Sponsorship Director, Americas
Role Summary
The Sponsorship Director, Americas is a senior commercial leader responsible for driving partnership revenue and expanding SailGP's commercial footprint across North America, Latin America, and Canada. Reporting to the Chief Revenue Officer based in the NYC SailGP office, this role is the primary driver of new business across the Americas, owning the full sales cycle from prospecting through to closing on sponsorship, partnership, and licensing opportunities.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive sponsorship sales strategy across the Americas region to meet and exceed annual revenue targets
Identify, prospect, and close sponsorship and partnership sales across a range of categories including tiered deals across the League and Events
Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospective partners, leveraging CRM tools (Monday.com) to track activity and forecast accurately
Leverage SailGP strategic agency relationships to drive sponsorship sales across Events, League and Team partners
Develop compelling, tailored sales proposals and presentations that articulate SailGP's unique value proposition to brands and agencies
Cultivate senior-level relationships with brand marketers, agency partners, and C-suite decision makers across key verticals including financial services, automotive, technology, luxury, and CPG
Identify and structure innovative partnership frameworks beyond traditional sponsorship, including supplier integration, licensing, content partnerships, hospitality, and experiential activations
Collaborate with the global commercial team and external agencies to ensure regional strategy aligns with overall league objectives
Conduct ongoing market analysis to identify emerging opportunities, category whitespace, and competitive dynamics across the Americas
Represent SailGP at industry events, conferences, and networking forums to build brand awareness and generate leads
Work closely with the events and host city teams to support commercial integration around Americas-based race events
Cross-functional Collaboration:
- Collaborate closely with peer Sponsorship Directors to drive a unified, consistent, and cohesive sales strategy
- Partner with the partnership activation and marketing teams to ensure seamless transition from sale to delivery, maintaining high partner satisfaction and renewal rates
- Work with Finance team to develop sound margin outlook for partner deals
- Collaborate with the global media and content teams to develop commercially compelling storytelling tools for the sales process
- Provide regular reporting on pipeline, revenue performance, and market insights to senior leadership
Qualifications
10+ years of experience in sports commercial, partnership sales, or business development, with a proven track record of closing complex, high-value deals
Available for extensive travel; time in-person with senior leadership at industry events, regional HQ presentations, and SailGP strategic cities (including but not limited to NYC, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Toronto, etc.)
Deep knowledge of the North American sports and sponsorship landscape
Existing relationships with senior brand and agency contacts across the Americas
Strong presentation, negotiation, and communication skills
Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, global organization
Passion for sailing or premium/international sports (a plus)
Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent a plus
Key Expectations
Champion an inclusive environment where diversity is valued
Advocate and promote SailGP Values and contribute to a positive culture
Deliver Quality, Break Boundaries, Make an Impact, Strike a Balance, Stand Together
Operate with a financially responsible mindset and strive for the commercial sustainability of SailGP
Consider how each team action contributes to Better Sport, Better Planet
Develop creative solutions that allow for quality work to be delivered
Drive collaboration and team work within the department and across the organization
Encourage the delivery of work that will leave an impact on the organization
Engage in high level thinking to drive the team and organization forward
Exercise key problem solving skills and serve as advisor to multiple areas of the business
Strategize constructively with key stakeholders and team managers
Able to see and work towards the bigger picture
Location
This is a hybrid role requiring 3 days per week in our New York City office, alongside regional and international travel