[CHICAGO BEARS] Marketing Associate

The Associate Development Program is a paid 12-month full-time (temporary) experience designed for new or recent graduates who are looking to grow their professional sports experience. 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. 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, in Lake Forest, IL plus Soldier Field for home games with the ability for some remote work.

2025 Associate Development Program Dates: Monday, June 2, 2025 – Friday, May 22, 2026

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Occasional data entry from gamedays and various fan initiatives  

  • Assist in ordering, tracking, and organizing of departmental merchandise and other resources  

  • Work internally to build and deploy monthly newsletters to members of the Kids Club and Baby Bears programs

  • Assist in development of recaps for various Marketing initiatives, including collecting and communicating metrics  

  • Serve as the “on-site team lead” for event and gameday activations for the Kids Club, Baby Bears, and Bears Paws programs

  • Ideate and request new content ideas that drive engagement with members of the Kids Club and Baby Bears throughout the year  

  •  Help manage the day-to-day execution of key fan development initiatives (primarily the Chicago Bears Kids Club and Baby Bears, among others)  

  • 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  

  • Manage and grow the nationwide Bears Bars database by filtering new submissions, identifying new establishments, managing giveaway items, and creating promotional strategies.

  • Work with Project Management to manage fulfillment and trafficking of Bears internal marketing assets to meet Bears initiative needs and partner requirements  

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Degree in Marketing, Communications, Sport Management or related field  

  • Ability to complete assignments in a very detailed and thorough manner.

  • Strong understanding of business, marketing 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  

  • Basic understanding and working proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (including Excel and PowerPoint)  

  • Able to work non-traditional hours, in non-traditional settings, including weekends and evenings    

  • Exposure to or experience with email marketing software (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics, Eloqua, Marketo, etc.) a plus  

Jaia Thomas