Senior Director, Partnerships & Licensing Strategy

Churchill-Downs-Inc; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, KY, seeks a Senior Director, Partnership Development & Licensing to lead the commercial strategy for partnerships and licensing across Churchill Downs Racetrack, the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Oaks. You will own the full partnership lifecycle from strategy to activation, negotiate multi-year deals, and drive revenue while protecting brand equity.

This role requires senior relationship management, cross‑functional leadership, and a track record of

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Sports Administration, or related field; Master's preferred.
• Ten (10) or more years of progressive experience in sports, entertainment, luxury, or experiential partnership sales.
• Proven record of closing complex six- and seven-figure partnership agreements and achieving revenue goals.
• Experience leading licensing, consumer products, merchandising, or brand-extension programs.
• Established network of national and international senior business contacts relevant to the position.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute an integrated partnerships and licensing strategy that drives revenue growth while strengthening the premium positioning of Churchill Downs Racetrack, the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Oaks.
• Own annual revenue plans, budgets, forecasts, pipeline health, category strategies, and performance reporting across sponsorship, renewals, licensing, and merchandising.
• Originate, cultivate, and close significant new partnership business through disciplined prospecting, established relationships, and senior-level executive engagement.
• Lead complex, customized, multi-year partnership negotiations from proposal development through contract execution.
• Build a disciplined renewal and growth program focused on retention, upsell, and long-term partner value.
• Collaborate across Ticketing, Marketing, Brand, Operations, Finance, Food & Beverage, Legal, and other teams to deliver commercially sound programs and exceptional partner experiences.
• Lead the licensing and merchandising portfolio, including licensee and vendor relationships, category development, distribution opportunities, product quality, royalty performance, and retail marketing strategies.

Skills

Commercially driven strategist

Negotiation

Executive relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Sports Administration, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce

DigiDeck

Microsoft Office

Job description

Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, KY, seeks a Senior Director, Partnership Development & Licensing to lead the commercial strategy for partnerships and licensing across Churchill Downs Racetrack, the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Oaks. You will own the full partnership lifecycle from strategy to activation, negotiate multi-year deals, and drive revenue while protecting brand equity.

This role requires senior relationship management, cross‑functional leadership, and a track record of