Director, Business Development - University of Arkansas

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead a team of sellers responsible for achieving individual and team revenue goals.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with university partners, athletic department staff, clients, and internal stakeholders—serving as a trusted and respected representative of both Learfield and the university.
• Drive new business and strategic renewals by developing creative, integrated sponsorship opportunities across digital, social, in-venue, broadcast, and experiential platforms.
• Set annual revenue targets, track progress, and manage performance across a diverse team.
• Develop and deliver high-quality proposals and presentations to local, regional, and national brands.
• Partner with property leadership to create and manage inventory strategy and pricing.
• Recruit, coach, and develop sales talent to elevate performance and support long-term team growth.
• Identify emerging trends in sports marketing and bring forward new ideas to maximize impact.
• Represent the property in high-visibility meetings, hospitality events, and game day activations (including nights and weekends as needed).
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation across the team.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of successful sales experience, with at least 3+ years in a leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated success driving revenue growth and managing high-performing sales teams.
• Ability to craft integrated marketing strategies that align with client and university objectives.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills, with experience influencing executive-level decision makers.
• Prowed track record of setting and achieving sales targets in a competitive, performance-driven environment.
• Excellent communication, organization, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM platforms.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as needed to support athletic events or client activations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Experience selling comprehensive sports marketing partnerships including major media (signage, radio, social, digital, etc.).
• Familiarity with collegiate athletics and working with university stakeholders.
• Knowledge of digital marketing trends and performance analytics.

Benefits

Learfield offers a full spectrum of benefits for eligible employees including Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance and Other Insurance Plans, Flexible Paid Time Off (minimum 10+ days annually), including Parental Leave, 20 Paid Holidays, 401(k) + Match, and Short/Long Term Disability.

About the Role

Learfield is seeking a strategic and results-driven sales leader to join our growing sponsorship team.