Manager, Global Sponsorship & New Business Development (UK - External Agency Position)

NFL UK & Ireland; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

NFL UK & Ireland is seeking a Manager, Global Sponsorship & New Business Development to drive revenue through global partnerships and new business opportunities. You will identify, pursue, and close strategic sponsorships across international markets, engaging senior brands and decision-makers to grow the league’s reach.

Reporting to a senior director, you will lead multi-market sales cycles, collaborate with marketing and operations, and build compelling proposals that align partner objectives

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Finance, Communications, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years in sponsorship sales and/or business development in sports industry.
• Proven track record in developing new business and securing complex partnerships.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office; strong PowerPoint and Excel.
• Highly organized with strong PM and time-management skills.
• Willingness to travel internationally.
• Fluency in French and/or Spanish preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a pipeline of global and regional partners to meet sponsorship revenue targets.
• Identify and qualify new opportunities through market research and prospecting, especially in international markets where dedicated sales resources are limited.
• Develop and maintain relationships with senior marketing executives, Fortune 500 decisionmakers, agency leaders, and other key influencers.
• Lead the full sales process—from prospecting and outreach through pitch development, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Collaborate across the NFL to develop creative, integrated partnership opportunities that align with prospective partners’ business objectives while supporting the league’s strategic priorities.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to create customized sponsorship platforms that maximize commercial value.
• Develop compelling sales presentations, proposals, and partnership strategies tailored to individual prospects.
• Maintain accurate sales pipeline data, forecasts, and reporting while ensuring opportunities progress efficiently through the sales cycle.
• Partner with the Director to support and manage the Sponsorship Business Development Coordinator and contribute to the team’s overall success.
• Contribute new ideas and commercial thinking that help unlock incremental sponsorship opportunities and drive long-term revenue growth.

Skills

Sponsorship sales

Business development

Strategic partnerships

Relationship management

Presentation skills

Market research

Pipeline management

International business

PowerPoint

Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Finance, Communications, or related

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

The Manager, Global Sponsorship & New Business Development, is a key member of the NFL’s Global Sponsorship Business Development team, responsible for driving revenue through the development and sale of integrated global marketing partnerships.

Working across the NFL’s international business, this role will identify, develop, and secure strategic partnerships that support the league’s continued growth and expansion in priority international markets. The successful candidate will be responsible for unlocking new commercial opportunities, building relationships with leading brands and senior decision makers, and creating partnerships that help grow the NFL’s reach, relevance, and fanbase internationally.

This job posting is for a position with one of the NFL’s third-party agency partners that provides services to the NFL. The individual selected for this role will be an employee of that third-party agency and not the NFL. All compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment are handled by the agency.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build and manage a strong pipeline of prospective global and regional partners to achieve sponsorship revenue targets.
• Identify and qualify new business opportunities through market research, category analysis, and strategic prospecting, with a particular focus on international markets where dedicated sales resources do not exist.
• Develop and maintain relationships with senior marketing executives, Fortune 500 decisionmakers, agency leaders, and other key influencers across the sports marketing landscape.
• Lead the full sales process—from prospecting and outreach through pitch development, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Collaborate across the NFL to develop creative, integrated partnership opportunities that align with prospective partners’ business objectives while supporting the league’s strategic priorities.
• Partner with cross-functional teams, including Media, Technology, Football Operations, Social Responsibility, and other business units, to create customized sponsorship platforms that maximize commercial value.
• Develop compelling sales presentations, proposals, and partnership strategies tailored to individual prospects.
• Maintain accurate sales pipeline data, forecasts, and reporting while ensuring opportunities progress efficiently through the sales cycle.
• Partner with the Director to support and manage the Sponsorship Business Development Coordinator and contribute to the team’s overall success.
• Contribute new ideas and commercial thinking that help unlock incremental sponsorship opportunities and drive long-term revenue growth.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Finance, Communications, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in sponsorship sales and/or business development within a sports league, team, rights holder, agency, media company, or global brand; demonstrated exposure to European and/or global sponsorship markets strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of developing new business and securing complex, high-value commercial partnerships.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel, with the ability to produce polished client-facing materials.
• Highly organized, with excellent project management, prioritization, and time-management skills and the ability to independently manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Valid passport and willingness to travel internationally as required.
• Fluency in French and/or Spanish is preferred but not required.

Key Attributes:

• Commercially driven, proactive, and motivated by opportunities to connect leading global brands with one of the world’s most recognized sports properties.
• Deep understanding of sponsorship, sports marketing, and partnership landscape.
• Experience in prospecting, market research, outreach, pitch development, and strategic proposal creation.
• Confident storyteller with the ability to translate insights into compelling commercial narratives.
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and builds credibility with stakeholders at all levels.
• Well-connected within the marketing and sponsorship industry, with experience developing relationships with senior marketing and brand leaders.