Manager, Grassroots Marketing

NovationIQ; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Sporting Kansas City is seeking a Manager of Grassroots Marketing to lead off-site community activations, pub and collegiate programs, and regional partnerships. You will manage an annual activation calendar, staff deployments, and budgets while aligning with club campaigns.

The role requires building relationships, evaluating opportunities, and coordinating with cross-functional teams to extend the club's footprint across Kansas City and surrounding regions.

Qualifications

• Four or more years of experience in grassroots marketing, experiential marketing, community engagement, event marketing, or a related field.
• Experience planning and executing multiple activations or events at the same time.
• Experience managing part-time staff, ambassadors, vendors, or event teams.
• Strong project management skills and attention to detail.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
• Ability to manage budgets, timelines, logistics, and on-site execution.
• Knowledge of the Kansas City region and its communities is preferred.
• Experience in sports, entertainment, live events, or consumer marketing is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Ability to work games, evenings, weekends, and events throughout the region as required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage an annual grassroots marketing plan and activation calendar aligned with Sporting KC’s marketing priorities.
• Lead community activations from initial evaluation through on-site execution and follow-up.
• Manage pub relationships, watch parties, collegiate programs, and other local platforms where Sporting can maintain an ongoing presence.
• Build relationships with businesses, campuses, community organizations, and regional partners that can help Sporting reach relevant audiences.
• Evaluate incoming activation opportunities and recommend which opportunities Sporting should lead, support, or decline.
• Develop activation concepts and experiences that reflect the Sporting KC brand and give attendees a clear way to engage with the club.
• Manage off-site Brand Ambassador deployment, including staffing plans, event briefs, assignments, and performance expectations.
• Partner with Brand Ambassador Leads to maintain consistent execution and fan engagement standards.
• Manage the signage, materials, equipment, inventory, vendors, and other logistics required for grassroots programs.
• Partner with Creative, Social Media, Digital, Manager of Fan Experience and Promotions, and other Marketing Channel Leads to connect physical activations to broader campaigns.
• Coordinate fan data collection and follow-up with the appropriate Digital and CRM partners.
• Manage program budgets and report on participation, audience response, data collection, and other agreed measures of success.
• Track where Sporting has a strong local presence and identify audiences or areas where additional work is needed.

Skills

Grassroots marketing

Experiential marketing

Community engagement

Event marketing

Project management

Budget management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Job Description SummaryWe elevate Kansas City through soccer experiences and create memories through personalized touchpoints with our club. Our promise is to continually delight our fans and set the benchmark for best practices across Major League Soccer.Sporting Kansas City’s values are to be experience obsessed, high performance in all that we do, exemplify accountability, demonstrate integrity and to always put the club first.The Manager, Grassroots Marketing owns Sporting KC’s off-site grassroots marketing strategy and execution. This role builds Sporting’s visibility throughout the community and region and creates in-person opportunities that help people develop a stronger connection with the club.The Manager leads the calendar for community and regional activations, pub and collegiate programs, local marketing relationships, and off-site Brand Ambassador deployment. They work across the Marketing department to connect grassroots experiences to club campaigns and continued audience engagement.Job DescriptionEssential FunctionsDevelop and manage an annual grassroots marketing plan and activation calendar aligned with Sporting KC’s marketing priorities.Lead community activations from initial evaluation through on-site execution and follow-up.Manage pub relationships, watch parties, collegiate programs, and other local platforms where Sporting can maintain an ongoing presence.Build relationships with businesses, campuses, community organizations, and regional partners that can help Sporting reach relevant audiences.Evaluate incoming activation opportunities and recommend which opportunities Sporting should lead, support, or decline.Develop activation concepts and experiences that reflect the Sporting KC brand and give attendees a clear way to engage with the club.Manage off-site Brand Ambassador deployment, including staffing plans, event briefs, assignments, and performance expectations.Partner with Brand Ambassador Leads to maintain consistent execution and fan engagement standards.Manage the signage, materials, equipment, inventory, vendors, and other logistics required for grassroots programs.Partner with Creative, Social Media, Digital, Manager of Fan Experience and Promotions, and other Marketing Channel Leads to connect physical activations to broader campaigns.Coordinate fan data collection and follow-up with the appropriate Digital and CRM partners.Manage program budgets and report on participation, audience response, data collection, and other agreed measures of success.Track where Sporting has a strong local presence and identify audiences or areas where additional work is needed.Personal AttributesStrong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.Ability to prioritize responsibilities, manage competing deadlines, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced professional sports environment.Self-motivated, results-driven, and committed to achieving individual and organizational goals.Confident, professional, and persuasive, with the ability to build relationships and influence others.Ability to perform under pressure and adapt to the changing demands of the sports industry.Strong time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, partners, and key stakeholders.Approachable, collaborative, and diplomatic when working with colleagues, clients, and external partners.Maintains a professional demeanor and represents the organization positively in all interactions.Energetic, enthusiastic, and creative, with a passion for sports and delivering exceptional results.Team-oriented mindset with a willingness to collaborate across departments to support organizational success.Skills and ExperienceFour or more years of experience in grassroots marketing, experiential marketing, community engagement, event marketing, or a related field.Experience planning and executing multiple activations or events at the same time.Experience managing part-time staff, ambassadors, vendors, or event teams.Strong project management skills and attention to detail.Strong relationship-building and communication skills.Ability to manage budgets, timelines, logistics, and on-site execution.Comfort using audience information and performance results to improve future programs.Knowledge of the Kansas City region and its communities is preferred.Experience in sports, entertainment, live events, or consumer marketing is preferred.Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.Ability to work games, evenings, weekends, and events throughout the region as required.Work Environment and ScheduleAvailability for home matches, selected events, evenings, weekends, and holidays is required as business needs dictate. Travel may be required. Work occurs in office, stadium, and event settings, including outdoors. Essential responsibilities must be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.Sporting Kansas City is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create an empowering environment for a diverse and inclusive team of associates who make a positive impact on our club and our community. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.