Athletics Partnerships & NIL Activation Lead

Busey; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Profit sharing

Employee stock purchase plan

Paid time off

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Job summary

Busey is seeking a Partnership Strategy & Activation Manager to lead and maximize collegiate partnerships, with a focus on athletics and NIL opportunities. This role drives brand visibility, business development, and client engagement by leveraging sponsorship assets and integrated activations.

This individual partners with marketing, commercial banking, wealth management, and retail teams to translate partnership investments into growth, client acquisition, and community engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Sports Management, or related field.
• 5+ years in sponsorships, partnerships, sports marketing, or brand activation.
• Experience managing and activating high-value partnerships.
• Experience in collegiate athletics, media rights organizations, or NIL environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and maximize collegiate athletic partnerships and NIL initiatives.
• Serve as primary liaison with partnerships, media rights, and stakeholders.
• Identify and develop new partnership opportunities and activations.
• Plan and execute integrated marketing activations across channels.
• Collaborate with marketing, banking, wealth management, and retail teams.
• Monitor KPIs and ROI; provide leadership with insights and optimization.

Skills

Partnership strategy

Brand activation

Relationship building

Cross-functional collaboration

Sponsorship management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing or related field

Job description

Busey is seeking a Partnership Strategy & Activation Manager to lead and maximize collegiate partnerships, with a focus on athletics and NIL opportunities. This role drives brand visibility, business development, and client engagement by leveraging sponsorship assets and integrated activations.

This individual partners with marketing, commercial banking, wealth management, and retail teams to translate partnership investments into growth, client acquisition, and community engagement.