Player Manager Football - Benelux (m/f)

Job description

Country: Netherlands
Job Function: Marketing & Communications

State / Province: Netherlands
Position Type: Full time

City / Location: Amsterdam
Brand: adidas

Relocation: No Selection

Somewhere, in one of our workshops right now, the future is taking shape. We are constantly working to redefine the way clothing and footwear transforms the pitch, court or course. This is what drives us: the feeling of discovery and the urge to innovate. When we create a product that makes our hearts beat faster, we know we’re onto something.

If this sounds inspiring, you might be one of us: Someone who loves to create the present, as well as shape the future. There’s a reason adidas has been at the forefront of defining sport for more than 60 years: We never stand still. Everyday, we work to improve everything we create.

At adidas, interesting, amazing and inspiring aren’t just ideas. They are what we do every single day.

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:

· To detect, identify and sign the young upcoming talents, future icon of adidas.
· To sign/extend the best professional players from Benelux region (Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg).
· To manage the full portfolio of players (scouting/professional) – sign, service and activate the portfolio.
· This role plays an instrumental part in the way that the brand is portrayed within the global football market and ensures on a day to day basis that we continue to raise the awareness and image of adidas as the No. 1 Global football brand.
· Players department is key strategy for the future of adidas football in order to make sure the stars of tomorrow play with adidas today and in the future (from signing through their career).
· Servicing criteria at player is extremely demanding. This position relies heavily on interpersonal skills and relationship building to achieve higher levels of partner collaboration.
· Absolute consistency in the approach to servicing and gaining full value from player associations is critical and team work is essential to drive standards upwards.
· Competitors of adidas, including through the use of their sponsored clubs, are extending their reach in player strategy (especially in scouting) meaning it is becoming increasingly more competitive to identify, recruit and sign players to the brand.
· adidas has always been associated with the best symbols and provides the best service. The brand of choice by professionals.
· For top professional players an activation plan will be required. To guarantee the right visibility of our key assets in Europ

Key Responsibilities:

· To manage football players portfolio in Benelux region. The portfolio currently includes assets such as Georginio Wijnaldum, Divock Origi, Arjen Robben, Jasper Cillessen, Quincy Promes, Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek and Michy Batshuayi.
· To detect, identify and sign the young upcoming talents, future icon of adidas.
· To become a key contact in the world of football players in Benelux region by providing excellence of servicing and product supply.
· To provide an integrated approach to securing the best young football talents from young age and establish adidas as the desirable brand for young players and professionals alike.
· To create a network in the world of football among Scouts, Coaches, Regional advisers, agents.
· To attend to national and international Youth events and use them as a platform for scouting (Identify, contact, network and sign).
· To work within the adidas international football team and contribute to the global scouting strategy by bringing local expertise and information.
· Key contributor to feed, maintain and exploit the global scouting database by ensuring an accurate, regular, and professional update of the data.
· To utilise industry knowledge to provide feedback to the brand at all times: Players info, competitor activity, product feedback.
· Day to day management of junior sports marketing specialist responsible for all product orders

Key Relationships:

· Internal : brand marketing, BU, CTC, Athlete Service
· Football Sports Marketing teams Global & Local, adidas partners, Global Player Managers (to Local Player Managers), Global Scouting Managers
· External : players, agents, clubs, football industry network

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

· Needs to have both football knowledge and business mindset. Football product Knowledge.
· Understanding of the issues facing players (e.g. financial, media, moving, languages, etc.) and the ability to help adidas develop programs to assist players with these issues…
· Good network and reputation in the world of football.
· The individual must be highly motivated and focused on task in hand. He or she must be extremely well organized with empathy towards the sport in which he is dealing with.
· Good planning & organization.
· Good interpersonal and negotiation skills.
· Good communication-verbal and written skills.
· Proficiency with computers and standard software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel)
· Commercial awareness, knowledge of the sporting goods business model.
· Ability and commitment to retain absolute confidentiality concerning all business matters.
· Driven to succeed and deliver against goals and work expectations.
· Fluency in English and Dutch – Third language (ideally French) is preferred.
· Schedule flexibility: Position requires substantial travel (50% to 70%) for meeting with agents, clubs and attendance to games

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications

· University degree and some specific education in Sports Management would be ideal.
· 2 years of professional experience in sports or goods industry.
· Football background as a player on high level and/or coaching (1-2 years experience).