Senior Manager, Partnership Development

Washington Soccer Properties, LLC; Falls Church (VA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plans

Unlimited vacation

Flexible work schedules

Hybrid work

Career development

Job summary

The Washington Spirit is seeking a Senior Manager, Partnership Development to drive revenue growth through new corporate partnerships. Based in Falls Church, VA with a hybrid work model, you will prospect, outreach, build relationships with C-Suite partners, and negotiate agreements that benefit both parties.

Ideal candidates bring 3–5+ years of sponsorship sales experience in sports/media, a track record of six- and seven-figure deals, and strong communication and presentation skills for

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5+ years of sponsorship sales experience within sports, media and entertainment.
• Proven ability to exceed revenue targets with six- and seven-figure partnerships.
• Strong relationship development and in-person engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify and Prospect: research potential corporate partners aligned with brand.
• Sales Outreach: generate new business leads via cold calls, emails and networking.
• Relationship Building: develop relationships with key decision-makers.
• Proposal Development: create tailored partnership proposals.
• Negotiation: negotiate partnerships with mutually beneficial terms.
• Collaboration: work with marketing, operations and community relations.
• Reporting: track sales activities and pipeline status.
• Other Duties as Assigned

Skills

Sponsorship sales

Relationship building

Prospecting

Negotiation

Presentation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Zoomph

Sponsor United

Job description

Position:Senior Manager, Partnership Development

Location: Falls Church, VA

Job Id:138

# of Openings:1

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.

The Sr. Manager of Partnership Development will:

• 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

While the listed qualifications are important, we recognize that unique skills and experiences can bring fresh perspectives to our team. If you’re excited about the opportunity to contribute your diverse talents, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t match every requirement listed above.

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.