Sponsorship Manager

ao.com; Bolton; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading electrical retailer in Bolton is seeking a Sponsorship Manager to drive their sponsorship strategy. The candidate will manage high-value partnerships, negotiate contracts, and oversee activation plans while measuring performance and reporting outcomes. This role requires hands-on experience in sponsorship management, with a proactive approach to creating impactful campaigns. The position is based on-site 5 days a week, emphasizing collaboration and creativity within the team.

Benefits

25 days holidays plus bank holidays

5% pension contribution matching

Discounted gym membership

Enhanced family leave

Fully paid charity leave

Free onsite parking

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in dedicated sponsorship roles.
• Proven experience in managing high-value sponsorship programmes.
• Experience delivering multi-platform campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiation and oversight of sponsorship agreements.
• Implement annual activation plans and coordinate activities.
• Collaborate with teams to leverage sponsorships effectively.
• Drive commercial and brand value from sponsorships.
• Oversee sponsor activation to meet budgetary goals.
• Report plans and success metrics to stakeholders.
• Track sponsorship performance and measure ROI.
• Develop and support a team of direct reports.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Sponsorship management

Creative campaign delivery

Reporting and analytics

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

We’re turning up the volume on sponsorship at AO!

Why? Because we want to be front-of-mind for customers old and new - and we know the power of unforgettable partnerships.

This is a group-level role reporting into Dan, our Head of Delivery, and it’s your chance to own the sponsorship game. You’ll be the driving force behind shaping and growing our portfolio - from negotiating killer deals to building strategic partnerships that make AO shine.

Our sponsorship mix is anything but boring: think big-name events, grassroots programmes, sports teams, and community initiatives. It’s all about creating experiences that stick and making a positive impact nationally and locally.

As Sponsorship Manager, you’ll be the go-to expert, the connector, the strategist - working hand-in-hand with teams across AO to make sure every sponsorship delivers maximum bang for our buck.

Our people are our superpower, and we’re unstoppable when we’re together! We want your ideas to flow, and what better way to make that happen than being based onsite, 5 days a week, where our culture fuels creativity, collaboration and growth. If a £1 bet in the pub between two friends can become the UKs most trusted electrical retailer, imagine what else can be achieved when we we’re together!

Here's What You Can Expect To Be Doing

• Lead the negotiation and oversight of sponsorship agreements and deliverables with existing partners.
• Develop and implement annual activation plans, coordinating a pipeline of activities year-round, amplified through owned, paid, and earned channels.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, and creative teams to use sponsorships as catalysts for storytelling.
• Drive real commercial and brand value from sponsorships, ensuring all partnerships work hard and deliver measurable results.
• Oversee sponsor activation and fulfilment, ensuring all activity is delivered on budget and with continuous process improvement.
• Take ownership of reporting - regularly communicate plans, activities, and success metrics to senior stakeholders, showing clearly how each sponsorship is being leveraged and the impact achieved.
• Track sponsorship performance, measuring impact and reporting on outcomes and ROI.
• Lead, develop, and support a team of direct reports, fostering their growth and driving career progression.
• Identify and develop long-term national and local sponsorship opportunities as required.
• Maintain strong sponsor relationships, acting as the main point of contact and ensuring excellent stakeholder engagement.

A Few Things About You

• Hands-on experience in a dedicated sponsorship role, managing high-value and multi-channel programmes.
• Proven depth of experience in sponsorship management, including contract negotiation, activation planning, and results reporting, with the ability to demonstrate brand passion, commercial awareness, and business acumen.
• Hands-on experience in a dedicated sponsorship role, managing high-value and multi-channel programmes.
• Experience delivering creative, multi-platform campaigns across brand and sponsorship channels.
• Proactive, entrepreneurial, and persistent in seeking better ways of working.
• Strong track record of reporting sponsorship strategy, activity, and results to leadership and stakeholders.

A Bit About Us

When it comes to appliances and electricals, we’ve got the lot. Washing machines? Yep. TVs? Check. Laptops? Absolutely. Everything except doorbells (just kidding, we’ve got those too).

We’re known for helping our customers brilliantly - and it’s no different for AOers. We care about more than what’s on your CV, because together we can do extraordinary things.

Our benefits are designed to cover the moments that matter to AOers. From health and wellness to giving back - you’ll be rewarded inside and outside of work.

• Holidays; 25 days, plus bank holidays (increasing to 27 days after 2 years with us!)
• Pension; Contribute 5% of your annual salary and we'll do the same, giving you a little extra support for the future.
• Be a VIP at the AO Arena; we have loads of opportunities to win free tickets and pre-sale access!
• Health & wellbeing; discounted gym membership, an onsite spa and our Help @ Hand scheme giving you access to virtual GP’s, Mental Health support and much more.
• Discounts; exclusive discounts across our product range.
• Family leave; Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption leave.
• Making a difference; 2 fully paid days a year to donate your time to any charity of your choice.
• On site perks; start your day with free on site parking, grabbing a complimentary breakfast and a coffee at our subsidised Starbucks!

To see all our benefits and perks, visit our AO Benefits page.