Partnership Retention Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Renew, upsell, and manage corporate sales revenue through current partnerships.
• Annually secure and renew long-term sponsorship partnerships.
• Build and strengthen relationships with key decision-makers among local, regional, and national companies by fostering trust and collaboration.
• Conduct sales conversations with key decision-makers via outbound phone calls, meetings, presentations, Nationwide Arena tours, and other effective means.
• Develop fresh, innovative, and forward-thinking marketing and hospitality solutions that align with the partner's business objectives and the core culture of the Blue Jackets organization to deliver tangible Return on Investment (ROI) and Return on Objectives (ROO).
• Effectively qualify leads and maintain an active pipeline of potential business opportunities.
• Provide accurate and reliable reporting information to be used in forecasting and management updates.
• Collaborate with ticketing, marketing, communications, community development, game operations/event presentation departments to identify untapped revenue opportunities.
• Attend home games and special events to ensure fulfillment of partnerships and to entertain and engage with current and prospective partners.
• Execute all aspects of assigned partnership agreements including but not limited to in-arena signage, in-game promotions, media, digital, in-market promotions and hospitality.
• Oversee assigned specialty areas (i.e., signage, hospitality, print, television, radio) for the department.
• Collect, analyze, prepare and deliver proof of performance materials for partners throughout the year.

Competencies

• Sales Skills - Achieves sales goals and is comfortable selling partnerships with six-figure annual spends; overcomes objections with persuasion and persistence; initiates new contacts; maintains customer satisfaction.
• Consultative Selling - Qualifies potential customers; builds rapport and establishes trust; asks questions to discover client business needs; applies product and market knowledge effectively; presents solutions that meet customer objectives; manages and documents sales process.
• Customer Service - Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Communications - Expresses ideas and thoughts in written and oral form; exhibits good listening and comprehension; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
• Managing Customer Focus - Promotes customer focus; establishes customer service standards; provides training in customer service delivery; monitors customer satisfaction; develops new approaches to meeting customer needs.
• Job Knowledge - Keeps abreast of current developments in the sports sponsorship landscape; displays understanding of how job relates to others.
• Achievement Focus - Sets and achieves challenging goals; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against standard of excellence; recognizes and acts on opportunities; takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
• Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness.
• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks.

Qualifications

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Office Software and proficient in CRM.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to cold. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university; 3-4 years of experience and/or training in the sports and entertainment industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to cold. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Job Questions

• Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor/felony?
• Are you authorized to work lawfully in the United States?
• How did you hear about us?
• Do you have at least 3-4 years experience in the sports and entertainment industry?
• Do you have experience working in corporate sales or service?