USL Antelope Valley
Head of Marketing
COMPANY INFORMATION:
USL Antelope Valley (AV) is one of four expansion teams that will begin play in March 2025 in USL League One, bringing the league to 16 teams. USL Championship and USL League One make the USL the largest professional men’s soccer league in the United States. The Antelope Valley is an untapped soccer hotbed in north Los Angeles County, with thousands of youth players and many thousands more supporting the game at all levels. The City of Lancaster is proceeding with a plan to convert the stadium from baseball to a 5,300 seat soccer specific-stadium, only the fourth professional soccer-specific stadium in Southern California. With the official name, colors and crest to be launched in May 2024, USL AV will unite the many diverse communities of the Antelope Valley.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Head of Marketing is a key business leader that will be responsible for all elements of the brand experience. The Head of Marketing will oversee the successful execution of the marketing strategy which includes consumer-facing communication, website, media campaigns, merchandise strategy and fan experience at USL Antelope Valley games, as well as oversight of the annual marketing budget.
The primary objectives of this position are to grow the USL AV fanbase and to increase the Club’s brand awareness in the California market. The Director will be accountable for brand building and positioning, digital marketing and engagement, data-driven initiatives, and the development of innovative fan engagement strategies. The Director will provide strategic direction for the department while being a dynamic, hands-on leader who excels at leading a team. Overseeing all brand touchpoints, they will strategize and execute brand positioning, messaging, and content development to reach new USL AV fans.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Marketing Strategy
- Develop the overall roadmap, strategy, and execution of marketing plans for USL AV games and hosted events including, branding, sales collateral, website, team app, digital, and social media assets
- Develop the annual media plan and oversee the campaign execution to ensure spend is meeting objectives across all channels
- Collect, analyze, and interpret campaign performance data to make data-driven optimizations for current and future campaigns
- Lead the annual planning process and oversee execution of USL AV marquee fan activations, group ticket nights and theme nights
- Collaborate with the Ticket Sales and Partnerships to build and execute marketing campaigns that directly impact revenue for Partners, Single Game tickets, Group tickets, and Full Season tickets. Align the promotional calendar with Ticketing regarding themed nights, promotional offers, and fan giveaways
Fan Experience
- Own the overall USL AV game day experience by managing the end-to-end fan journey from arrival at arena, in-game programming, and post-game fan experiences
- Oversee the development and execution of an annual calendar of tentpole events and initiatives that grow the fanbase by authentically connecting with the diverse soccer community in the Lancaster area
- Develop the seasonal assortments in collaboration with internal design team to drive additional streams of revenue and increased fan engagement
Leadership
- Provide oversight and development of Marketing team, including social media coordinator and content team
- Coach, mentor, and develop the Marketing team, while promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values innovation and a commitment to excellence
- Oversee the Marketing department’s budget, including paid media, game promotions, consumer products/retail, and events
REQUIREMENTS:
- Three to five years of relevant experience in sports, media or entertainment
- Track record of developing and implementing marketing strategies that have consistently met or exceeded planned revenue and strategic objectives
- Experience using marketing as a tool for driving sales by creating demand and motivating consumers to purchase
- Ability to think critically; research, recommend and implement solutions effectively
- Outstanding organizational skills, ability to follow through, and capable of meeting deadlines while balancing multiple projects and priorities
- Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and manage time effectively
- Possess and demonstrate an extremely strong proficiency in communication skills, both written and verbal. Comfortable and experienced with public speaking and group presentations
- Excellent judgment and ability to develop, leverage and maintain relationships
- Organized with consistent attention to detail
- Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays and the capability to travel as required
- Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds when setting up/tearing down marketing activations
- Bilingual (English & Spanish) a plus
Compensation:
Salary Expectations: $70,000-$80,000 *Based on experience*
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
