Sports Marketing Manager collaborates with other departments to develop marketing strategies that promote UFCU’s products and benefits and enhance its positive brand image among sports fans. The Sports Marketing Manager reports to the Director of Marketing. About UFCU Our Credit Union was founded in 1936 and has grown to serve members throughout Texas and beyond. At UFCU, we are more than just a financial institution, and our people are more than just employees. We are dedicated to our purpose of empowering our Members to achieve financial success and build brighter futures . In pursuit of our aspiration that UFCU is loved by millions of Members and built to thrive for generations , we are guided by our values: Purposefully Member-Obsessed We are driven by a profound sense of empathy to deeply understand our Members’ needs and preferences, what brighter futures means to them, and the obstacles in their way. We act in our Members’ best interests, forever seeking to empower their financial success. Possibilities Reimagined We are inspired to courageously experiment, learn, and iterate in pursuit of positive impact for our Members, UFCU, and coworkers. We challenge assumptions, embrace diverse perspectives, and make use of data and insights. Performance Excellence Rooted in Unwavering Integrity We do the right thing, always. We champion teamwork, accountability, continuous improvement, and celebrate successful outcomes of others, fostering an inclusive environment of excellence and collaboration.

Requirements

Knowledge Deep, expert understanding of the sports industry and landscape, including fan demographics and industry trends.
Solid understanding of marketing principles, including market research, branding, and advertising.
Strong knowledge of all UFCU products and services.
Strong knowledge of credit union industry, including awareness of industry trends and understanding of credit union business development opportunities.
Strong knowledge of project and program management principles.
Skills Advanced written, verbal, interpersonal, active listening, collaborative, and presentation communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate and convey ideas and strategies with a diverse group of internal and external partners and stakeholders.
Excellent program and event planning management skills.
Proficient with MS Office, including utilization of spreadsheets and related analytics to track and analyze data.
Strong organization skills, with the ability to prioritize with a positive and solution-oriented mindset.
Abilities Strong a bility to track and analyze data to measure the success of sponsorship campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
Strong ability to display creative thought leadership; be able to think outside the box and create innovative marketing ideas.
Advanced a bility to build strong relationships and rapport with potential sponsors, partners, and internal stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to be service-focused and portray positive energy and professionalism to project a positive image as a representative of the Credit Union.
Facilitative and collaborative team member, with openness to ideas and feedback from others.
Ability to use good judgment and decision-making skills.
Ability to be self-motivated, with critical attention to detail, deadlines, and reporting.
Ability to meet deadlines and handle sensitive and pressured situations.
Proven ability in solving problems and researching issues with minimal guidance.
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or related field.
Four (4) years of relevant experience may be substituted for degree.
Minimum three (3) years of experience leading cross-functional programs/projects that include key third party partnerships.
Demonstrated experience managing projects and programs.
Must be bondable.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of five (5) years of experience in business development, or strategic partner management in a financial services organization/financial institution.
Minimum of five (5) years of experience in sports marketing with a corporate institution, agency, or athletic team.
Experience working within a retail services, customer-facing environment.
Prior credit union experience.
Bilingual in Spanish.

Responsibilities

Drive brand strategy through cross-functional execution for UFCU Sports and Marketing initiatives.
Create and manage an annual Marketing roadmap to define unique brand positioning, generate innovative partnership ideas, and identify new teams, athletes, and venues for sponsorship.
Execute the Sports Marketing strategy across UFCU channels (social media platforms, digital experiences, collegiate, concert, events, and grassroots) by working directly with marketing and business colleagues within the organization.
Manage Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) program, ensuring athletes reflect UFCU’s values and long-term growth ambitions.
Lead the Sports marketing integration with all Marketing and Digital teams to craft campaigns that are relevant, rooted in fan behavior, and aligned with brand initiatives.
Enhance current partnerships by driving innovative marketing ideas to bring cultural relevance, member engagement and attract new members.
Develop the team sports marketing calendar to support Channels, and Brand Marketing, Retail, and Field teams.
Assist with contract negotiation and oversee contractual agreements, implement robust measurement mechanisms to evaluate goal attainment, and foster proactive, positive relationships with external partners.
Lead the creation of sports collaborations for new products and bring key stories to life.
Maintain a pulse on audience passion points and serve as a subject matter expert in their fandom and behavior.
Manage ongoing sports and advertising agency partnerships and ensure their effective deployment across the sponsorship portfolio.
Define, develop, and manage the integrated sponsorship activation plans, in coordination with business partners and respective agencies.
Track and evaluate sponsorship ROI, athlete performance, and partnership outcomes.
Support reporting and presentations for leadership on athlete strategy, NIL progress, and partnership activation performance.
Adhere to all company policies, procedures and business ethics codes.
Complete required regulatory training as assigned.
Maintain strict adherence and compliance to all laws, rules, regulations and internal controls specific to the role, including but not limited to Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering, USA Patriot Act, OFAC and Fair Lending regulations.