Specialist marketing search secures creative talent with local insight in 9 weeks.
About
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the leading names in English cricket and home to Birmingham Phoenix, one of the teams competing in The Hundred. The Senior Marketing Manager role was created to lead the creative and strategic direction of Birmingham Phoenix’s marketing activity. The appointment was focused on strengthening brand presence, growing the fanbase and improving the matchday and digital experience for supporters across every touchpoint.
The role formed part of a wider recruitment project delivered by Executives in Sport Group, covering senior commercial, marketing and data roles for Warwickshire CCC.
Challenge
Warwickshire CCC required a marketing leader who could deliver standout campaigns for Birmingham Phoenix, engaging both existing cricket supporters and newer audiences discovering the sport through The Hundred. The successful candidate needed to combine creativity, strategic thinking and strong brand-building experience, with the ability to deliver campaigns across multiple platforms. The club was open to talent from both inside and outside sport, creating an opportunity to bring fresh thinking into the organisation.
The search also required careful consideration of location. Warwickshire CCC needed someone who understood the Birmingham market or had a clear connection to the region, while also being able to support the wider growth ambitions of Birmingham Phoenix.
Solution
Executives in Sport Group applied a targeted headhunting approach, combining sports industry insight with a wider search across relevant consumer, entertainment and brand-led sectors.
The search was led by Lena Stroem, Consultant at Executives in Sport Group, who specialises in Marketing and Digital recruitment across the sports industry. Lena focused on identifying candidates with proven campaign experience, audience engagement expertise and the ability to bring new ideas into a fast-moving sporting environment.
The process included market mapping, proactive outreach to passive candidates and a focused assessment of each candidate’s creative, strategic and cultural fit. This approach allowed Warwickshire CCC to compare talent from inside and outside sport, while maintaining a clear focus on the specific needs of Birmingham Phoenix.
Outcome
The successful candidate was appointed from outside the sports industry, bringing strong experience in brand growth, campaign delivery and audience engagement.
The appointment gave Warwickshire CCC a dedicated marketing leader for Birmingham Phoenix, supporting the team’s ability to deliver bold campaigns, grow its fanbase and strengthen its presence within The Hundred.
The search reached 65 candidates, produced a shortlist of 6, progressed 1 candidate to final interview and was completed in 9 weeks.
“This search was about finding someone who could bring both creative thinking and strategic marketing experience to Birmingham Phoenix. The successful candidate offered a strong mix of brand growth expertise, audience understanding and local insight, which made them a great fit for the role.” – Lena Stroem, Consultant, Executives in Sport Group
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