Senior Director Marketing Running and Track & Field

The GIST
The GIST

Marketing & Communications, Sales & Business Development

USD 156k-216,060 / year

Posted on Nov 14, 2026

Your mission

  • Define and execute the global Run & Track & Field marketing strategy, translating PUMA’s Performance vision into clear category priorities, seasonal plans, and growth roadmaps.
  • Position Running and Track & Field as strategic performance categories, establishing a clear role, ambition, and long-term growth agenda within PUMA’s portfolio.
  • Drive category growth through product innovation, athlete success, major competitions, participation trends, and the intersection of sport, culture, and lifestyle.
  • Lead the activation of PUMA’s athlete, federation, event, and performance partnerships, maximizing their marketing and commercial impact.
  • Develop year-round athlete storytelling strategies that connect elite and emerging talent to product launches, innovation stories, competition moments, digital content, and retail activations.
  • Own global category storytelling and campaign leadership, creating compelling narratives around performance products, innovation platforms, athlete achievements, and major running events.
  • Partner with Creative teams and agencies to deliver distinctive, authentic, and high-quality global campaigns that strengthen PUMA’s authority in Run & Track & Field.
  • Build integrated demand generation strategies, linking awareness, engagement, product launches, e-commerce, retail traffic, conversion, and full-price sell-through.
  • Create commercially effective Go-To-Market strategies in partnership with Product, Merchandising, Sales, DTC, and regional teams to ensure strong market execution.
  • Own the global Run & Track & Field marketing calendar, planning around major marathons, championships, global athletics events, Olympic cycles, athlete milestones, and key product launches.
  • Enable regional and local market success through scalable activation frameworks, market toolkits, localized athlete initiatives, and tailored growth plans.
  • Act as the global marketing leader and key stakeholder across functions, ensuring alignment between Product, Design, Sports Marketing, Creative, Digital, PR, Sales, DTC, and regional organizations.
  • Manage the global category marketing budget and investment strategy, allocating resources across athletes, events, campaigns, markets, content, media, and innovation initiatives.
  • Establish a performance-driven measurement framework, leveraging data, analytics, and KPIs to assess brand impact, campaign effectiveness, consumer growth, commercial performance, and ROI.
  • Build and lead a high-performing global Run & Track & Field marketing organization, fostering a culture of consumer obsession, sporting authenticity, creative excellence, collaboration, accountability, and leadership development while effectively managing external agencies and partners.

Your talent

  • 15 years of experience in progressive experience in global brand marketing, category marketing, sports marketing, or commercial leadership within performance sports, athletic apparel, footwear, consumer goods, or related industries.
  • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Sports Management, Communications, or a related field required.
  • Proven experience leading global marketing strategies for performance-focused categories such as Running, Track & Field, Training, Football, Basketball, or similar sports segments.
  • Experience leading high-performing, diverse, and globally distributed teams.
  • Proven ability to foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, creativity, and consumer obsession.
  • Skilled at managing external agencies, creative partners, production teams, and strategic vendors.
  • Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling abilities.
  • Expertise in brand positioning, category management, consumer segmentation, portfolio strategy, and long-range business planning.
  • Ability to travel domestic and international

The hiring range base pay for this position is $156,000-$216,060 + Bonus + Benefits (Benefit Summary Corporate)

Pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Our principles

PUMA provides equal opportunities for all job applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Equality for all is one of the core principles at PUMA and we do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination.

At PUMA, every application is reviewed by real people who are committed to fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity - no matter your background, identity, or experience. To ensure our process stays true to these values, no automated systems or AI tools are used to make hiring decisions. Every decision is made by real people -with real judgment and accountability. We may use functions supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to carry out isolated organizational steps, such as scheduling interviews. These functions have no influence on decisions in the application process. We believe in creating spaces where everyone is welcome, celebrated, and empowered to contribute authentically. Because at PUMA, whoever wants to play, can play.

PUMA is a global sports brand creating footwear, apparel, and accessories that inspire athletes and everyday movers. The PUMA Group owns PUMA, Cobra Golf, and stichd, operates in 120+ countries, and has around 22,000 employees worldwide.

About PUMA

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, and selling footwear, apparel and accessories. Founded in 1948, PUMA helps the world’s best athletes and teams perform at their best with its innovative products. Known for its iconic cat logo and the Formstrip, the company offers performance products in categories such as Football, Running and Training. Its Sportstyle collections are rooted in sports and inspire consumers by celebrating sports culture. With its long history and strong heritage, PUMA is proud of having one of the strongest archives in the industry, with many iconic products such as the Suede and the Speedcat. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in over 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany.