ACF, Inc Chicago Lead, City Brand & Retail Marketing - Nike Sportswear & Energy Remote · Full time Company website

Apply for Chicago Lead, City Brand & Retail Marketing - Nike Sportswear & Energy

We help brands bring the power of sport to every community, everywhere. From Strategy & Ideation to Live Events & Retail Experience, we build from the ground up. We don’t just study the culture, we help shape it from within. Together, we are A Creative Force. We are the Sport Authenticator Agency.

What You’ll Do

• Champion the Community Truth: You serve as a primary source of community insight. You uncover the “why” behind local behaviors and translate those truths into strategies that move sport and culture forward.
• Master the Marketplace: You inform and shape how sport and the Nike Brand shows up in the Chicago marketplace, ensuring the energy of the community is reflected in key retail doors so product and storytelling feel like an authentic extension of local culture. You explore new opportunities and continuously calibrate the marketplace to unlock what is next.
• Create Culture-Shifting Moments: You create moments people want to be part of: drops, collaborations, experiences, and activations that break through and move culture.
• Elevate Youth and Emerging Creatives: You stay closely connected to the next generation of creatives. You identify emerging voices early and find authentic ways to build with them.
• Elevate Women: You recognize and value the vision and impact of women athletes and creatives, and actively look for ways to uplift their voices, stories, and perspectives. 
• Collaborate: You move ideas from concept to execution by building strong partnerships across visual merchandising, brand, retail, and internal teams.
• Future-Proof Insights: You validate ideas against the lived reality of the city and the marketplace before they go to market.

Own the Ground Game

• People: You stay connected to the people who move sport culture in Chicago; creatives, stylists, musicians, artists, and those shaping how sport is expressed. You vet partnerships to ensure we work with those who carry real cultural weight and have a positive impact on the community.
• Places: You know where culture actually happens, from the stadium to the street. You identify the environments where sport and style intersect and ensure our presence feels natural within them.
• Moments: You have a deep understanding of key moments across sport and culture. You also look beyond the official calendar to identify underground moments where sport, creativity, and community collide that carry real weight in Chicago.
• Community Pulse: You know the photographers, stylists, and creators who shape the story of sport and culture in the city. You stay close to the voices driving the conversation and understand what matters to the community.

Who You Are

• You’re already present in the spaces where culture is being built and evolving.
• You have a strong point of view and the instinct to move early, with intention.
• You understand Chicago’s neighborhoods and the cultures that define them.
• You move naturally across sport, culture, and community.
• You act as an authenticity filter—sharpening ideas to ensure they resonate with the city and the moment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in sport or lifestyle brands across brand management, marketing, or retail
• Experience in event planning, production, and execution 
• Deep understanding of the Chicago market
• Proven ability to translate community insights into clear, impactful plans
• Experience collaborating with retail or sales teams
• Willingness to work the hours culture-building requires, including evenings and weekends