There has never been a more exciting time to join Chicago Fire FC.
As one of Major League Soccer’s original clubs, Chicago Fire FC is in the midst of an exciting era fueled by tremendous investment, ambition, and growth. With a new $100M state-of-the-art Endeavor Health Performance Center now open, new offices in Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Building, and plans underway for a privately-funded $750M+ soccer-specific stadium set to open in 2028 in the heart of Chicago, the Club is building the future of soccer in one of the world’s great sports cities.
Chicago Fire FC is becoming a cultural force in Chicago by connecting communities, shaping experiences, and creating new ways for fans to engage with the game and the city. The Club’s future home, McDonald’s Park, will anchor Chicago’s next great sports and entertainment destination and represents a transformational opportunity for the Club.
Job Summary:
Chicago Fire FC is seeking a Marketing Director – McDonald’s Park to lead the marketing strategy and roadmap for the Club’s future home.
This is a unique cross-functional role sitting at the intersection of marketing and the commercial teams responsible for bringing McDonald’s Park to life. Reporting directly to the Chief Marketing Officer, this person will work closely with leaders across Ticketing, Premium, Corporate Partnerships, Stadium Operations and McDonald’s Park, while partnering with teams across Marketing, Strategy & Analytics, Brand & Communications, Creative, Content and other areas of the organization.
This person’s mind is always on McDonald’s Park. While functional leaders across the marketing department balance the stadium alongside the many priorities of a growing football club, this role will wake up every day focused on what McDonald’s Park needs from Marketing to be a commercial success.
The ideal candidate is a sharp, commercially minded, integrated marketer who can understand the needs of our revenue teams, determine where Marketing can have the greatest impact, and bring the right people together to deliver against those priorities. They will need excellent judgment, strong strategic instincts and the ability to influence across teams without direct authority.
The nature of this role will evolve significantly over the next two years as McDonald’s Park moves from construction to opening. Today, the focus will be on building demand, generating and nurturing leads, supporting major partnership opportunities and telling the story of the stadium as it comes to life. As the opening of McDonald’s Park approaches in July 2028, the priorities and opportunities will continue to shift and expand.
Job Responsibilities:
- Own the McDonald’s Park marketing roadmap, working in partnership with commercial and functional leaders to establish priorities, identify key moments and ensure the organization is planning ahead for the marketing needs of the stadium.
- Serve as the primary bridge between McDonald’s Park revenue functions and the broader Marketing organization, translating commercial priorities into clear marketing opportunities, strategies and plans.
- Partner closely with Ticketing and Premium teams to understand sales performance, pacing, pipeline and business needs across suites, luxury, premium products and memberships, identifying where and when marketing can have the greatest impact.
- Develop strategies to help generate new leads across suites, luxury, premium products and memberships through compelling content, creative, storytelling, experiences and integrated marketing.
- Develop an ongoing engagement and nurture strategy for existing Chicago Fire FC Members and McDonald’s Park deposit holders, ensuring these high-value audiences receive consistent, relevant and compelling updates that build excitement, deepen engagement and maintain momentum ahead of the stadium’s July 2028 opening.
- Proactively identify and maximize content, creative and storytelling opportunities throughout the journey to July 2028, ensuring major milestones, behind-the-scenes access, construction progress, people and stories surrounding McDonald’s Park are captured and brought to life across the Club’s channels.
- Regularly assess performance and changing commercial needs to determine when marketing activity should accelerate, shift or scale back, working with Strategy & Analytics and Marketing leaders to inform those decisions.
- Partner with Corporate Partnerships throughout the new stadium sales process, understanding prospective and incoming partnerships, associated assets and opportunities for Marketing to strengthen partnership propositions.
- Lead the marketing planning for major new stadium partnership announcements, particularly cornerstone and founding partnerships, ensuring launches create maximum value for both Chicago Fire FC and its partners.
- Partner with the General Manager of McDonald’s Park and other stadium leaders to maintain visibility into major construction, operational and commercial milestones and identify the moments that warrant marketing or storytelling support.
- Maintain a clear understanding of available stadium assets, including renderings, photography, video, plans and other materials; understand what is current, what has changed and what is approved for public use; and ensure teams across Marketing are working from the latest available materials.
- Bring structure and discipline to a complex, fast-moving initiative through strong project management, while maintaining focus on strategic priorities and commercial outcomes.
- Adapt the McDonald’s Park marketing roadmap as the project evolves, recognizing that the needs, priorities and opportunities of the role will change significantly between today and the stadium’s opening in July 2028.
Qualifications:
- 7+ years of experience in marketing, integrated marketing, brand strategy, commercial marketing or a related field.
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
- Demonstrated ability to develop integrated marketing strategies and translate business objectives into clear priorities, plans and actions.
- Strong commercial instincts and an ability to understand revenue goals, sales performance and customer journeys without needing to be the functional expert in each discipline.
- Exceptional ability to prioritize – understanding what matters most at a given moment, where Marketing can make the greatest difference and when activity needs to accelerate, change or pause.
- Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
- Strong strategic judgment and comfort operating in an environment where information, priorities and timelines can change quickly.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to create clarity and maintain momentum across multiple interconnected workstreams without losing sight of the bigger picture.
- Excellent communicator who can work effectively with both senior leaders and functional specialists across a wide range of disciplines.
- Curious and proactive, with an instinct to seek out information, anticipate what’s coming and identify opportunities before being asked.
- High level of energy, ownership and enthusiasm for helping build something transformational for Chicago Fire FC and the city of Chicago.
- Experience in sports, entertainment, hospitality, real estate development, premium products or major venue launches is beneficial but not required.
Compensation:
- This role offers a salary range of $100,000.00 - $110,000.00. Final salary is determined by carefully considering the applicant's background, experience, and qualifications. Base pay may vary significantly based on geographic location, job-specific knowledge, skills, and overall experience. This role is classified as Full-time, exempt
- This role is bonus eligible based on club-wide goals
- Additional benefits & perks: Official Chicago Fire FC Website
Additional Notes:
- Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Our diversity initiatives start with the recruitment and selection process; therefore, we’d like to welcome all diverse candidates to apply to opportunities within our Club.
- CFFC is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, age, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual orientation or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.
- If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the People & Culture Department at [email protected] to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
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