Commercial Insights Analyst in Sunderland

At Sunderland AFC, you’re not just becoming part of a football club; you’re entering a vibrant community fuelled by passion and pride. Our commitment to making a difference means you’ll engage with local initiatives that truly matter, allowing you to leave a positive impact right here at home. You’ll thrive in an exciting, dynamic atmosphere where every day is a new adventure filled with the thrill of football and teamwork. We believe in nurturing talent, so you’ll have access to training programs and mentorship opportunities. Our diverse and inclusive culture celebrates individuality, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. You’ll be part of a team that unites in the spirit of collaboration and respect, making your work environment both rewarding and inspiring.

About the Data & Technology Team: We are a team of passionate innovators and problem-solvers committed to powering the club through data and technology. Our mission is to deliver actionable insights and strategic intelligence that drive informed decision-making, commercial growth, and competitive advantage across the organisation. We are responsible for the utilisation and optimisation of the club's physical and digital technology estate — spanning infrastructure, platforms, and applications — ensuring every system and tool is leveraged to its fullest potential. At the forefront of our approach is the progressive adoption of Artificial Intelligence, embedding AI-driven workflows and capabilities across both football and business operations to unlock new efficiencies, automations, and surface insights at pace and scale.

The Opportunity: This is a high-impact opportunity for an experienced insight professional to shape the commercial intelligence function at the club. As Commercial Insights Manager, you will own the development and evolution of dashboards and reporting frameworks that provide clear, real-time visibility into performance across commercial partnerships, premium hospitality, ticketing, and retail operations. Your analysis will be central to identifying and unlocking revenue optimisation opportunities — from upsell potential and price elasticity through to attendance drivers — directly influencing the club's financial strategy and commercial roadmap. You will support the partnerships function on sponsorship valuation and partner reporting, delivering compelling, data-driven evidence of audience reach, engagement, and ROI to support partnership retention and growth. Beyond that, your work will span premium product performance, fan segmentation, and supporter journey analysis — translating complex data into actionable strategies that sharpen marketing effectiveness, deepen fan loyalty, and accelerate revenue generation. Working closely with the club's data architecture/engineering partners and senior business stakeholders, you will champion data quality, and play a leading role in embedding a data‑literate culture across our commercial teams.

What We Ask For:

• Demonstrable experience leveraging AI workflows to drive innovation, enable commercial growth, and improve operational efficiency
• Proven ability to build or contribute to fan or customer segmentation models
• Strong proficiency in SQL for data extraction, transformation, and analysis
• Competency in Python or R for statistical analysis and modelling
• Hands‑on experience with BI and visualisation tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or equivalent platforms
• Solid understanding of data warehousing principles and experience working with cloud data platforms (e.g. AWS S3, Redshift, or similar)
• The ability to communicate insight clearly and confidently to non‑technical stakeholders, including at senior level

Above all, we are looking for a highly organised, proactive individual who can manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and take genuine ownership of the insight’s programme. The successful candidate will be required to obtain an Enhanced DBS check as a condition of employment.

Location and Eligibility: Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom, SR5 1SU Permanent - Full‑time This is a full‑time, on‑site role based at the Stadium of Light. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK, as we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Benefits:

• Annual Leave: Employee Offering — 25 days leave (in addition to public holidays), increasing to 27 days after 5 years’ service.
• Death in Service Employee Benefit: The Death in Service benefit provides peace of mind for you and your family, offering a safety net of four times the basic annual salary in the unfortunate event of a loss.
• Salary Exchange Schemes: Agree to reduce your salary through our Salary Exchange Schemes to enjoy benefits like tax savings, increased pension contributions for a larger retirement fund, eco‑friendly travel with EV Salary Sacrifice, and healthier commutes with Cycle 2 Work.
• Complimentary Season Tickets: Score two free tickets for all home fixtures, so you can kick back, cheer on the club, and enjoy all the Premier League action!
• Enhanced Family and Parental Pay: Enhanced Paternity, Maternity, and Adoption pay provide new parents with more than just statutory pay, offering additional financial support to embrace your time with your families!
• Employee Assistance Programs: Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) offer confidential support services that go beyond just workplace wellness, providing you with access to counselling, resources, and tools to tackle personal challenges and enhance your overall well‑being!
• Free Parking: Free parking at both the Stadium of Light and the Academy of Light.
• Discounts: SAFC employees enjoy various discount packages from our partners, including exclusive offers at the Club Store.

Equal Opportunity Statement: Sunderland AFC is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a policy of treating all employees and job applicants equally. Our aim is that all colleagues should be able to work in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and bullying.