Title: Marketing Associate
Department: Marketing
Reports To: Manager of Fan Development & Brand Marketing
Supervises People: No
About The Role
The Associate Development Program is a paid 12-month full-time (temporary) experience designed for early-career individuals or those beginning their professional careers. A bachelor’s degree, relevant certification, or a combination of related education and experience aligned with the responsibilities of the role is required. Relevant coursework, training, or equivalent experience is valued. The format allows for structured professional development and hands-on learning.
As our Marketing Associate, you’ll hone your sports marketing skills by working across the department on the planning and execution of a variety of fan- and brand-building programs. Reporting into the Manager of Fan Development and Brand Marketing, your work will directly support the Marketing department’s objectives of driving growth of the Bears fan base, increasing the relevance of the Bears brand, and deepening our relationships with current fans. Candidates who are most successful in this role bring strong collaboration and communication skills, are well organized with their time and work, and offer fresh ideas and perspective on ways to grow our brand. This role works out of our headquarters, Halas Hall, located in Lake Forest, IL; however, travels throughout the greater Chicago(land) area with the ability for some remote work. In addition, the associate will be required to work all home games at our Soldier Field stadium location.
2026-27 Associate Development Program Dates: Monday, June 1, 2026 – Friday, May 21, 2027
Who We Are
As one of the founding franchises of the NFL, family is the core of who we are. We believe every person matters, and we can collectively achieve success through our values of respect, championship mindset, community, and perseverance. We’re different from other companies, as our vision is to be “one of one”. We strive to be a championship football organization that consistently performs at a level of excellence on and off the field. Our people represent a vast array of cultural backgrounds, human experiences and perspectives, and we believe they, collectively and as authentic individuals, are our greatest resource. Our working environment is one where your talent and contributions are valued by the organization and the community.
Responsibilities
- Fan Development and Brand MarketingInitiatives
- Help manage the day-to-day execution of key fan development initiatives (primarily the Chicago Bears Kids Club and Baby Bears,Bears Headquarters Bars Programand watch parties, among others)
- Ideate and requestnew contentideas that drive engagement with members of the Kids Club and Baby Bears throughout the year
- Drive engagement with Bears Headquarters Bars and execute our monthly watch parties throughout the year
- Manage the execution of sweepstakes and other programming that drive Club membership growth and deeper engagement with Club members
- Support year-round customer service, reporting, event planning, and gameday activation for the Chicago Bears Kids Club and Baby Bears programs
- Work internally to build and deploy monthly newsletters to members of the Kids Club and Baby Bearsprograms
- Serveas the “on-site team lead” for event and gameday activations for the Kids Club, Baby Bears, Bears Headquarters Bars and watch parties' programs
- Manage and grow the nationwide Bears Bars database by filtering new submissions,identifyingnew establishments, managing giveaway items, and creating promotional strategies.
- Support Fan Development and Brand Marketing with ideation and execution of net new concepts (brand marketing, retail, international) tailored to expand the brand and reach new fanbases
- Marketing Department Support
- Work with Fan Development and Brand Marketing as well as Integrated Marketing and Digital Marketing to ensure promotional asset needs are met to support Chicago Bears Kids Club and Baby Bears, Bears Headquarters Bars Program and watch parties
- Assistin development of recaps for various Marketing initiatives, including collecting and communicating metrics
- Assistin ordering, tracking,and inventory managementof departmental merchandise and other resources
- Occasional data entry from gamedays and various fan initiatives
- Performadditionalduties assigned
Qualifications
- Degree in Marketing, Communications, SportManagementor related field
- Strong understanding of business,brandmarketing and advertising principles through school or work experience
- Strong time management and organizational skills, ability to always work on multiple projects
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills, including written and oral correspondence, and the ability to adapt to various personalities
- Ability to complete assignments ina very detailedand thorough manner.
- Basic understanding and workingproficiencyin Microsoft Office Suite (including Excel and PowerPoint)
- Exposure to or experience with email marketing software (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics, Eloqua, Marketo, etc.) a plus
- Basic HTML coding ability a plus
- Prior sports experience a plus
- Prior copywriting or other digital/social content development experience a plus
- Able to work non-traditional hours, in non-traditional settings, including weekends and evenings
- Some travel to events within the Chicagoland area, as needed
- Ability to stand/walk forlong periodsof time in varying weather conditions, climb up/downstairs, lift heavy objects
- Reliable transportation isrequiredfor this role.
What We Offer
We remain committed to upholding the standard of being a first-class organization and employer of choice.
COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY PAY
The Marketing Associate is a full-time temporary position. This position is an HOURLY role. The expected hourly rate for this role is $20/per hour. Please note that due to job function, regular overtime (paid as time-and-a-half) is not expected.
Benefits & Perks
Our Associate offerings include but are not limited to:
- Core Coverage: Optional medical coverage (employer paid premium + employee paid deductible)
- Flexible Work Location: Up to 2 days a week of remote work (role dependent)
- Time to Recharge: 5 days of paid vacation time, 3 paid sick/mental health days plus 10 paid holidays, paid time off to volunteer
- Experiences: complimentary preseason tickets for one game, ability to buyadditionaltickets for home & away games
- Wellness: FREE breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks, access to onsite fitness facilities and BearsFit , complimentary Calm app access
- Connection: Social events for staff and their families, Employee Resource Groups, and more
- Professional Development: complimentary LinkedIn Learning access, professional development sessions, guest speakers, mentorship
Additional information on employee benefits can be found by visiting www.ChicagoBears.com/jobs .
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The Chicago Bears organization continues to deepen its commitment to establishing an inclusive, equitable work environment that reflects the diversity within our communities and fan base. We value, respect, and appreciate diversity at all levels, on and off the field, and are guided by a vision of success that includes integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into our club's DNA and culture. The Chicago Bears seek to attract, retain and develop top talent, regardless of personal characteristics, and we invite and encourage all individuals to apply for positions of interest.
The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive . They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job. Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
