Senior Manager of Merchandise

Chicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997 and is Chicago’s ambassador to the global sport of soccer. The Club recently returned to Soldier Field as well as opened a new 50,000 square foot office in the heart of the city. With tremendous growth and expansion, the Club is laying the foundation for an audacious and ambitious vision that will transform the brand and the success of the Club in the coming years.

Some of the fabulous employee perks Chicago Fire Football Club offers to full-time employees include:

Work-Life Balance

• Option to work remotely 1 week from any place of choice per year
• Flexible work arrangements & hybrid scheduling (upon manager approval)

Paid Time Off:

• 3 weeks of Paid Time Off upon hire
• 22 days of paid holiday time off (including 2 weeks off at the end of each calendar year)
• 4 hours of Volunteer Time Off per month

Excellent Benefit Programs

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Supplementary Life, Supplementary AD&D, Flexible, Spending Account & Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits
• 401k eligibility immediately upon hire with a 3% employer contribution rate
• Educational Stipend of $1,500 per year

Paid Parental Leave

• 14-16 weeks fully paid leave for employees giving birth and 8 weeks fully paid leave for committed partners & spouses – applicable to foster care & adoptive parents as well.

Office Culture & Facilities

• Full game room, frequent happy hours & parties, employee recognition programs and access to a full workout center & rooftop at our central office.

Chicago Fire Football Club is seeking a Senior Manager of Merchandise to join our marketing team. This position with report into our Senior Director of Marketing and will coordinate, organize, and oversee all activities involved in the identification, acquisition, production, and distribution of all merchandise, licensed goods and branded product items for Chicago Fire Football Club.

Job Responsibilities:

• Create and execute the Club’s merchandise strategy and procedures
• Partner with licensed suppliers and adequately order inventory to keep the office, warehouse and satellite locations properly stocked with fast-moving product to maintain proper inventory levels- inclusive of but not limited to merchandise, branded product and licensed goods.
• Collaborate across Club departments on consumer product needs i.e. giveaway items
• Develop and implement marketing plan to effectively promote merchandise sales through team’s marketing platforms including, but not limited to email blasts, social media, in-game assets, and media buys.
• Work with marketing and content team to build out concepts/ideas/capsules/collections to align with merchandise goals and timelines, along with brand goals
• With leadership oversight, develop local merchandise collaboration lines and campaigns specific to the Chicago market
• Collaborate with Marketing to incorporate merchandise strategy and activation into grassroots and influencer marketing plans
• Drive merchandise sales with innovation and promotions.
• Responsible for the merchandise from purchase-to-sell process and ensure pricing margins are maintained.
• Partner with Matchday Operations team on giveaway items strategy and execution
• Monitor and measure operational performance against goals to ensure progress is being made and corrective action is taken as needed.
• Develop warehouse/storage plan to assure easy access and accountability of merchandise.
• Develop merchandising plan for all retail outlets in stadium, within local market and on-line stores.
• Manage ordering and inventory for Club adidas annual VIK and jersey order
• Serve as Club point of contact and stay up to date on all MLS Licensing regulations.
• Perform monthly inventory reports and provide them to the VP of Marketing with recommendations on how to improve the inventory ordering & stocking process.
• Supervise assigned personnel, recruit, mentor & coach, train and develop, perform disciplinary action when necessary and evaluate performance to develop each employee to his/her potential.
• Oversee all game day merchandise for Chicago Fire FC home games, including developing a strategy for in-stadium retail spaces including premium and suites
• Assist in the development of programs that result in increased customer satisfaction.
• Other related duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Fully vaccinated for COVID-19
• 2-3 years of experience in a merchandise manager position, specifically in the professional sports industry
• Point of sale experience and familiarity with inventory control procedures and policies
• Attention to detail and organizational skills with ability to meet firm deadlines
• Strong time management and project management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to work autonomously and use excellent judgment in escalating issues to supervisors
• Willingness to learn in a fast-paced, performance-driven work environment
• Highly proficient with MS Office

Please note:

Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Our diversity initiatives start with the recruitment and selection process; therefore, we’d like to welcome all diverse candidates to apply to opportunities within our Club.

CFFC is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, age, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual orientation or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.

o If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.