Principal, Marketing & Ad Technology

MLS Soccer league; Thunder Bay; Hybrid; USD 185,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Principal Marketing & Advertising Technologist to drive innovation at the intersection of marketing, data, and technology. This pivotal role will empower the organization to harness the full potential of AI-driven platforms, enabling hyper-personalized customer engagement and data-driven growth. The ideal candidate will lead the strategic implementation of a comprehensive MarTech stack, champion the use of Generative AI for content creation, and foster collaboration across teams to enhance fan engagement. Join a dynamic environment where your expertise will shape the future of marketing in sports.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical coverage

Dental and vision coverage

$500 wellness reimbursement

Generous Holiday and PTO schedule

Career and professional development opportunities

Flexibility to work remotely on Fridays

Up to two additional remote flex days each month

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise MarTech with AI-driven platforms.
• Proven success in leading digital transformation projects.
• Strong understanding of omni-channel consumer marketing strategies.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement a multi-year roadmap for the MarTech stack.
• Lead the evaluation and deployment of new marketing technologies.
• Act as a trusted advisor to marketing and engineering teams.

Skills

Generative AI

AI-driven platforms

Marketing Technology

Data Analysis

Project Management

Consumer Marketing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science

Master’s degree in Marketing Technology

Tools

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Adobe Experience Platform

Google Analytics

Content Management Systems

Programmatic Advertising Technology

Job description

Overview

MLS is seeking a Principal Marketing & Advertising Technologist to empower our enterprise in delivering the full potential of our diverse customer engagement ecosystem. This role sits at the intersection of marketing, data and technology and will drive innovation to enable hyper-personalized engagement, data-driven growth, and marketing operational excellence. This pivotal role will lead the day to day operations of the platforms, as well as the architecture, evaluation, integration and optimization of our marketing and ad technology stack.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise across core MarTech and AdTech platforms and a passion for Generative AI, Agentic AI systems, and intelligent automation. This role will bridge business vision with technical execution, drive scalable innovation, and unlock new value through data, platforms and AI-driven creativity.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Define and implement a multi-year roadmap for the MarTech stack aligned to support the League’s growth objectives, consumer strategy, subscription business, and AI transformation goals.
• Champion the use of Generative AI for content creation, campaign development, dynamic personalization, and customer service augmentation.
• In partnership with Engineering, pilot and implement Agentic AI frameworks—multi-agent systems that autonomously complete and optimize marketing tasks such as content generation, A/B testing, offer targeting, and journey orchestration.
• Evangelize the role of AI in modern marketing with executive leaders and embed AI governance into the MarTech operating model.Work closely with MLS League and Club team members, applying standard processes, technical expertise, and consulting workstreams to contribute to the development of the vision for strategic, operational, and technology needs.
• Lead the evaluation, selection process, deployment, configuration and adoption of new marketing and advertising technologies as needed, ensuring alignment with Club needs and League-wide initiatives.
• Provide practical guidance and support to clubs in implementing and using AI/ML models for tasks such as core analysis and insights across fan, content and engagement, predictive analytics, audience segmentation, and personalized experiences across various channels.
• MarTech Architecture & Platform IntegrationArchitect and own the technical design of a composable, API-first marketing stack—including integration of the League’s Fan Data identity graph, journey orchestration tools, AI-powered CMS, content and personalization engines.
• Design integration frameworks with cloud data platforms, analytics tools (e.g., GA4, Adobe Analytics), consent management systems, and AdTech platforms.Ensure all systems support real-time decisioning, content intelligence, audience targeting, and AI readiness.
• AI & Data Activation StrategyPartner with AI/ML engineering team, data science, and marketing analytics teams to activate first-party and behavioral data for predictive insights and dynamic experiences.
• Build pipelines and processes that allow LLMs and AI agents to access marketing metadata, behavioral signals, and campaign feedback loops.
• Ensure data readiness for AI use cases: structured metadata, real-time signals, user context, and compliant identity resolution.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Execution
• Act as a trusted advisor to marketing, product, engineering, and data leadership teams.
• Translate marketing needs into technical requirements for scalable campaign execution and AI-powered optimization.
• Lead strategic evaluations and vendor assessments for AI-enabled MarTech platforms, with an eye on return on investment and future extensibility.
• Serve as an advisor and thought partner to club marketing executives on using data, AI/ML, and marketing technologies to achieve their business objectives.
• Partner with league and club leadership to identify and develop opportunities for clubs to enhance fan segmentation, personalization, and targeted fan engagements through application of MLS and club level fan data analysis.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration across clubs to foster a culture of data-driven marketing excellence.
• Lead presentations and discussions to provide strategic recommendations and updates on ongoing initiatives to League and Club senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Marketing Technology, or a related field required (Master’s preferred).10+ years of experience in enterprise MarTech, including significant experience with AI-driven platforms.
• Demonstrated success leading high-impact digital transformation or AI integration projects in marketing.
• Required Skills

Technical & AI Expertise

• Deep expertise in platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Braze, Segment, Optimizely, or similar.
• Deep expertise in customer data & insights platforms (CDP/DMP/CRM) and their role in data ingestion, harmonization, and activation across a diverse range of engagements.
• Strong understanding of and experience in analytics tools (Google/Adobe Analytics, Datorama/Domo/Tableau).
• Proficiency with Content Management Systems (CMS), Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Content Networks.
• Deep knowledge of programmatic advertising technology ecosystem, including DSPs, SSPs, and ad exchanges.
• Experience working with Generative AI platforms (e.g., OpenAI, Google Gemini, Claude, Jasper, Adobe Firefly) for creative automation and experimentation.
• Exposure to or hands-on experience with Agentic AI frameworks (e.g., LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGPT, OpenAgents) and multi-agent orchestration in marketing use cases.
• Proficient in API integration, data pipelines, identity management, and cloud data infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Snowflake, BigQuery).
• Knowledge of AI governance, data privacy (GDPR, CCPA), and responsible AI use.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong systems thinker with the ability to navigate complexity and lead through influence.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, capable of translating technical concepts into business value.
• Growth mindset, curiosity, and a strong bias for experimentation, innovation, and iteration.
• Deep and demonstrable experience in consumer-facing businesses, with a strong understanding of omni-channel consumer marketing & CX strategies, challenges, risks and opportunities.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences, including at the executive-level.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and drive them to completion.
• Passion for soccer and an understanding of the sports industry is a plus.
• Willingness and ability to travel to club markets as needed.

Total RewardsMajor League Soccer offers a competitive starting base salary of $185,000 - $200,000, based on individual qualifications, market financials, and operational business needs. We are committed to providing a Total Rewards package that attracts, supports, engages, and retains talent. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a $500 wellness reimbursement, and generous Holiday and PTO schedule to promote work-life balance. We also prioritize career and professional development, offering on-the-job training, feedback, and ongoing educational opportunities.We believe in the power of in-person collaboration to fuel creativity, strengthen connections, and cultivate a vibrant workplace. As a result, employees are required to work from an MLS office at least four days a week. We understand the value of balance, so employees also have the flexibility of working remotely on Fridays, along with the option to take up to two additional remote flex days each month.

At Major League Soccer, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and inclusion and believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to compete in the marketplace. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.We are dedicated to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation throughout the job application or interview process, essential job functions, and other benefits and privileges of employment. If you require accommodation, please contact us to request it.Join our team and be part of the Major League Soccer family, where we elevate the game and inspire greatness!