Director, Shows and Activations

Topps / Fanatics Collectibles is seeking an experienced and dynamic Shows & Activations Director, EMEA to oversee all shows, events, and activations across the region. This role is instrumental in driving brand visibility, consumer engagement, and community-building through industry-leading experiences, including card shows, Rip Nights, trade fairs, UEFA Club Competitions finals, and activations with the Premier League and Bundesliga.

**Key Responsibilities**

**1. Event Strategy & Execution**
- Develop and implement a comprehensive event and activation strategy to drive brand awareness, consumer engagement, and product adoption across EMEA.
- Lead the planning and execution of key events, including card shows, Rip Nights, trade fairs, UEFA Club Competitions finals, and league activations (Premier League, Bundesliga, etc.).
- Oversee on-site branding, interactive experiences, and retail activations to maximize consumer impact.

**2. Partnerships & Stakeholder Management**
- Work closely with football leagues, clubs and federations to enhance Topps' presence at major sporting events.
- Develop relationships with key influencers, hobby shops, distributors, and media partners to amplify activations.
- Collaborate with internal teams (marketing, sales, product) to align activations with broader brand and commercial objectives.

**3. Consumer Engagement & Growth**
- Design activations that introduce new audiences to collectibles, supporting the company’s North Star goal of converting sports fans into collectors.
- Utilize data and insights to tailor experiential marketing initiatives that resonate with diverse demographics, including young collectors and female audiences.
- Drive innovative activations that blend physical and digital experiences, enhancing fan interaction with Topps products.

**4. Budget & Performance Management**
- Manage event budgets effectively, ensuring maximum ROI and alignment with strategic objectives.
- Track and analyze key performance metrics for activations, optimizing future events based on engagement, sales impact, and brand growth.

**5. Cross-Functional Collaboration**
- Work closely with the marketing and sales to integrate activations into broader brand campaigns.
- Lead internal and external event teams, agencies, and suppliers to deliver world-class experiences.

**Qualifications & Experience**
- 10+ years of experience in event marketing, brand activations, or sports marketing, preferably in collectibles, sports, or entertainment.
- Proven track record of executing large-scale events and consumer activations across multiple markets.
- Strong understanding of the collectibles industry, hobby market, and sports fandom.
- Exceptional relationship-building skills with sports leagues, clubs, federations, and retail partners.
- Hands-on, results-driven, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.
- Strong budget management and analytical skills to measure activation impact.
- Fluent in English; additional European languages (e.g., German, Spanish, or French) are a plus.
- Willingness to travel extensively across EMEA for events and activations.
- The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post._
- Subject to applicable laws, Fanatics Collectibles may choose to run a background check._

Fanatics Collectibles is a new model and vision for the hobby, fundamentally changing the experience for current and future collectors, leagues, and players across many U.S. and international professional and college sports. The organization has long-term, exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards for several sports and entertainment properties, including MLB, MLBPA, the Premier League, MLS, UFC, Formula 1 as well as Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, among others. In January 2022, Fanatics Collectibles announced the acquisition of Topps, establishing the preeminent licensed trading card brand as the cornerstone of Fanatics’ trading cards and collectibles business, and jumpstarted its MLB and MLBPA rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards