Job Title: Brand Engagement Lead – Fanzones (Horse Racing)

Function: SFP

Reporting to: Head of Brand Engagement

Role Overview

As Brand Engagement Lead for Fanzones, you will lead the strategic planning and execution of engagement initiatives within one of the three core passion pillars of SFP Brand Engagement.

This role is pivotal in leveraging long-term partnerships with The Jockey Club to build brand equity and drive consumer connection in the UK market. Our products will be integrated through targeted micro-engagements, sampling, and retail activations.

Key Accountabilities

Budget & Delivery

• Become a Fanzone Engagement SME, acting as a point of contact for global best practice development.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Own the deployment and implementation of the activation calendar to ensure maximum impact among target audiences.
• Lead the planning, design, execution, and reporting of Fanzone activations aligned with strategic business priorities.
• Ensure all brand activities reflect global tone of voice and category guidelines.
• Translate strategic direction into actionable deployment plans across engagement programs.

On-Ground Activation & Oversight

• Provide hands-on leadership during live activations to ensure flawless execution and uphold brand standards.
• Oversee external agency event manager responsible for brand ambassadors.
• Coordinate and monitor retail and good conversion practices.
• Guide agencies, Brand Ambassadors, and internal teams with continuous feedback and improvement strategies.
• Equip deployment channels with the necessary tools and assets to execute campaigns effectively.

Experiential & Community Engagement

• Drive experiential activations that foster brand discovery and emotional connection within targeted communities (e.g., Horse Racing, Live Entertainment).
• Develop and manage community activation plans, including consumer journey mapping, asset deployment, legal approvals, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Share learnings across markets to enhance global engagement strategies.

Asset Development & Content Management

• Develop locally relevant engagement tools and content in line with global direction.
• Work with brand team to adapt global assets through transcreation to suit UK audiences and legal requirements.

Partnerships & Agency Management

• Coordinate and manage rightsholder partners, agency partners, vendors, and third parties to deliver outstanding execution.
• Define annual activation plans, manage agency relationships, and oversee creative development and deployment.
• Manage activation budget and collaborate cross-functionally, especially with digital teams, to amplify engagement and drive excitement.

Channel & Partner Coordination

• Work cross-functionally across the business to ensure seamless preparation and deployment of all activities.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external partners to deliver loyalty program rewards, orchestrate media enablers, and maximize use of partner-owned and brand-owned channels for event content.
• Ensure content integration across channels to drive reach, engagement, and brand consistency.

Key Skills & Attributes

• Proven experience in brand engagement, experiential marketing, or sponsorship activation.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects with shifting priorities; agility and confident decision-making are essential.
• Strong project management and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and external partners with clarity and purpose.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to execution.
• Passion for live events, horse racing, entertainment, and community-driven marketing.

Success Metrics

• Quality and impact of activations.
• Engagement and reach within target communities.
• Brand equity growth and consumer awareness.
• Efficient budget and resource management.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and cross-market collaboration.
• Team development and performance.
• Delivery against KPIs and learning agenda.