Specialist, Sports Marketing Talent Management - A&F

Job Description 

At Abercrombie, we are the go-to apparel destination for outfitting all of our customers’ lifestyle needs. The Marketing team has the essential responsibility of connecting our customers with our dynamic and ever-evolving brands. Our campaigns span through in-store, digital, social, event marketing, and PR channels to bring our brand vision to life. This diverse and collaborative team of creative, strategic, and curious individuals are constantly looking for new ways to learn about our consumer and find the best channels to reach them with our product stories.  

The Specialist, Sports Marketing Talent Management - A&F will lead talent strategy and execution across sports-related marketing initiatives—ensuring we partner with athletes, influencers, trainers, gyms/studios, and sports personalities who align with our brand values and business goals. You'll be instrumental in building and managing meaningful relationships with sports talent, agents, and internal cross-functional teams to drive impactful partnerships. This role will be responsible project management, strategy and optimizations, budget management, manage product sampling and event coordination support, growing our roster of tried-and-true brand advocates, and more. This role will support both the Abercrombie & Fitch mainline brand as well as YPB, the activewear sub-brand of Abercrombie. 

This job is located at our Global Home Office in Columbus, Ohio.  

What Will You Be Doing? 

• Manage and drive the growth of the Abercrombie & Fitch Sports Creato marketing programs, while implementing proven and innovative tactics aligned with the broader marketing strategy.  
• Partner with the other internal Sports Marketing Talent Specialist to ensure programming is complementary and capitalizes on all opportunities a play.
• Source new and nurture existing relationships to create symbiotic partnerships with creators to drive mass brand awareness, build affinity, and encourage product consideration and conversion; inclusive of vetting and risk management.  
• Develop relationships with trainers, gyms and studios in key identified markets to create brand and product awareness through talent management and localized activations. 
• Lead reviews and approvals of influencer content ensuring deliverables are brand-right and adheres to FTC guidelines.  
• Partner with Senior Manager on public relations program relevant to Sports Marketing partnerships. 
• Work alongside our product team to develop and execute gifting and product seeding strategies that focus on priority product.  
• Partner with other channel owners (social, paid media, e-comm, etc.) to maximize the exposure of creator content.  
• Collaborate with external agencies on strategy, tactics, optimizations, and creative briefing.  
• Negotiate contracts with creators, talent agencies, and new vendors.  
• Participate, and sometimes lead, planning sessions to integrate creator  activations into the overarching marketing campaign; maintain open communication throughout execution to ensure cohesion with other brand tactics is maintained.  
• Integrate program plans and deliverables into existing cross-functional processes.  
• Drive clear program performance goals and fully own reporting processes, including weekly, monthly, seasonal, and status/hindsight to the Senior Influencer Manager and Marketing Leadership Team.  
• Drive robust test & learn strategy to maximize effectiveness, present findings to Senior Influencer Manager.  
• Continuously monitor industry trends, consumer behavior, and competitor activity to ensure the brands stay at the forefront of influencer marketing. 

What Do You Need To Bring? 

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations or related field or relevant experience  
• 5+ years of experience in Marketing/Advertising/Public Relations, preferably for large lifestyle / fashion brands  
• 3+  years of experience with Sports talent management 
• Experience managing an external agents/agencies  
• Some existing relationships with relevant creators expected  
• Proven track record of negotiating contracts and managing partnerships end-to-end 
• High level of critical thinking ability and curiosity, particularly in balancing multiple projects and priorities  
• Proven ability to analyze abstract data to build a comprehensive story about product or content performance  
• Very strong project management skills (including timeline development/management, budget)  
• Collaborative team player, able to rally cross-functional team members to work effectively and efficiently together  
• Strong relationship development/management and written/verbal communication skills  
• High familiarity with integrated marketing disciplines (advertising, media, content, social, digital/e-comm, direct, CRM, PR, activation/events, in-store, etc.)  
• Consistent engagement with marketing industry and its best practices (e.g. industry media, involvement in industry organizations/events, awareness of industry trends)  
• Superb presentation skills and comfortable ideating/presenting ideas with all levels of an organization (up to/including C-level) 

Our Company  

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a global, digitally led omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories catering to kids through millennials with assortments curated for their specific lifestyle needs. 

The company operates a family of brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch, YPB, abercrombie kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks, each sharing a commitment to offer products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that support global customers on their journey to being and becoming who they are. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates over 750 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites abercrombie.com, abercrombiekids.com, and hollisterco.com. 

At Abercrombie & Fitch Co., we lead with purpose and always put our people first. We’re proud to offer equitable compensation and benefits, including flexibility and competitive Paid Time Off, as well as education and engagement events, including various Associate Resource Groups, volunteer opportunities and additional time off to give back to our global communities.  

Benefits & Perks  

As an Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F Co.) associate, you’ll be eligible to participate in a variety of benefit programs designed to fit you and your lifestyle. A&F Co. is committed to providing competitive and comprehensive benefits that align with our company’s culture and values, but most importantly – with you! We also provide competitive incentives to reward the commitment our associates have for moving our global business forward:  

• Incentive bonus program 
• Annual companywide review process 
• Flexible spending accounts 
• Medical, dental and vision insurance 
• Life and disability insurance 
• Associate assistance program 
• Paid parental and adoption leave 
• Access to fertility and adoption benefits through Carrot 
• Access to mental health and wellness app, Headspace 
• Paid time off and one paid volunteer day per year, allowing you to give back to your community 
• Work from anywhere (Mondays and Fridays are “work from anywhere” days for most roles and six work from anywhere weeks per year) 
• Seven associate wellness half days per year 
• Merchandise discount on all of our brands 
• Opportunities for career advancement, we believe in promoting from within 
• Access to multiple Associate Resource Groups 
• Global team of people who will celebrate you for being YOU! 

ABERCROMBIE & FITCH CO. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER