Senior Director - Partnership Solutions

The Big 12 Conference Inc.; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The Big 12 Conference is seeking a Senior Director – Partnership Solutions to maximize the value of our corporate partnership portfolio. You will lead strategy, activation, service, and measurement, working with Marketing and other internal teams to create integrated programs across events, media, digital platforms, and fan engagement.

As a senior strategic resource, you will build relationships with top brand partners, drive renewal and growth, and develop innovative concepts that differentiate

Qualifications

• 8+ years in partnership marketing, sponsorship, or related field.
• Experience leading strategy for high-value corporate partnerships.
• Ability to translate objectives into actionable marketing strategies.
• Strong client service mindset with renewal and growth focus.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy, management, and optimization of corporate partnership portfolio.
• Advise senior brand partners on objectives, priorities, audiences, and success measures.
• Develop annual partnership strategies to maximize asset utilization and value.
• Create innovative activation concepts and integration with marketing campaigns.

Skills

Partnership marketing

Sponsorship sales

Brand marketing

Client relationship management

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Data-driven decision making

Industry knowledge

Communication

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

POSITION TITLE: Senior Director – Partnership Solutions

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full Time

DEPARTMENT NAME: Partnership Sales & Ticketing

POSITION FUNCTION:

The Big 12 Conference seeks qualified applicants to join its team as Senior Director – Partnership Solutions. This individual will be responsible for maximizing the value and impact of the Conference's corporate partnership portfolio by overseeing partnership strategy, activation, service, innovation, measurement, and optimization.

Senior Director – Partnership Solutions will serve as a senior strategic resource for Big 12 partners, developing creative solutions that advance partner objectives while strengthening the Conference's commercial platform. This individual will work closely with Big 12 Marketing and other internal departments to create integrated programs that leverage the Conference's events, media, digital platforms, intellectual property, member institutions, student-athletes, and fan base. The ideal candidate combines sophisticated brand marketing expertise with an exceptional commitment to client service and a commercial mindset focused on driving partner value, retention, renewal, and growth.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Lead the strategy, management, service, and optimization of the Big 12 Conference's corporate partnership portfolio
• Serve as a senior strategic advisor to key brand partners, developing a deep understanding of their business objectives, marketing priorities, audiences, and measures of success
• Develop comprehensive annual partnership strategies designed to maximize utilization, effectiveness, and value of contracted assets
• Lead the development of innovative partnership concepts and activation platforms that differentiate the Big 12 in the marketplace
• Collaborate closely with Big 12 Marketing to integrate corporate partners into Conference marketing campaigns, fan initiatives, content, digital platforms, championship events, and other strategic priorities
• Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Communications, Digital, Events, Creative, Sales, and other departments to ensure seamless execution of integrated partnership programs
• Oversee the fulfillment and delivery of contractual partnership assets across Conference platforms and events
• Establish best-in-class standards and processes for partner onboarding, planning, communication, activation, reporting, and annual reviews
• Develop measurement and reporting strategies that clearly demonstrate partnership performance, business impact, and return on investment
• Proactively identify opportunities to optimize existing partnerships through new assets, enhanced activation, emerging technologies, content, data, media, and other innovative solutions

• Develop and present strategic business reviews and recommendations to partners and internal leadership
• Lead renewal strategy for key Big 12 corporate partners in collaboration with the Conference's

revenue leadership and sales team

• Identify opportunities to expand existing partnerships through incremental investment, additional rights, new programs, and broader Conference integration
• Partner with the sales team during the development of new business proposals to ensure partnership concepts are innovative, executable, and aligned with brand objectives
• Maintain a strong understanding of sponsorship, sports marketing, consumer, media, technology, and cultural trends and apply those insights to the Big 12 partnership portfolio
• Build strong relationships with senior-level executives at partner organizations and agencies
• Serve as an internal thought leader on partnership marketing, activation, innovation, and brand strategy
• Help establish the Big 12 as a best-in-class property for corporate partners through exceptional strategy, creativity, execution, and service
• Other duties as assigned
• Reports directly to the Chief Revenue Officer

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• 8+ years of experience in partnership marketing, sponsorship, brand marketing, sports marketing, agency account leadership, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience leading strategy and servicing sophisticated, high-value corporate partnerships
• Strong understanding of how brands evaluate sponsorship investments and measure marketing effectiveness
• Proven ability to develop creative, integrated marketing programs that connect brand objectives with sports, media, digital, experiential, and content platforms
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing successful partner renewal and growth strategies
• Exceptional client service mentality with the ability to anticipate partner needs and proactively identify solutions
• Strategic thinker who can translate business objectives into actionable marketing and partnership strategies
• Strong understanding of emerging trends in sports sponsorship, fan engagement, digital media, content, technology, data, and experiential marketing
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with marketing, creative, sales, events, communications, and executive leadership
• Strong executive presence and the ability to build credibility with senior-level brand and agency stakeholders
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple complex projects and partnerships simultaneously
• High level of creativity, curiosity, and willingness to challenge traditional approaches to sports sponsorship
• Commercial mindset with an understanding of the relationship between exceptional partner service, measurable value, retention, renewal, and revenue growth
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving, and highly collaborative environment
• Ability to travel and work flexible hours, including gamedays, evenings, weekends, and holidays as required

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s Degree required. A degree Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Office environment. Frequent sitting, standing, walking bending, listening, speaking, and use of office equipment. Some requirements for lifting, pushing, or pulling items less than 30 pounds. Ability to work long non-standard hours, including holidays, nights, weekends, game days or other event dates.

ABOUT THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE

The Big 12 enters its 30th year as one of the nation’s premier conferences in college athletics under the leadership of Commissioner Brett Yormark. Since joining the Conference in August 2022, Yormark has elevated the Big 12 to new heights, emphasizing marketing, brand building and instilling an innovative strategy that has resonated across the college athletics landscape. Starting Aug. 2, 2024, the Conference is composed of 16 universities spanning 10 states and four time zones. The Big 12 members include Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah and West Virginia. The Big 12 began play in 1996 and is the home of 87 team NCAA national championships, and 764 individual national champions. The Big 12 Conference office is located in Irving, Texas.

The Big 12 Conference, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All employees are hired, compensated, promoted, disciplined and evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. The Big 12 Conference, Inc. strictly prohibits any and all discrimination and harassment based upon an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.