📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Marketing Operations Manager
🔹 Company: DECATHLON
🔹 Location: San Francisco, California, United States
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-04-23
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site (Preference for candidates in Seattle or San Francisco)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Building and maintaining operational systems for marketing campaigns, content development, and performance tracking.
- Maximizing Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) by optimizing U.S. paid social and digital messaging within global brand guidelines.
- Developing reporting tools to monitor marketing performance and identify areas for improvement.
- Coordinating across brand, sport, and community marketers to ensure consistent execution.
- Managing day-to-day operations with agencies and contractors to ensure high-quality output and tight project tracking.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of organization, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively across multiple teams and stakeholders.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Design and maintain campaign planning tools, content calendars, and project management workflows.
✅ Run cross-functional campaign planning and status meetings, ensuring all deliverables and timelines are met.
✅ Collaborate with internal teams and agency partners on media buying, content creation, and creative testing.
✅ Build dashboards and scorecards in partnership with analytics to track ROAS, campaign performance, and content effectiveness.
✅ Identify opportunities to improve processes, remove bottlenecks, and scale what's working.
✅ Ensure close coordination between U.S. and global marketing teams, enabling effective localization and feedback sharing.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong project management skills, the ability to work independently, and the capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience: 5-7+ years of experience in marketing operations, project management, or performance marketing
Required Skills:
- Proven track record of building systems that enable efficient marketing execution across channels and teams.
- Experience managing external agencies and vendors, especially in paid media and content.
- Familiarity with digital performance metrics (ROAS, CTR, CAC, etc.) and marketing dashboards (Looker, GA4, Meta Ads Manager).
- Organized, proactive, and detail-obsessed - strong at prioritization, follow-through, and cross-functional communication.
- Comfortable in a startup or entrepreneurial environment, able to build as you go and work with limited resources.
Preferred Skills:
- Passion for sports, outdoor activities, or mission-driven brands.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in fast-paced, collaborative environments and a strong understanding of digital marketing metrics will be most successful in this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $130k-150k annually (DOE)
Benefits:
- Competitive salary
- Hybrid office
- Healthcare Coverage (Full-time employees only)
- Retirement plan contribution
- Commuter benefit options
- Employee discount
- A learning environment where you can dive deep and make an impact
- Opportunities for growth
Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on the job title, experience level, and location. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's qualifications and the company's internal salary structure.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Decathlon is an innovative sports designer, manufacturer, and retailer with a mission to make sports and the outdoors more accessible to everyone. It operates in the competitive sporting goods market, with a focus on sustainability and accessibility.
Company Size: Decathlon is a large, global company with over 100,000 employees worldwide. In the USA, it operates more like a startup, offering unique opportunities for growth and impact.
Founded: 1976, in France
Company Description:
- Decathlon is committed to making sports and outdoor activities accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget or location.
- The company designs, manufactures, and retails its own sports equipment and apparel under various brands.
- Decathlon prioritizes sustainability and innovation in its products and operations.
Company Specialties:
- Sports equipment and apparel design and manufacturing
- Retail and e-commerce operations
- Sustainable business practices
Company Website: https://www.decathlon.com/
ASSUMPTION: Decathlon's focus on sustainability and accessibility sets it apart in the competitive sporting goods market. Its unique approach to business offers candidates the opportunity to work for a company that prioritizes social and environmental responsibility.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is a mid-level position, reporting to the interim CMO or Director of Operations. It offers opportunities for growth and impact within the U.S. marketing team.
Reporting Structure: The Marketing Operations Manager will report to the interim CMO or Director of Operations, depending on the candidate and internal structure.
Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid role, with a preference for candidates in Seattle or San Francisco. The work arrangement allows for flexibility and a balance between on-site and remote work.
Growth Opportunities:
- As Decathlon continues to grow in the U.S. market, there will be opportunities for the Marketing Operations Manager to take on more responsibility and advance within the organization.
- The role offers the chance to work closely with global marketing teams, providing opportunities for international collaboration and learning.
- The company's focus on innovation and sustainability provides opportunities for the Marketing Operations Manager to contribute to and learn from cutting-edge initiatives.
ASSUMPTION: The Marketing Operations Manager role offers significant growth opportunities, both within the U.S. marketing team and across Decathlon's global operations.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Decathlon's U.S. offices are modern, collaborative workspaces designed to foster creativity and productivity.
Office Location(s): San Francisco, California (with a preference for candidates in Seattle or San Francisco)
Geographic Context:
- The San Francisco Bay Area is a major hub for the tech and sports industries, providing ample opportunities for networking and professional development.
- The region offers a diverse range of cultural, recreational, and outdoor activities, making it an attractive place to live and work.
