WHO YOU'LL WORK WITHThis role reports to the Senior Manager of International Basketball Sports Marketing, based at Nike World Headquarters in Portland, Oregon, United States, and is based in Tokyo, Japan. The role collaborates closely with cross-functional teams across Japan Sports Marketing, Global Sports Marketing, Brand Marketing, Communications, Retail, Sales, Product, Finance, and Social Community and Impact (SC&I), while engaging a broad external network of athletes, agents, coaches, scouts, teams, leagues, federations, schools, agencies, and media partners.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FORAs basketball continues to accelerate in visibility and cultural relevance across Japan, the team seeks a strategic and culturally fluent leader who translates athlete insight and sport trends into sharp, actionable sports marketing strategies that fuel business growth. This individual builds trust quickly and sustains meaningful partnerships across athletes, teams, and internal stakeholders, while connecting investments to measurable outcomes. They bring a strong point of view, operate with agility, and understand the nuances of Japan's basketball landscape, supported by established relationships and a deep passion for the game.
- Minimum 5-6 years of experience in sports marketing, brand marketing, athlete management, sponsorship, partnerships, or a related field.
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Sports Management, communications or equivalent practical experience.
- Deep expertise in Japan's basketball and broader sports landscape.
- Demonstrated ability to build and sustain trusted partnerships across diverse stakeholders.
- Skilled negotiator with sound judgment and the ability to drive strategic decisions in dynamic environments.
- Strong oral and written communication skills in both English and Japanese.
WHAT YOU'LL WORK ONIn this role, you focus on mastering the fundamentals-seek, sign, and serve-while shaping strategies that identify emerging talent, build authentic relationships, and translate opportunities into measurable business impact locally and globally, managing a dynamic portfolio that ensures NIKE shows up at the forefront when it matters most.
- Seek: Identify and connect with top basketball talent across Japan early, building authentic, long-term relationships.
- Manage the athlete and team portfolio by balancing investments and divestments to maximize impact and build a strong, future-ready roster.
- Sign: Leverage trusted relationships and credibility to establish NIKE as a preferred partner among Japan's top basketball talent.
- Serve: Manage athlete and team servicing needs, including product seeding, contractual commitments, and event execution.
- Collaborate closely with Brand Marketing, Product, and cross-functional partners to amplify athlete moments and unlock business growth.
- Oversee budgets, contracts, reporting, and compliance requirements with discipline and accuracy.
- Develop and evolve the Japan Basketball Sports Marketing strategy, aligning global priorities with local insights and opportunities.
