Senior Manager, Partnership Sales

Elevate; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Elevate, a global sports and entertainment agency, seeks a Senior Manager, Partnership Sales to drive seven-figure partnerships for Venezia FC. Based in London or Italy with regular Venice travel, you will partner with leadership to craft premium sponsorships.

You'll build a disciplined sales pipeline, engage C-Suite stakeholders, and shape pricing strategies, leveraging Venice's narrative and data insights to unlock multi-million euro opportunities and long-term value for clients and Elevate.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in high-value partnership or complex B2B sales.
• Experience in sport, entertainment, real estate, infrastructure, or major events is advantageous.
• Proven track record closing 7+ figure deals.
• Fluency in Italian and English required.

Responsibilities

• Deliver revenue against targets including naming rights and tier-one partnerships.
• Build and manage a structured sales pipeline with CRM forecasting.
• Lead executive outreach to Board/C-Suite decision-makers.
• Shape premium commercial packaging and pricing with internal teams.
• Negotiate high-value contracts end-to-end.
• Activate networks through events and hospitality to deepen client relationships.

Skills

Partnership sales

C-suite outreach

Strategic mindset

Relationship management

Cross-cultural sales

Communication

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

About Elevate

Elevate is an award-winning global sports and entertainment agency founded in 2018 and the chosen growth partner for the world’s leading brands, properties, and experience-driven businesses. Through one integrated model, Elevate serves as the trusted advisor for more than 1,000 clients, helping them solve complex challenges and drive business wins.

What began in sports has evolved into a platform now serving clients across culture, attractions, culinary, and hotels. Today, Elevate brings operational expertise, data-driven intelligence, and world-class creativity together under one roof. Elevate’s more than 750 employees sit across 14 offices around the world, from North America to Europe to Asia, and speak and write in 17 different languages. For more information, visit us at www.oneelevate.com.

Position Overview: Senior Manager, Partnership Sales

Elevate operates as a fully integrated partner for its clients, adding insight, expertise, and in-market activity to accelerate and enhance commercial return in collaboration with the client’s leadership, commercial teams, and wider stakeholder landscape (e.g. marketing and brand, hospitality, technology, community, sustainability, stadium construction, etc.). Elevate is seeking an experienced, partnership sales professional to assist the Head of Partnership Sales in the commercial transformation for Venezia FC. Based in Elevate’s London office or in Italy (with regular presence in Venice required), this individual will form part of a dedicated sales team tasked with delivery of a new stadium naming rights partner for Venezia FC’s new stadium, alongside other marquee assets and the underpinning commercial partnerships programme.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a track record in shaping, pitching, and securing seven-figure commercial partnerships at Board and C-suite levels. We are seeking a proven seller with a consultative and creative approach to building value – someone who understands how to leverage the unique narrative of Venice and data-driven insights to maximise multi-million-euro revenue opportunities.

This is a hybrid role, preferably based in our London office (with regular travel to Venice, Italy required).

What You’ll Do

• Revenue Delivery: Work with the Head of Partnership Sales to deliver against commercial revenue targets for the project, with primary accountability for securing Naming Rights, Founding Partners, and other tier-one stadium and club partnerships.
• Sales Strategy & Pipeline Management: Build and oversee a structured, disciplined sales pipeline; driving proactive prospecting and high-frequency outbound engagement while maintaining an accurate forecasting cadence via CRM.
• Executive Prospect Engagement: Lead high-stakes outreach, discovery meetings, and formal presentations to C-Suite decision-makers, positioning the stadium project as a strategic, long-term business platform rather than a transactional sponsorship.
• Proposition Development: Collaborate with internal strategy, insights, and marketing teams to shape premium commercial packaging and pricing strategies, ensuring all proposals are tailored, insight-led, and commercially robust.
• Complex Negotiations: Work in tandem with the Head of Partnership Sales to efficiently progress the end-to-end negotiation process for high-value contracts, navigating complex legal and financial frameworks through to signed agreements.
• Network Activation: Leverage events, premium hospitality, and curated environments to advance conversations and deepen relationships with global brand leaders.

Who You Are

• Experience: 5+ years’ experience in high-value partnership or complex B2B sales. Experience within sport, entertainment, real estate, infrastructure, or major events is advantageous.
• Proven Track Record: Demonstrable success in identifying and closing 7+ figure commercial deals. Naming rights/venue sales experience desirable.
• Executive Presence: Completely comfortable operating, presenting to, and negotiating with Board-level and C-Suite decision-makers.
• Strategic Mindset: A strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with disciplined, day-to-day execution and sales momentum.
• Industry Knowledge: Deep commercial understanding of Serie A and the wider European football landscape.
• Relationship Management: An established global network of senior decision-makers with the ability to generate warm leads and high-level introductions rapidly.
• Communication: Exceptional presentation and written communication skills; ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with global brands.
• Technical Proficiency: Meticulous approach to CRM (Salesforce or similar) for reporting, forecasting, and global collaboration.
• Cultural Adaptability: Ability to sell and negotiate in cross-cultural contexts, with a specific focus on the Italian and broader European business markets.
• Language Skills: Full professional fluency in both Italian and English is required. The successful candidate must be able to speak, read and write fluently in both English and Italian and communicate confidently in professional/business settings.

Additional Information

• Reporting Line: Reports directly to Head of Partnership Sales - Venezia FC
• Compensation: Salary plus a performance-based commission/bonus scheme
• Eligibility: Applicants must be legally authorised to work in the United Kingdom

The qualifications listed above represent the credentials necessary to perform the essential functions of this position. To be successful in this position, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is open to all qualified candidates. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability in connection with the application process, you may contact us at [e-mail].

We are proud to be an equal opportunity/veterans/disabled/ LGBT employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.