- The Bay Area's competitive job market may require candidates to demonstrate their unique value proposition to stand out from other applicants.
Work Schedule: The Marketing Operations Manager will work a full-time schedule, with a hybrid work arrangement that balances on-site and remote work.
ASSUMPTION: The San Francisco Bay Area offers a dynamic and competitive work environment, with ample opportunities for professional growth and development. The hybrid work arrangement provides flexibility and work-life balance.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume screening
- Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
- On-site or virtual interview with the marketing team
- Final interview with the interim CMO or Director of Operations
Key Assessment Areas:
- Problem-solving skills and ability to think strategically
- Project management and organizational skills
- Familiarity with digital performance metrics and marketing dashboards
- Communication and collaboration skills
Application Tips:
- Highlight your relevant experience in marketing operations, project management, or performance marketing.
- Demonstrate your ability to build and maintain efficient marketing systems and processes.
- Showcase your experience managing external agencies and vendors, especially in paid media and content.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your skills and experience in the areas outlined in the job description.
ATS Keywords: Marketing Operations, Project Management, Performance Marketing, Campaign Planning, Content Development, Agency Management, Digital Performance Metrics, Cross-Functional Communication, Process Improvement, Collaboration, Data Analysis, Content Creation, Creative Testing, Localization, Team Coordination, Detail Orientation
ASSUMPTION: Decathlon's hiring process is designed to assess candidates' skills and fit for the Marketing Operations Manager role. The company values candidates who can demonstrate their ability to build and maintain efficient marketing systems and processes.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Campaign planning tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, or similar)
- Content calendars and project management workflows (e.g., Google Sheets, Airtable, or similar)
- Marketing dashboards (e.g., Looker, GA4, Meta Ads Manager, or similar)
- Agency management tools (e.g., Workamajig, FunctionFox, or similar)
ASSUMPTION: The Marketing Operations Manager will be expected to have experience with and be comfortable using a variety of marketing tools and technologies.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Passion for sports and outdoor activities
- Commitment to sustainability and accessibility
- Collaboration and innovation
Work Style:
- Fast-paced and collaborative
- Focused on results and continuous improvement
- Comfortable working with limited resources and building as you go
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you stay organized and manage multiple projects simultaneously?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you improved a marketing process or system to increase efficiency?
- How do you approach working with external agencies and vendors to ensure high-quality output and tight project tracking?
ASSUMPTION: Decathlon values candidates who are passionate about sports and outdoor activities, committed to sustainability and accessibility, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- The Marketing Operations Manager role may require candidates to adapt to a fast-changing work environment and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously.
- Candidates may face competition from other applicants with relevant experience in marketing operations, project management, or performance marketing.
- The role may require candidates to work with limited resources and build systems and processes from scratch.
- The San Francisco Bay Area's competitive job market may make it challenging for candidates to stand out from other applicants.
ASSUMPTION: The Marketing Operations Manager role offers significant opportunities for growth and impact, but also presents unique challenges that candidates should be prepared to address.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Unlike traditional marketing operations roles, this position requires a strong focus on campaign planning, content development, and performance tracking.
- Decathlon's commitment to sustainability and accessibility sets it apart from other sporting goods retailers, offering candidates the opportunity to work for a company that prioritizes social and environmental responsibility.
- As a mid-level position, the Marketing Operations Manager role offers opportunities for growth and advancement within the U.S. marketing team and across Decathlon's global operations.
ASSUMPTION: The Marketing Operations Manager role at Decathlon is unique in its focus on campaign planning, content development, and performance tracking, and offers significant opportunities for growth and advancement within the company.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a new campaign planning framework to improve efficiency and effectiveness across marketing channels.
- Optimizing U.S. paid social and digital messaging within Decathlon's global brand guidelines to maximize Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
- Building and maintaining a comprehensive marketing performance dashboard to track key metrics and identify areas for improvement.
ASSUMPTION: The Marketing Operations Manager role offers candidates the opportunity to work on high-impact projects that drive marketing efficiency and effectiveness.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the internal structure of the U.S. marketing team and how this role fits within it?
- How does Decathlon approach collaboration and communication between U.S. and global marketing teams?
- What opportunities are there for growth and advancement within the U.S. marketing team and across Decathlon's global operations?
- How does Decathlon support work-life balance for its employees, particularly in a hybrid work arrangement?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the U.S. marketing team, and how can this role help address them?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should ask thoughtful questions during the interview process to demonstrate their interest in the role and gain a deeper understanding of Decathlon's culture and operations.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience in marketing operations, project management, or performance marketing.
- Prepare examples of your past work that demonstrate your ability to build and maintain efficient marketing systems and processes.
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your continued interest in the role.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
