Babolat - Brand Activation & Communications Manager/Pickleball - ,UNITED STATES

Mission

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Founded in Lyon, France in 1875 and family-run for five generations, Babolat has been inventing, innovating and developing complete equipment for tennis, badminton and padel for 151 years, starting with the creation of the world’s first tennis string. In 2020, Babolat added Pickleball products to its lineup, including paddles and footwear.

Babolat built its reputation as a premium brand by offering products at the forefront of technology and by supplying equipment to generations of champions who have won the most prestigious competitions. Today, Babolat racquets, strings, and paddles are the choice of some of the world’s top players including Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassume, Leylah Fernandez and Juan Lebron. Pickleball has recently become an official sport for Babolat and we’re looking to build a team in the US.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the Global Sales &amp Marketing Director/Pickleball, the Brand Activation &amp Communications Manager/Pickleball position is primarily responsible for developing and coordinating the global brand activation and marketing communications strategy for the Babolat Pickleball business. The role brings the brand to life across international markets through integrated communications, digital and social media, product launches, events, partnerships, athlete and ambassador activation, retail marketing and community engagement.

The Brand Activation &amp Communications Manager works closely with the Pickleball Product Line Manager (PLM), Global Marketing, Regional Sales and Marketing teams, athletes and ambassadors, retailers, events and external partners. The role connects global brand direction with market-specific opportunities, ensuring consistent brand positioning and effective local execution across regions by performing the following duties:

Activités

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Core duties and responsibilities include the following. It’s not all-inclusive and there are likely additional duties and responsibilities for this job:

• Develop and coordinate the annual global Pickleball brand activation and communications plan, aligned with Babolat brand strategy and international business priorities.
• Develop scalable global campaigns and activation frameworks, partnering with regional teams to adapt execution to local consumers, communities and market opportunities.
• Lead the global Pickleball digital and social content direction, including planning around product launches, athletes, events, education and community stories.
• Coordinate internal and external creative partners to deliver consistent, adaptable Pickleball content and measure performance against agreed KPIs across markets.
• Partner with the Pickleball PLM, Global Marketing and regional Sales teams to coordinate international go-to-market plans for key product launches.
• Translate product technologies and performance benefits into compelling global messaging, launch assets, toolkits and product education for local markets.
• Develop a coordinated brand presence across priority international tournaments, consumer events, demos, retail activations, club programs and other Pickleball experiences.
• Oversee global activation guidelines and support regional event execution, including planning, budgets, partners, assets and post-event evaluation.
• Support the development and activation of Babolat’s international Pickleball athlete, ambassador and influencer network in coordination with regional teams.
• Build relationships across the international Pickleball ecosystem, including clubs, facilities, coaches, players, tournament organizers and retail partners.
• Partner with regional Sales and key-account teams to support retail activation, product launches, merchandising, demos and consumer experiences.
• Coordinate global Pickleball PR messaging, media relations support, product storytelling and major brand announcements with relevant markets.
• Monitor international competitors, consumer behavior, market maturity, events, platforms and activation strategies share insights and best practices across regions.
• Manage assigned global marketing and activation budgets define shared KPIs and evaluate performance, engagement and return on investment across markets.

Profil

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree from four-year college or university (concentration in Marketing, Communications, Business, Sports Marketing or related discipline), and a minimum of three to five years of relevant experience and/or training in marketing, brand activation, communications or sports marketing experience or equivalent combination of education and related experience is required.
• Pickleball industry experience or significant professional involvement in the Pickleball ecosystem is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of Pickleball consumers, communities and cultures across international markets, with awareness of regional differences.
• Experience developing and executing integrated brand activation campaigns.
• Strong knowledge of digital marketing, social media, content strategy and community engagement.
• Experience with events, experiential marketing, athlete or ambassador programs and/or sports partnerships.
• Ability to translate product features and technical information into compelling consumer communications.
• Strong project-management, written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Approximately 30% – 35% of both international and domestic travel is required, including visits to priority markets, events, and Babolat teams.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Targeted Hiring Range: $80,000 – $95,000 annual base salary with 10% bonus potential based on both quantitative and qualitative objectives. Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage, employer-matched 401(k) plan, disability/life insurance and more!