Manager, Partnerships

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended benefits

Reduced summer hours

Social, music and cultural activities

Positive & supportive culture

Paid December holiday break

Job summary

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) in Toronto, ON is seeking a Manager, Partnerships to drive sponsorship revenue and build strategic relationships across The JUNO Awards and MusiCounts.

You will lead sales, develop integrated marketing solutions, and collaborate with internal teams to deliver high-impact partnership programs that support Canadian music education and artist development.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in sales, sponsorships, partnerships, or business development.
• Strong commercial mindset with the ability to prospect, develop relationships, and close deals.
• Proven ability to manage accounts and deliver ongoing partnership value.
• Excellent writing, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to work autonomously.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a year-round sponsorship sales pipeline, from prospecting to close and renewal.
• Own annual revenue targets across assigned accounts and identify upsell opportunities.
• Lead discovery, pitches, proposals, negotiations, and renewals with partners.
• Create strategic partnership concepts and integrated marketing solutions.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver campaigns and partner deliverables.

Skills

Prospecting

Relationship building

Negotiation

Sales cycle management

Communication

Education

University degree or equivalent

Tools

CRM systems

Wrike

Canva

AI tools

Job description

REPORTS TO: Director, Partnerships, CARAS

LOCATION: Toronto, ON (Hybrid)

POSITION DETAILS: Full-Time, Permanent

START DATE: August 2026 or later

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) / The JUNO Awards was formed in 1975 to preserve and enhance the Canadian music industry and to contribute towards higher artistic and industry standards. CARAS’ mandate is comprised of four key pillars: Educate through our music education charity MusiCounts’ programs and initiatives, Develop emerging artists through mentorship and development programs, Celebrate Canadian artists through The JUNO Awards and other year-round initiatives, and Honour music industry icons through the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS and The JUNO Awards, believes all youth should have access to the life‑changing benefits of music and music education. We work to make music education accessible, sustainable, and inclusive for kids who need it most. We achieve this by allocating instruments, equipment, and resources to schools across Canada that are under‑resourced, geographically isolated, or struggling to meet the diverse needs of their students.

WHY JOIN US

Music has the power to inspire, connect, and create lasting impact, and so do great partnerships.

As part of the CARAS Partnerships team, you'll play an important role in developing sponsorship opportunities that support Canada's premier music awards, help grow the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, champion artists, and help provide young people across the country with access to music education through MusiCounts.

You'll work with some of Canada's leading brands, collaborate across exciting national initiatives, and gain hands‑on experience in sponsorship sales, partnership strategy, and live event marketing, all while helping shape the future of Canadian music.

OVERALL POSITION

The Manager, Partnerships is responsible for driving partnership revenue and developing strategic relationships across CARAS' portfolio, including The JUNO Awards and Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The role combines business development, sponsorship sales, partnership strategy, account management and cross‑functional execution, while overseeing the development and delivery of integrated programs that create meaningful value for both CARAS and its partners.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Development & Partnership Sales

• Develop and manage a robust year‑round sales pipeline, taking ownership of prospecting, lead generation, relationship development, and conversion from initial outreach through close and renewal.
• Own and deliver against annual partnership revenue targets across assigned accounts, developing strategies to secure new business, grow existing partnerships, identify upsell opportunities, and maximize the commercial value of CARAS' portfolio.
• Lead the sales process from discovery through pitch, proposal development, negotiation, closing, and renewal, confidently presenting CARAS' partnership opportunities and tailoring recommendations to each partner's business and marketing objectives.
• Lead the development of strategic, insight-driven partnership concepts and integrated marketing solutions that leverage CARAS' event, experiential, social/digital, hospitality, broadcast, artist, and other assets to create meaningful value for partners and advance CARAS' objectives.
• Lead commercial negotiations and manage the development of compelling proposals and pitch materials, exercising sound judgment around investment, inventory, exclusivity, rights, pricing, and partner requirements to maximize value for both CARAS and its partners.

Partnership & Account Management

• Build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with prospective and existing partners, proactively identifying opportunities to deepen engagement, strengthen relationships, and drive account growth throughout the year.
• Serve as a point of contact for assigned partners, providing a high level of service and responsiveness while anticipating partner needs, navigating challenges, and ensuring a strong overall partnership experience.
• Lead and participate in partner meetings, presentations, status calls, and ongoing business reviews, ensuring clear communication, alignment on priorities, and accountability for key actions and deliverables.
• Lead the development of post-campaign and post-event recap reports, translating partnership performance, campaign results, audience insights, and learnings into clear recommendations that inform renewals, account growth, and future collaboration.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with internal teams to successfully execute partnership campaigns and deliverables across major CARAS initiatives, including The JUNO Awards, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, MusiCounts, and year‑round programming.
• Support the execution and fulfillment of sponsorship commitments, ensuring partnership deliverables are completed accurately, on time, and to a high standard.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure partner expectations are met while maintaining brand integrity and organizational priorities.

Administration & Operations

• Oversee the execution and fulfillment of partnership deliverables, coordinating timelines, approvals, and internal resources to ensure programs are delivered accurately, on time, and to a high standard.
• Serve as a key internal liaison between the Partnerships department and cross‑functional teams, aligning resources around partner objectives, resolving challenges, and ensuring partnership commitments are balanced with brand integrity and organizational priorities.

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIRED

• 3-5 years of experience in sales, sponsorships, partnerships, or business development, with demonstrated experience driving revenue and developing new business opportunities.
• Strong commercial mindset with the confidence and initiative to independently prospect, develop relationships, advance opportunities, and convert leads into new business.
• Proven ability to manage and grow client relationships, with a strong service mindset and the ability to build trust, understand partner objectives, identify opportunities, and deliver a high-quality partnership experience.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to read a room, adapt messaging in real time, influence conversations, and build rapport with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong strategic and creative thinking, with an understanding of brand marketing and sponsorship marketing and the ability to develop custom programs that align partner objectives with CARAS' properties, audiences, and assets.
• Excellent writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to develop persuasive proposals, pitch decks, presentations, and other sales materials that clearly articulate strategic value and bring partnership opportunities to life.
• Highly organized and detail‑oriented, with the ability to independently manage multiple accounts, projects, conversations, timelines, and priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Solutions‑oriented and adaptable, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, respond quickly to evolving priorities, solve problems proactively, and maintain momentum in high‑pressure environments.
• Self‑motivated and entrepreneurial, with the ability to take ownership, exercise sound judgment, work autonomously, and contribute positively to a collaborative team environment.
• Passionate about music, culture, entertainment, and the evolving landscape of sponsorship, experiential marketing, and brand partnerships.
• Experience working within events, entertainment, media, sports, music, or cultural properties is considered an asset.
• Account management experience is considered an asset.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, CRM and project management platforms, presentation software, Canva, Wrike, and AI tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini is considered an asset.
• University degree, college diploma, or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT CARAS/MUSICOUNTS

• Extended group benefits
• Reduced Summer hours
• Social, music and cultural activities
• Positive & supportive culture
• Paid December holiday break (in addition to paid vacation)

CARAS embraces the diversity of all people, including those with disabilities, and aims to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace where employees feel valued, respected, and supported. We encourage individuals who identify as Indigenous, Black, a person of colour, as having a disability and/or as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities to apply.If you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, we would be happy to work with you to meet your needs.