Manager, Business Development – Sponsorship

National Hockey League (NHL); New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Paid time off and holidays

401K savings plan

Employee health benefits

Job summary

The National Hockey League (NHL) is seeking a results-driven Business Development professional to own relationships with international sales agencies and drive revenue through new partnerships. You will develop compelling proposals, customize presentations for global prospects, and coordinate pipelines to expand the League's international portfolio.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in business development or sponsorship sales, strong presentation skills, and experience managing agency or partner

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in business development, sponsorship sales, or related field.
• Proven ability to manage external partner and agency relationships.
• Experience creating client-facing presentations and sponsorship decks.
• Experience presenting to agencies, clients, partners and senior leaders.
• Experience supporting revenue-generation initiatives and lead management.
• Ability to develop and deliver impactful sales materials for international partners.
• Familiarity with CRM and sales pipeline management tools.

Responsibilities

• Own relationships with international sales agencies and identify new partnership opportunities.
• Develop and customize NHL sales presentations and materials for international prospects.
• Coordinate agency meetings and maintain momentum in the sales process.
• Support senior team members in client presentations and meetings.
• Ensure international metrics and market-specific materials stay current and sales-ready.
• Plan and coordinate business development events and partner-facing meetings.
• Conduct prospect research and prep for meetings.

Skills

Presentation skills

Organizational skills

Project management

Synthesis of complex information

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Effective communication

International partnership experience

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sports Management, Communications

Tools

CRM

Sales pipeline tools

Job description

About The National Hockey League

Founded in 1917, the National Hockey League (NHL®) is the premier professional ice hockey league in the world and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.

With more than 1500 employees across the US and Canada, the NHL is a global sports and entertainment organization committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey. At the NHL, we are looking for dynamic, energetic and impactful individuals who are committed to doing the same by sharing in our philosophy that Hockey is for Everyone.

Summary

WHAT WE EXPECT OF YOU

Support the NHL Business Development team by owning relationships with international sales agencies, identifying and advancing new partnership opportunities, developing and delivering compelling sales presentations and business proposals, and driving revenue-generating initiatives that expand the League's global partnership portfolio.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary liaison between NHL Business Development and sales agencies to identify, qualify, and advance new partnership opportunities.
• Develop a strong understanding of agency pipelines and proactively identify opportunities to grow the NHL's international partnership business.
• Schedule and lead regular agency pipeline meetings.
• Serve as the first point of contact for inbound opportunities and ensure they are directed to the appropriate sales lead.
• Coordinate follow-up actions and maintain momentum throughout the sales process.
• Participate in introductory sales meetings and represent NHL capabilities and partnership opportunities to prospective partners when appropriate.
• Own and maintain core international sales materials, presentations, research, and metrics used by the Business Development team.
• Develop, customize, and maintain NHL sales presentations, pitch materials, and business development resources for international prospects.
• Support senior business development team members in the preparation and delivery of client presentations and sales meetings.
• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure international metrics, decks, and market-specific sales materials remain current and sales-ready.
• Identify gaps in available data, research, or sales resources and coordinate with internal departments to address them.
• Support planning and logistics for business development events, industry conferences, and partner-facing meetings.
• Conduct prospect research and assist with meeting preparation.

Qualifications

Knowledge Areas/Experience

Required

• Minimum 5 years of experience in business development, partnership sales, sponsorship sales, account management, sports marketing, agency management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing external partner, client, agency, or stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrated experience developing client-facing presentations, sales proposals, sponsorship decks, and business development materials.
• Experience presenting to agencies, prospective clients, partners, and senior business leaders.
• Experience supporting revenue-generating initiatives and managing partnership opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and grow productive agency, client, and strategic partner relationships.
• Proven experience developing, customizing, and delivering impactful sales presentations, pitch materials, and business proposals.
• Experience with CRM and sales pipeline management tools.

Preferred

• Foreign language proficiency is a plus, particularly German, Czech, or Swedish.
• Knowledge of sponsorship sales, sports marketing, media, and partnership development preferred.

Education/Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sports Management, Communications, or a related field.

Required Skills

• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities with the capacity to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to evaluate and prioritize partnership opportunities and business development leads.
• Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, concise, and compelling presentations and recommendations.
• Ability to identify business challenges and develop practical solutions in a dynamic environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
• Exceptional presentation design, storytelling, and communication capabilities. Ability to confidently present to prospective partners, agencies, senior executives, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to coordinate and influence cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.
• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with international partners, agencies, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to effectively prepare and deliver presentations to both small and large audiences.
• Ability to communicate effectively with international stakeholders and partners.

CORE COMPETENCIES

These core competencies reflect the underlying values that are necessary to represent the National Hockey League:

• Accountability
• Adaptability
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Inclusion
• Professionalism
• Teamwork & Collaboration

The NHL offers U.S. regular, full-time employees

Time to Recharge

Utilize our generous Paid Time Off (PTO) to focus on your well-being and ensure a healthy work/life balance. PTO includes paid holidays, vacation, personal and sick days, plus an extra day off for your birthday.

Ability to Focus on your Health

Along with competitive salaries, the NHL offers comprehensive health benefits to employees and their eligible dependents effective on their first day with us – there is no waiting period. The NHL subsidizes a large portion of the health benefits costs, therefore your cost for medical, dental and vision coverage is minimal.

We also offer our employees and members of their household access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support mental, physical, and financial health. In addition, employees have access to a digital wellness resource designed to improve health and happiness through courses in sleep, movement, and focus. These services are confidential and at no-cost to our employees.

Childcare Leave

Because your family is the NHL family, employees are offered comprehensive Childcare Leave to welcome your new addition. The primary caregiver to the child is entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid Childcare Leave, at full pay, following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child.

Employees that are not the primary caregiver to the child are entitled to up to 6 weeks of paid Childcare Leave, at full pay, which must be taken within the first 6 months following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child.

Confidence in your Retirement Goals

Participate in the NHL’s Savings Plan which includes a 401K (pre-tax and Roth options) plus non-elective (employer) contributions to keep your retirement goals on track.

A Hybrid Work Schedule

The NHL recognizes the value of flexibility in work locations/schedules to help our employees balance work/life priorities. Hybrid work schedules are available for a majority of our roles.

Our New Headquarters

Our new, state of the art, offices are located at One Manhattan West in Hudson Yards. When you’re in the office, you can conduct meetings in one of our high-tech conference rooms, have lunch with a view or play in the game room. Employees can also enjoy New York’s newest neighborhood that is home to more than 100 shops, culinary experiences, and public artwork.

A Savings for Commuting

Participate in the NHL’s pre-tax commuter benefit plan which helps offset the financial cost of traveling to and from our office.

NHL Partner Rates

Unlock exclusive pricing from our Partners that include savings on travel, consumer goods and services, plus the NHL Store.

Life at the NHL

In your first few days, you meet with your new teammates and the HR Team. You have the opportunity to learn more about the NHL and our workplace culture. Employees are invited to play hockey during our Tuesday Night Skate at Chelsea Piers, join our Employee Resource Groups and more. You are a part of our team and we encourage you to be your authentic self, adding to our dynamic workplace culture.

SALARY RANGE

$90-100k

Actual base pay for a successful candidate will be determined based on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to: experience/training, market demands, and geographic location.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.