Sports Sponsorships Growth Manager

Learfield IMG College; Vermillion (SD); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and Dental

Vision

Health Savings Account

Life Insurance

Flexible Paid Time Off

401(k) + Match

Job summary

Learfield is seeking a motivated Business Development Manager to join its university sponsorship team at the University of South Dakota. Based in Vermillion, SD, you will manage existing client relationships and drive growth by building a new business pipeline, executing partner agreements from prospecting through renewal.

You will collaborate with internal teams and university stakeholders to deliver campaigns that align with partner goals, while meeting revenue targets and maintaining accurate

Qualifications

• 4+ years of sales experience building and maintaining client relationships.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet/exceed sales goals.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with a customer-first approach.
• Comfort navigating CRM systems and working in a performance-driven sales environment.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends for game days and events.
• Preferred: experience in sports sponsorship or media sales; familiarity with digital/experiential assets.

Responsibilities

• Meet and/or exceed revenue goals by developing and selling integrated sponsorship packages.
• Manage a defined book of business, including full sales cycle ownership for renewals and new deals.
• Build, present, and negotiate proposals across digital, social, broadcast, in-venue, and experiential platforms.
• Develop relationships with local, regional, and national partners to highlight the value of collegiate sponsorships.
• Collaborate with internal teams to execute partner deliverables in alignment with contract terms and brand standards.
• Maintain accurate records of sales activity and pipeline progress in CRM systems.
• Support year-end recaps and renewal planning discussions.
• Attend game-day operations and client hospitality events, including nights and weekends.
• Stay informed on industry trends and emerging sponsorship platforms.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Skills

Client relationships

Sales experience

CRM proficiency

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Evenings/weekends

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Learfield is seeking a motivated Business Development Manager to join its university sponsorship team at the University of South Dakota. Based in Vermillion, SD, you will manage existing client relationships and drive growth by building a new business pipeline, executing partner agreements from prospecting through renewal.

You will collaborate with internal teams and university stakeholders to deliver campaigns that align with partner goals, while meeting revenue targets and maintaining accurate