Marketing Manager

Build the marketing function for two clubs — a professional side in the OFC Pro League and one of New Zealand's most successful football clubs. Full-time Discussed at interview United Sports Centre, Christchurch We're looking for a Marketing Manager to lead the brand and commercial growth of both of our clubs — South Island United, which plays professionally in the OFC Pro League, and Christchurch United, one of the most successful clubs in New Zealand football. This is a build, not a handover. There is no marketing function here to inherit — you would be the person who creates it, with the freedom and the responsibility that comes with that. It is a rare thing in football to get a blank page and a professional platform at the same time. You would work directly with club leadership across sponsorship activation, digital content, community engagement, matchday experience and partner communications. WHAT YOU'D BE DOING Lead the marketing strategy across digital, social, community and partner channels Drive commercial revenue through sponsorship, merchandise and event marketing Develop and run content strategies that grow both clubs locally and internationally Manage partner and sponsor relationships — value delivery, reporting and communication Support the OFC Pro League's media and marketing compliance obligations Work with the academy, events and operations teams on campaigns that cross all of them Build and hold relationships with media partners, including NZME and broadcaster contacts Write and maintain the brand guidelines that keep both clubs consistent everywhere they appear WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR At least 3 years in marketing, ideally with a sports, entertainment or lifestyle brand Strong digital and social capability — content creation, and the analytics behind it Commercial instinct, and experience working with sponsors or commercial partners Excellent written and verbal communication, across cultures and contexts A self-starter who works independently and can hold several priorities at once A real interest in football, and in what sport can do commercially and for a community Experience in or around a professional sports club is a strong advantage, not a requirement TWO CLUBS, ONE ROOF South Island United is New Zealand's only South Island-based professional club. The team competes internationally in the OFC Pro League — the premier club competition in the Oceania Football Confederation, and Oceania's route through to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. It is a genuinely new thing for football in the South Island and across the Pacific. Christchurch United is one of New Zealand's most historic and successful clubs, competing through the Southern League and into the National League, the country's Tier 1 competition. Six National League titles. Seven Chatham Cups. The club has been a benchmark in New Zealand football for a long time. Both clubs run out of the United Sports Centre in Christchurch, alongside a youth academy from U4 through U20, social leagues, holiday programmes and one of the country's largest youth tournaments. The commercial side — sponsorship, events, merchandise and a growing partner ecosystem — is expanding fast, which is why this role exists. WHY CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch is New Zealand's second-largest city — around 400,000 people, in a region of roughly 700,000 — and the gateway to the South Island. It is modern and liveable, with a serious sport culture and a football community that punches above its weight. Affordable cost of living relative to Auckland and Wellington World-class access to skiing, hiking, surf and the Southern Alps A strong international community and a growing tech and creative sector Excellent schools, healthcare and family amenities Two to three hours from some of New Zealand's most iconic landscapes THE MARKETING PLAN This is the part that matters most, and it's why we ask for it up front. It isn't a test with one right answer. It's an invitation to show us how you think, what you'd prioritise, and how you'd approach building a football brand in an unusual market. Research the club, New Zealand football and the wider Pacific context before you write it. The depth of that research shows in the work, and it matters to us. CONTEXT WORTH KNOWING SIU competes in the OFC Pro League, the only South Island-based club at that level. Our vision is to become a sports tourism destination for international travellers and sports fans, to lift the game across the South Island, and to represent South Island grassroots football. We want to tell raw stories about our people — honest, real and informative. Real stories about our fans, staff and players, about the club and about the region. Our home base is Christchurch, a city of roughly 400,000 with a strong community sport culture. Alongside the elite campaign we run a growing youth academy, social leagues and a range of community football programmes. Commercial operations include sponsorship, events, merchandise and a developing partner ecosystem. New Zealand is a sport-passionate nation and football is its largest participation sport — but the professional space here, and in the South Island especially, has long been dominated by rugby, netball and cricket. WHAT YOUR PLAN SHOULD COVER Your plan doesn't need to be exhaustive. We're looking for strategic clarity and creative thinking. Brand positioning — how should SIU position itself in New Zealand football, and to a Pacific and global audience? What story should the club be telling? Audience and community — who are the key audiences, local, national and international, and how should the club engage each of them? Digital and social — what platforms, formats and publishing cadence would you prioritise? What does success look like? Commercial marketing — how would you support the club's commercial objectives across sponsors, merchandise and events? Matchday and fan experience — how would you grow the supporter base and build a matchday culture worth turning up for? Key priorities — if you started on day one, what would your first 90 days look like? FORMAT Recommended length 6 to 12 pages — a document or a presentation, either is fine Any format: PDF, PowerPoint, Word or equivalent Supporting visuals, data references or case studies from comparable clubs are welcome No budget constraint is implied. Be ambitious, but be realistic about what matters most WHAT MAKES A STRONG PLAN Evidence of genuine research into SIU, CUFC and the New Zealand football context Original thinking, rather than a generic sports marketing template Clear priorities — we don't expect everything, we expect good judgement Honesty about the challenges and the opportunities specific to a South Island club An understanding of the commercial pressure alongside the community mission WHAT HAPPENS NEXT Shortlisted candidates are invited to a video interview with club leadership. We read every application and every marketing plan ourselves, and the quality and ambition of your plan weighs heavily in who we shortlist. We review applications as they arrive and will close the role once we've found the right person, so applying early genuinely helps. #J-18808-Ljbffr