ACF, Inc Houston Lead, City Brand & Retail Marketing - Nike Soccer Long Beach, CA · Full time Company website

The Mission: The Houston Nike Soccer Lead is responsible for the growth and pulse of soccer in the city. This means you are charged with driving, developing and executing brand activation events, through authentic connection with one of the most vibrant soccer communities in the country. You know the pitches, the players, the organizations, and the energy that moves through the city. You understand how the game lives, who’s shaping it, where it’s going, and what truly matters. As the Nike Soccer Lead, You’re tapped into how soccer shows up locally and where it needs to go next. You care about access, expression, and protecting the soul of the game, and you’re committed to driving it forward by partnering with the people and communities that live it every day.

About ACF, Inc

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.

Description


What You’ll Do

  • Champion the Player & Community Truth: You serve as a primary source of player and community insight. You uncover the “why” behind local behaviors and translate those truths into strategies that move the sport forward. 
  • Master the Marketplace: You inform and shape how the sport and Nike Brand shows up in the Houston 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.
  • Elevate Youth and High School Connections: You stay closely connected to the next generation of ballers. You know the coaches and athletes pushing the sport forward and identify ways to elevate and inspire them.
  • Commitment to Access: You believe the game can be played anywhere; any surface, any time - all you need is a ball. You champion street-style play and the creativity, joy, and freedom that define it, helping push the future of the game forward in the US. 
  • Elevate Women: You recognize the momentum and opportunity in women’s soccer and actively look for ways to support and uplift women athletes across youth, amateur, and professional levels.
  • 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 the Houston soccer scene. This includes teams, players, street leagues, club, grassroots organizations and cultural tastemakers. You vet partnerships to ensure we work with people who carry real cultural weight and a positive impact on the community.
  • Places: You know where the game actually happens. You identify environments where soccer lives, from the stadium to the streets, and ensure our presence feels natural within them.  
  • Moments: You have a deep understanding of the key moments across professional, club, and grassroots soccer. You also look beyond the official calendar to identify local pick up games and neighborhood play that carry weight, creating experiences that get people out and playing. 
  • Community Pulse: You know the photographers, stylists, and creators who help tell the story of soccer in Houston. You stay close to the voices shaping the conversation and understand what matters to the community. 


Who You Are

  • You have a deep love for the game and actively participate in the community
  • You understand Houston’s neighborhoods and the different cultures that define them 
  • You move naturally across sport, culture, and community
  • You act as an authenticity filter by sharpening ideas to ensure they resonate with players, coaches, and the broader soccer community 


Preferred 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 Houston market
  • Proven ability to turn community insights into clear, impactful plans
  • Experience collaborating with retail or sales teams
  • Willingness to work the hours the sport requires, including evenings and weekends 


Salary

$100,000 - $120,000 per year