Athletics Partnerships GM — Revenue & Strategy

100 LEARFIELD; Illinois; On-site; USD 150,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

HSA

Life Insurance

PTO

Parental Leave

Paid Holidays

401(k) + Match

Disability Insurance

Job summary

Learfield seeks an experienced General Manager to lead a premier Sports Property, acting as the primary liaison to the university’s Athletics Department and directing the multimedia rights strategy.

You will steer sponsorship sales, oversee a local team, and collaborate with Learfield and campus stakeholders to deliver innovative, revenue-generating campaigns while ensuring alignment with university goals and Learfield’s enterprise objectives.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in sponsorship sales, sports marketing, media rights, or a related B2B revenue-generating role.
• Proven success leading high-impact teams and driving revenue growth through integrated marketing and partnership sales.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships, including executive-level university contacts and senior brand partners.
• Strong command of marketing strategy across traditional, digital, and experiential channels.
• Experience managing budgets, analyzing performance metrics, and making data-driven business decisions.
• Excellent communicator with strong presentation, relationship-building, and influencing skills.
• Ability to lead through change, coach others, and inspire collaboration in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and business judgment.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as needed to support athletic events or client activations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary liaison between Learfield and the university’s Athletics Department, Athletic Director, and senior leadership, fostering trusted, strategic relationships.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with university partners, athletic department staff, and internal stakeholders—serving as a trusted and respected representative of both Learfield and the university.
• Lead the execution and optimization of the school’s multimedia rights agreement, ensuring alignment with institutional values, branding, and long-term goals.
• Oversee a local team that may include both individual contributors and people managers, providing direction, mentorship, and development opportunities.
• Drive revenue growth by setting strategic direction for sponsorship sales and guiding the pursuit of high-value, multi-platform partnerships.
• Build and manage a portfolio of regional and national corporate sponsors, ensuring client satisfaction and long-term retention.
• Collaborate with university stakeholders and Learfield teams (e.g., integrated marketing, research, digital, legal) to develop and deliver innovative, value-driven campaigns.
• Own property-level financial planning, including annual budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis tied to revenue and profitability targets.
• Serve as the face of the partnership at key campus and community events, elevating the visibility and impact of Learfield’s collaboration with the university.
• Champion a high-performance, team-first culture by modeling accountability, adaptability, and collaboration across both local and enterprise teams.
• Identify and pursue new revenue opportunities that drive innovation, business expansion, and alignment with the university’s evolving priorities.

Skills

Sponsorship sales

Sports marketing

Media rights

Revenue generation

Relationship management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Learfield seeks an experienced General Manager to lead a premier Sports Property, acting as the primary liaison to the university’s Athletics Department and directing the multimedia rights strategy.

You will steer sponsorship sales, oversee a local team, and collaborate with Learfield and campus stakeholders to deliver innovative, revenue-generating campaigns while ensuring alignment with university goals and Learfield’s enterprise objectives.