Role OverviewThe
Director of Marketing is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping how i9 Sports shows up to franchisees, parents, and partners-ensuring clarity, consistency, and execution across all brand touchpoints.
This role owns brand positioning, messaging, system-wide communications, and content strategy, while serving as a key connector across Marketing, IT, Operations, and YEB shared services. The focus is on building strong foundations, aligning national strategy with local execution, and ensuring marketing initiatives are scalable, adoptable, and operationally sound in a franchise environment.
This leader balances brand stewardship with growth enablement-ensuring messaging and communications don't just look good, but drive adoption, trust, and measurable business results across a distributed system.
Core ResponsibilitiesBrand Strategy & Positioning- Own and evolve the i9 Sports brand voice, positioning, and messaging framework across all channels
- Ensure brand consistency across web, email, paid media, social, and franchise communications
- Lead brand updates and rollout plans that are realistic, scalable, and adoptable system-wide
- Serve as final approver for brand messaging and system-wide communications
- Proactively identify gaps, risks, and opportunities in brand perception and system adoption
Communications & Content Leadership- Oversee all franchise-facing communications, including the weekly Between the Goal Post newsletter
- Ensure communications are concise, action-oriented, and tied to clear business outcomes
- Guide content strategy across blogs, newsletters, social media, and campaigns
- Partner with CRM and Digital teams to execute lifecycle communications in HubSpot
- Develop and manage an annual strategic communications and marketing calendar
- Leverage AI and emerging tools to improve content efficiency and performance
Digital Presence & Brand Governance- Provide strategic oversight of i9 Sports digital properties, including ongoing website content, brand updates and SEO/AEO content strategy
- Partner with Digital/IT and agency partners on UX, consumer journey and website optimization
- Lead sport- and program-specific brand storytelling across digital properties
- Direct photo, video and creative strategy, including vendor management and creative direction
- Oversee on-field branding, merchandise/apparel and physical brand touchpoints to ensure brand consistency
- Oversee Canva platform strategy to drive simplicity, adoption and brand consistency
Campaigns, PR & Thought Leadership- Lead PR and earned media strategy in partnership with external agencies
- Build i9 Sports thought leadership through media, executive visibility, speaking opportunities and strategic storytelling
- Identify, develop and activate strategic brand partnerships aligned with business and brand priorities
- Lead national campaigns and brand platforms, including Gains for the Girls, from positioning through activation
- Align partnerships, influencers, PR and campaigns into an integrated annual strategy
Franchise Alignment & Enablement- Ensure national marketing strategies translate effectively at the local level
- Support adoption of the Local Marketing Playbook, PPC Match Back Program, and CRM initiatives
- Maintain franchise trust through clear expectations, consistent communication, and practical tools
- Partner with Franchise Development to support franchise sales through brand positioning, messaging, content, creative assets and storytelling that clearly communicate the strength and differentiation of the i9 Sports brand.
Technology Alignment & Program Management- Act as a bridge between Marketing, IT, Operations, and YEB shared services
- Ensure alignment across core platforms:
- Franchise Manager (programs, registrations, POS)
- HubSpot (CRM, automation, email deliverability)
- Websites, paid media, analytics tools
- Lead cross-functional initiatives with clear ownership, timelines, and accountability
- Identify risks early, escalate issues, and ensure execution discipline
- Be technically fluent (not hands-on technical)-able to manage dependencies and integrations
Leadership & Collaboration- Provide clear direction, expectations, and accountability within the marketing team
- Balance collaboration with decisive ownership
- Lead with transparency, discipline, and a strong understanding of franchise dynamics
Skills & Experience- 7-10+ years of experience in brand, marketing communications, or integrated marketing roles
- Experience within franchise, multi-unit, or distributed systems strongly preferred
- Proven ability to operate strategically while staying close to execution
- Strong leadership in brand positioning, messaging, and content strategy
- Deep experience with CRM and marketing automation (HubSpot preferred)
- Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills
- Analytical, results-oriented mindset tied to business outcomes
- Proficiency with modern marketing tools (HubSpot, WordPress, Canva, social platforms, Google Business)
- Highly collaborative, organized, and adaptable
- Passion for youth development, sports, and mission-driven brands
Why this Role MattersThis role is critical to ensuring i9 Sports shows up consistently, credibly, and confidently as a youth sports leader built on fun, inclusion, and life skills-not pressure or early specialization. The Director of Brand, Communications & Enablement will help shape how millions of families, franchisees, and partners experience the brand each year.
