Senior Manager, Partnership Development

Socket.dev; Falls Church (VA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington Spirit is seeking a Sr. Manager, Partnership Development to drive revenue through new corporate partnerships. The role emphasizes proactive sales, relationship-building with C-Suite partners, and end-to-end deal execution in a hybrid Falls Church, VA setting.

Ideal candidates bring 3–5+ years in sponsorship sales within sports/media, a proven revenue track record, and strong communication and collaboration skills to work with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
• 3-5+ years of sponsorship sales in sports, media, or entertainment.
• Track record of exceeding revenue targets with large partnerships.
• Strong relationship development and in-person engagement skills.
• High emotional intelligence and growth mindset.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prospect potential corporate partners aligned with the brand.
• Initiate and manage sales outreach to generate new business leads.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key decision-makers.
• Create compelling partnership proposals and presentations.
• Deliver presentations to C-Suite and prospective partners.
• Negotiate partnership agreements and terms.
• Collaborate with marketing, operations, and activation teams.
• Track sales activities, pipeline status, and performance metrics.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Sponsorship sales

Pipeline management

Relationship building

Negotiation

Presentation skills

CRM software

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Zoomph

Sponsor United

MS Office

Job description

Position Overview

The Washington Spirit is seeking a persistent, self-motivated, and results-driven individual to join our Corporate Partnerships team as a Sr. Manager, Partnership Development. Reporting to the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, this role is pivotal in driving revenue growth through the acquisition and development of new corporate partnerships. The ideal candidate will have a strong sales background, a history of exceeding revenue targets, a “figure it out” mentality, an entrepreneurial spirit, and be an ultimate teammate and collaborator.

Responsibilities

• Identify and Prospect: Research and identify potential corporate partners that align with the Washington Spirit’s brand and values.
• Sales Outreach: Initiate and manage personal sales outreach efforts, including cold calling, emailing, and networking to generate new business leads.
• Relationship Building: Develop and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers at prospective partner organizations.
• Proposal Development: Create compelling partnership proposals and presentations tailored to the needs and objectives of potential partners.
• Presentation Skills: Deliver compelling presentations to C-Suite clientele and prospective partners in person.
• Negotiation: Negotiate partnership agreements, ensuring mutually beneficial terms for both the Washington Spirit and the partner.
• Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, including marketing, operations, and community relations, to ensure seamless execution of partnership agreements alongside the Partnership Activation team.
• Reporting: Track and report on sales activities, pipeline status, and partnership performance metrics.
• Other Duties as Assigned
• Note: This role does not involve managerial duties, but will have opportunities to manage projects and be developed for future growth.

Our Ideal Candidate

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Minimum of 3-5+ years of sponsorship sales experience within sports, media, and entertainment
• Proven “goal hitter” who maintains an evolving pipeline to exceed revenue targets with six- and seven-figure partnerships
• Passionate about relationship development and prioritizes in-person interactions (e.g., hosting at matches, dinners, coffee)
• High emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity, and a desire to grow professionally
• Keen attention to detail, strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, and the ability to maintain productive, positive relationships through strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Comfortable interacting with all levels of staff, clientele, and vendors
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and other creative and research-oriented resources (e.g., Zoomph, Sponsor United)
• Able to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required
• Puts team over individual and is enthusiastic about the mission of the Washington Spirit

Location

This role is primarily based at our Falls Church, VA office, with occasional work in Washington, D.C. Our front office team follows a hybrid arrangement, requiring presence in the office 4 days a week.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON SPIRIT

The Washington Spirit is a founding club in its 14th season of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) proudly representing the Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is the first franchise to have a minority woman hold a majority stake. A visionary entrepreneur, Michele Kang, is leading a new era for women’s sports with a vision to:

• Become the most preeminent sports organization in the world;
• Build a high-performance culture of winning on and off the pitch;
• Train women as women; and
• Motivate and inspire the next generation of girls and women.

We offer a competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package, including health and wellness benefits, retirement plans, unlimited vacation time off, as well as flexible work schedules, hybrid work, and opportunities for career development.

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.