Associate Manager, Retail & Local Collaborations

Associate Manager, Retail & Local Collaborations

NJ/NY Gotham FC ("Gotham FC" or "the Club") is a National Women's Soccer League ("NWSL") team representing New Jersey and New York. The team plays at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ. At Gotham FC, we don't just play soccer; we set trends, challenge the status quo, and lead with bold creativity. While our roots are grounded in the tradition of the beautiful game, everything else about us is fiercely original. We're here to redefine expectations, break boundaries, and build something that hasn't been done before. If you're ready to push the limits and make an impact, you belong at Gotham FC.

Gotham FC is seeking an Associate Manager, Retail & Local Collaborations to help shape and drive the Club's merchandise and apparel strategy, identifying opportunities across merchandise, local collaborations, and brand partnerships to drive sales, brand awareness, and fan growth across the New York/New Jersey market. Reporting to the Director, Brand & Fan Experience, this role will work closely with the Director to translate broader Club and brand priorities into merchandising plans and initiatives, while owning execution from concept through delivery. The Associate Manager will manage merchandise planning, requests, vendors, inventory needs, launches, and cross-functional coordination across Brand, Ticketing, Partnerships, Soccer Operations, and other teams to ensure merchandise initiatives are delivered effectively. In addition to merchandising, this role will identify, secure, and manage local collaborations with businesses, brands, artists, and cultural partners that increase Gotham FC's local awareness, strengthen our connection to the New York/New Jersey market, and support broader brand and fan growth goals. The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, culturally curious, and comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution. They should be able to identify opportunities, bring forward recommendations, and independently drive projects from concept through launch.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Director, Brand & Fan Experience to help shape and drive the Club's merchandise and apparel strategy, bringing forward recommendations and opportunities that support merchandise sales, brand awareness, and fan growth.
• Manage the Club's merchandise request process from intake through delivery, including product selection, quantities, approvals, ordering, production timelines, distribution, and internal communication.
• Develop and maintain a centralized merchandising calendar and request tracker to ensure match-by-match, campaign, event, and organizational needs are anticipated and delivered on time.
• Manage merchandise and apparel needs for Club-wide initiatives, including matchdays, events, VIPs, community programs, merch-inclusive ticket offers, internal teams, and special projects.
• Manage the Club's day-to-day relationship with Soccer Post and other retail, merchandise, fulfillment, and league-approved vendors and support matchday retail execution.
• Coordinate purchasing and seasonal product planning with league retail partners and vendors.
• Own the operational execution of annual kit launches and other priority merchandise launches.
• Develop creative briefs and coordinate with the Creative team on assets needed to support merchandise launches and promotions.
• Own outreach, relationship development, and coordination with prospective local businesses, brands, organizations, and cultural partners that align with Gotham FC's brand and audience growth priorities.
• Own day-to-day project management for approved collaborations, managing timelines, deliverables, approvals, logistics, and communication between external collaborators and internal Gotham FC teams.
• Maintain a pipeline of potential collaborators and help identify new opportunities for Gotham FC to authentically show up within the New York/New Jersey market.
• Regularly track and report on performance of all merchandise initiatives and collaborations to help inform future opportunities and partnerships. This includes providing recaps and learnings to inform future planning.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Merchandising/Retail, Business, Sports Management, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 35 years of relevant professional experience in merchandising, retail, brand marketing, project management, sports, entertainment, consumer brands, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing projects from initial brief or request through execution.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and comfort working cross-functionally across multiple departments.
• Experience with merchandising, retail operations, product development, production, or inventory management is strongly preferred.
• Experience within sports, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, retail, or culturally relevant consumer brands is a plus.
• Strong understanding of the New York/New Jersey cultural and consumer landscape is a plus.

Capabilities & Other Characteristics:

• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to independently drive projects from start to finish.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive with strong follow-through.
• Strong communicator and relationship builder across internal teams, vendors, and external partners.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and solve problems in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Culturally curious with a passion for sports, retail, fashion, entertainment, and the New York/New Jersey market.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and travel as required for matches, events, and activations; legally authorized to work in the United States.

This role will work at Gotham FC's business office, which is located at 15 Exchange Place Jersey City, New Jersey. There is an expectation of three in-person days, with the ability to be on location more depending on project needs. Ability to attend all home games and any mandatory events as well as away games, as necessary. A willingness to travel for other business-related needs, as they arise. Gotham FC requires its associates to live in its market, that is, within reasonable commuting distance of Gotham FC's offices, practice facility and Sports Illustrated Stadium. **** Gotham FC is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. We are committed to broadening the pool of qualified talent for consideration, including those who have been historically underrepresented. We strongly encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply.

Full-time position (as determined by P&C/Legal)

$65,000 - $75,000 annually

Medical, Dental & Vision benefit plans available for Employee and Family, Employee funded 401(k) option