Sports Marketing Asset Specialist

Based at our EMEA headquarters in Hoofddorp, near Amsterdam, you will join the Sports Marketing (CPS) team as a Sports Marketing Asset Specialist, reporting to Santiago Martinez Ric, Head of Sports Marketing. This is a newly created role, built to take full ownership of the handball and volleyball asset portfolio across EMEA – athletes and teams – as the CPS programme grows in scale and visibility. You will manage three external sports consultants and work closely with your peer specialist, who covers the broader CPS sport portfolio.

ASICS is growing rapidly in handball and volleyball across Europe – from the Scandinavian and German handball markets to volleyball in Italy and France – and this role puts you at the heart of that growth. You will own athlete relationships from contract through to activation, work directly with agents and federations, and shape the sports marketing calendar across key European markets. The role offers genuine autonomy: within months, you will be proposing athlete signings and shaping strategy with your manager’s full trust. Be transparent with yourself: this role involves frequent travel across Europe and working weekends at live events. That rhythm is part of the culture, openly embraced by the team – and for the right person, it is exactly the appeal.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• SPMK Strategy & Asset Planning – execute the CPS EMEA sports marketing plan for handball and volleyball; maintain an active overview of the athlete and team asset portfolio; support delivery across European country teams as the programme grows.
• Athlete Servicing – act as the primary contact for athletes, agents, and consultants; ensure timely product delivery; track and maintain athlete satisfaction; support athlete needs related to performance and activations.
• Contract & Legal Management – lead the full athlete contract lifecycle in collaboration with Legal, Finance, local markets, and agents; prepare and review contracts; ensure all obligations and rights are met on both sides.
• Budget & Finance Management – manage the CPS sports marketing budget; control invoices and coding; coordinate monthly payments with Accounts Payable; prepare investment proposals for new athlete signings.
• Cross-Functional Coordination – work closely with Global Categories, Product, Brand, and local markets to align on athlete activation, product needs, and strategic priorities across the CPS portfolio.
• Reporting & Governance – provide regular reporting on contracts, negotiations, and budget status; manage 3 CPS sport consultants across handball, volleyball, and rugby; ensure compliance with SMSB policies and internal standards.

You have the following skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Sports Science, or a related field; equivalent experience is considered.
• 3–4 years of experience in sports marketing, athlete or sponsorship management, or sports asset management within an international company (sporting goods or FMCG preferred).
• Proven experience managing sports assets – athletes, clubs, or federations – including athlete servicing, sponsorship rights management, and portfolio oversight.
• Advanced negotiation skills in a sports context: direct experience negotiating with athletes, agents, or sports rights holders is required.
• Budget management experience: invoice coding, monthly payment coordination with Accounts Payable, and the ability to prepare investment proposals for athlete signings.
• Deep knowledge of the European sports landscape in at least one CPS sport (handball, volleyball, or rugby); having practised sport competitively is a meaningful differentiator.
• High availability for travel across Europe and genuine willingness to work weekends and attend live events – this is a non-negotiable aspect of the role.

Nice-to-haves:

• Fluent English required; German is a significant advantage given the primary handball markets (Germany, Scandinavia); French and Italian are also a plus.
• An existing network of athletes, agents, clubs, or federations within handball, volleyball, or rugby in Europe is a meaningful differentiator.

Life at ASICS

Here, your voice matters, your growth and wellbeing are important.

Our commitment to your wellbeing

We're dedicated to ensuring that every team member experiences the joy and benefits of movement. To support your wellbeing, we offer:

• Access to office gym and sports membership discount.
• Exclusive 50% discount on ASICS and ONITSUKA TIGER gear.
• Unlimited access to the Calm app for better sleep and mental fitness.
• Complimentary premium subscription to our Runkeeper Go™ app.
• A comprehensive wellness programme consisting of exercise and educational sessions.
• Professional support and meditation classes are available through OpenUp Access.
• Working abroad for four weeks every year.
• Hybrid working model. Combine the flexibility of working from home with the dynamic energy of an office environment (min 50% weekly office attendance).