World Cup Activation Lead

Are you excited by the possibilities that exist with Vancouver’s participation as one of 16 host cities in the world’s biggest sporting event - World Cup 2026?

Are you a strategic and creative thinker who can turn possibilities into real opportunities by connecting the world to Vancouver?

Are you a storyteller and experience builder who loves to promote Vancouver on the world stage?

If so, Destination Vancouver’s World Cup Activation Lead role could be the right match for you.

Reporting to the Vice President, Global Marketing, the World Cup 26 Activation Lead (WC Lead) will be responsible for the development and execution of strategies to leverage the World Cup 26 (WC26) that is taking place in Vancouver in 2026.

Destination Vancouver will use this amazing once in a lifetime event to create stories and experiences that will connect the world to Vancouver, differentiate the city, and tell the Vancouver story in an engaging and exciting way.

Fundamentally, the focus of the role is to leverage WC26 and the attention that will be placed on Vancouver to increase positive consideration of the city as a destination and drive visitation to Vancouver before, during and after the event.

This is a fixed term contract position until January 15, 2027, and will work cross-functionally within Destination Vancouver to deliver against the strategies developed for WC26, and in collaboration with partner organizations to ensure alignment and the creation of maximum value across the collective efforts of the region.

Strategic Accountabilities :

• Develop strategies for Destination Vancouver to leverage the opportunities that the WC26 provides.
• Manage the execution of the strategies, working in partnership with the Destination Vancouver team.
• Engage with partner organizations to ensure alignment, collaboration and the delivery of maximum value for Destination Vancouver’s WC26 initiatives.
• Report on effectiveness and impact of efforts.

Position Responsibilities :

Understand Destination Vancouver’s objectives, goals and opportunities, and how they can be best served by the opportunities presented by WC26.

Know the landscape that Destination Vancouver is working within, including best practices from past similar events as well as plans from other WC26 host markets.

Develop a strategic plan defining Destination Vancouver’s role in WC26, outlining where we will play and how the organization will succeed in responding to the opportunities.

Bring the ideas and opportunities to life in a creative and exciting way that is on brand, differentiated, and inspiring.

Present these opportunities internally within Destination Vancouver as well as to the Destination Vancouver board and external partner organizations.

Partner with relevant destination marketing organizations, including Destination British Columbia and Destination Canada, as well as the City of Vancouver and the Province of British Columbia, to find areas of synergy and alignment.

Work across all areas of Destination Vancouver to manage execution of the strategic plan.

Work with key brand-aligned areas of Vancouver’s industry, including creative technology, to understand opportunities and deliver on initiatives.

Develop a measurement framework for evaluation of the World Cup programs. Manage the evaluation and reporting.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates with at least 5 years of experience in developing marketing strategies and / or leveraging opportunities to showcase a brand and / or destination, preferably with experience in sports / major events marketing.

A background of working in creative environments to create content, stories and experiences is also required.

Passionate about Vancouver as a place to live, work and explore, candidates must also possess the following skills, interests and characteristics :

• Enthusiastic about sports and soccer and knowledgeable about destination marketing;
• Experienced in marketing / communications program delivery and management;
• A strong communicator with exceptional presentation skills;
• International mindset and demonstrated ability to deliver on a global strategy;
• Ability to work cross organizationally to deliver on pan-organizational goals;
• Experience in collaborating with both internal and external teams and stakeholders to deliver on organizational goals;
• A background working with diverse constituencies including government, not for profit and industry;
• Experience with budget creation and management;

Post-secondary education in tourism, marketing or communications and / or equivalent experience.

What do we offer?

The role is a fixed term contract position until January 15, 2027, position based in Destination Vancouver’s corporate offices with majestic views of the North Shore mountains and proximity to transit and downtown amenities.

Attendance and / or assistance may be requested at occasional before or after-hours and functions, therefore flexibility is required to support activities that may occur outside the standard operating hours, and / or on weekends.

Destination Vancouver believes in and supports work / life balance and flexible / hybrid working opportunities.

Who are we?

Destination Vancouver is one of the world’s most dynamic destination management organizations, delivering on a mandate of destination development and promotion that positions Vancouver as a must visit global destination.

Our purpose is to transform our communities and our visitors through the power of travel. This underpins everything we do and how we communicate with potential clients, engage with partners, and support our 800+ members.

Destination Vancouver has a fabulous product and a powerful brand. Our success is measured through the triple bottom line approach of an equal emphasis on people, planet and prosperity.

And, as a private, not-for-profit business association, our continued relevancy is based on supporting our industry, responsibly and sustainably managing the destination and building a competitive global destination brand.

Expected starting Salary range : $111,600 - $131,000 / year.

Destination Vancouver believes in and provides a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment.