Sr Manager Partnerships Sales

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead outbound efforts to secure brand partnerships across sponsorship and value-based models, expanding LOVB’s commercial reach and brand ecosystem.
• Develop and manage a dynamic sales pipeline with clear next steps, CRM documentation, and forecasting transparency.
• Collaborate with our agency partner to align outreach strategy, define lead ownership, and minimize overlap.
• Cook up and execute partnership strategies that align LOVB’s IP with cross-functional teams.
• Structure and negotiate partnership agreements that may include a combination of financial contributions, product or service exchange, or co-branded activations.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and leadership to ensure deal terms meet strategic objectives and organizational compliance.
• Track performance against commercial goals using CRM and internal tracking tools.
• Support a smooth transition from contract to activation, aligning with internal operations and marketing teams to ensure execution meets expectations.
• Host and support partners at matches and events, serving as a brand ambassador for LOVB on-site.
• Stay attuned to trends in sports sponsorship, integrated marketing, and strategic partnerships to continuously refine sales strategy.
• Attend industry events and conferences to represent LOVB and grow our visibility among brand and agency decision-makers.
• Partner with Finance and internal leads to forecast partnership contributions, ensuring initiatives meet both revenue and value delivery goals.
• Help define KPIs for hybrid partnerships and track progress toward business impact.

Required & Preferred Skills/Abilities

• Strategic Sales Acumen: Proven success in driving partnership or sponsorship sales, with a strong track record of securing high-impact, multi-stakeholder brand deals—preferably within sports, media, or entertainment.
• Executive-Level Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to engage, influence, and build trust with senior brand marketers, C-suite executives, and agency partners.
• Insight-Driven Storytelling: Skilled at crafting compelling, insight-led partnership narratives and pitch materials that align brand objectives with LOVB’s platform and values.
• Negotiation & Deal Management: Experienced in structuring and negotiating complex agreements, collaborating with Legal, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to drive results.
• Operational Rigor: Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple deal cycles simultaneously; proficient in CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) and presentation platforms (PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Adept at working across teams to shape and activate integrated partnership programs; brings a collaborative mindset and the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Strategic Influence: Contributes to broader partnership strategy and go-to-market planning; proactively shares insights and market intelligence to help evolve LOVB’s commercial approach.
• Autonomy & Agility: Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and can balance long term thinking with day-to-day execution.
• Mission & Cultural Alignment (Preferred): Passion for women’s sports and a belief in LOVB’s community-first approach to growing the game.
• Value in Kind (VIK) Expertise (Required): Proven experience negotiating, structuring, and managing VIK agreements within professional sports, sponsorship sales, or partnerships. Candidates must demonstrate a strong ability to maximize non-cash contributions to deliver measurable business value.
• Industry Experience (Preferred): Background in professional sports, sponsorship sales, or partnerships is strongly preferred.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; preferred fields include Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related discipline.
• 5–8 years of professional experience in partnerships, sponsorship sales, strategic marketing, or business development—preferably within the sports, entertainment, or similar industries.
• Proven track record of successfully securing and scaling revenue-generating partnerships, with measurable impact on business growth.
• Demonstrated ability to balance sales performance with brand alignment, ensuring long-term value for both partners and the organization.

Personal Attributes

• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities.
• Solutions-oriented and able to identify when to escalate issues or challenges.
• Strong collaborator with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Capable of working independently while effectively partnering with a distributed, remote team.
• Positive, proactive, organized, and creative – brings fresh ideas to problem-solving.
• Hightly adaptable and eager to learn in a rapidly evolving environment.