Strategic Program Manager – Olympics & Licensing

Staples is business to business. You’re what binds us together. While you may know Staples as the world’s leading office supply company, Staples Promotional Products – a division of Staples – is a national leader in the promotional products industry. At Staples Promotional Products, we help customers build love for their brands with customized merchandise solutions. Whatever story they want to tell, connection they want to make, or goal they need to deliver, Staples Promo makes it easy to design promo experiences that create lasting impact. Join our winning team!What you will be doing:The Strategic Program Manager – Olympics & Licensing is a key leadership role responsible for driving Go-To-Market success for Olympic-related initiatives, licensed merchandise, and sponsorship activations. Acting as a strategic connector across departments, this position ensures seamless execution of high-impact programs that elevate brand visibility, customer engagement, and revenue growth. By aligning cross-functional efforts with brand standards and operational excellence, the Strategic Program Manager positions Staples as a trusted leader in global event merchandising and brand enablement.Design and implement strategic Go-To-Market plans for Olympic sponsorship activations and licensed product launches, ensuring market readiness and brand alignment.Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, operations, pricing, and customer service to deliver cohesive Olympic and licensing programs.Collaborate with Sales and Leadership to identify growth opportunities and develop tailored value propositions for Olympic sponsors and affiliated brands.Provide strategic communications, performance analysis, and stakeholder engagement support to senior leadership.Develop and manage training programs to prepare internal teams for Olympic and licensing initiatives, ensuring consistent execution and customer experience.Advocate for the customer and sales team in planning discussions, driving continuous improvement and alignment across departments. Deliver ongoing reporting and insights to senior leadership, identifying risks and implementing resolution strategies.Contribute to over $120M in revenue growth through effective GTM planning, talent development, and strategic program execution.What you bring to the table:Strategic thinker with deep experience in licensing, sponsorship, and global event merchandising.Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver complex projects with measurable impact.Strong communication and analytical skills, with a passion for storytelling and brand alignment.Experience in sales enablement, GTM strategy, and transformation initiatives.Comfort with AI tools and data-driven decision-making to enhance personalization and scale.Ability to represent the customer voice and advocate for continuous improvement across functions.Minimum of 8 years of experience developing Go-To-Market and activation planning for Olympic programs, including sponsorship activation, sports marketing, and large-scale brand initiatives. What’s needed- Basic Qualifications:8+ years of experience in Go-To-Market strategy, licensing, sponsorship activation, Olympic program management or related fieldExperience in Go-To-Market strategy, licensing, sponsorship activation, or Olympic program management.Proven success leading cross-functional teams and delivering complex initiatives.Strong communication, presentation, and analytical skills.Experience with AI tools and data-driven decision-making.Demonstrated ability to represent customer needs and drive continuous improvement. What’s needed - Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related fieldProven success leading cross-functional teams and delivering complex initiativesStrong communication, presentation, and analytical skillsExperience with AI tools and data-driven decision-makingDemonstrated ability to represent customer needs and drive continuous improvement We Offer: Inclusive culture with associate-led Business Resource GroupsFlexible PTO (22 days) and Holiday Schedule (7 observed paid holidays)Online and Retail Discounts, Company Match 401(k), Physical and Mental Health Wellness programs, and more!The salary range represents the expected compensation for this role at the time of posting. The specific base pay may be influenced by a variety of factors to include the candidate's experience, skill set, education, geography, business considerations, and internal equity. In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for bonuses, or other forms of variable compensation.It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.