Senior Sponsorship Account Manager

Initiate; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Initiate is seeking a Senior Sponsorship Account Manager to lead the sponsorship journey from prospecting and pitching to contract execution and renewal. You will secure new opportunities across events, media and commercial platforms and build a robust pipeline to hit revenue targets.

In this role, you will negotiate commercial terms, manage the full contract lifecycle and collaborate with legal, finance and leadership. You’ll mentor junior team members and drive ongoing sponsorship strategy.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years' experience in Sponsorship Sales, Business Development, Partnerships or Commercial Account Management.
• Experience within sports, horse racing, betting, gaming, media or entertainment industries will be highly advantageous.
• Proven success in generating new business and consistently achieving revenue targets.
• Strong background in commercial negotiations and contract management.

Responsibilities

• Identify and secure new sponsorship opportunities across events, media and commercial platforms.
• Build and manage a healthy pipeline of prospective partners to achieve revenue objectives.
• Develop compelling sponsorship proposals and customised partnership packages.
• Lead discussions with prospective sponsors from initial engagement through to signed agreements.
• Oversee the full contract lifecycle, ensuring agreements are commercially viable and compliant.
• Act as senior relationship manager for key sponsorship accounts and drive renewals.
• Deliver against sponsorship revenue targets and KPIs and provide regular leadership reports.
• Contribute to strategy and market intelligence for sponsorship activities.
• Lead, mentor and support Sponsorship Account Managers within the team.

Skills

Sponsorship sales

Business development

Negotiation

Account management

Relationship management

Proposal writing

Pitching

Leadership

Education

Marketing/Business degree

Job description

Are you a commercially driven sponsorship professional with a proven ability to secure high-value partnerships and drive revenue growth?

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Sponsorship Account Manager to lead the acquisition, negotiation and management of strategic sponsorship partnerships across its events, media platforms and commercial assets.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a relationship-focused sales professional who enjoys opening doors, negotiating impactful partnerships, and delivering long-term commercial success. From identifying new business opportunities to leading contract negotiations and mentoring a growing team, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the organisation's sponsorship strategy.

What You'll Be Doing

As the Senior Sponsorship Account Manager, you'll own the complete sponsorship journey—from prospecting and pitching through to contract execution, partner retention and revenue growth.

Business Development & Sponsorship Sales

• Identify and secure new sponsorship opportunities across events, media and commercial platforms.
• Build and manage a healthy pipeline of prospective partners to achieve annual revenue objectives.
• Research brands and organisations that align with the company's audience, products and commercial strategy.
• Develop compelling sponsorship proposals and customised partnership packages that deliver mutual value.

Commercial Negotiation

• Lead discussions with prospective sponsors from initial engagement through to signed agreements.
• Negotiate commercial terms that align with business objectives while delivering value for partners.
• Oversee the full contract lifecycle, ensuring agreements are commercially viable and compliant.
• Collaborate with internal legal, finance and leadership teams to finalise sponsorship agreements.

Partnership & Account Management

• Act as the senior relationship manager for key sponsorship accounts.
• Build long-term partnerships by delivering exceptional service and maintaining strong communication.
• Identify opportunities to renew, expand or enhance existing sponsorship agreements.
• Resolve partner queries proactively to maintain high levels of satisfaction and retention.

Revenue & Performance

• Deliver against sponsorship revenue targets and commercial KPIs.
• Monitor pipeline performance, forecasting and deal progression.
• Provide regular reports and commercial insights to senior leadership.
• Analyse market trends, competitor activity and emerging sponsorship opportunities.

Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Contribute to the ongoing development of the organisation's sponsorship and sports marketing strategy.
• Monitor sponsorship activity within the local market, including major brand investments, renewal cycles and partnership trends.
• Prepare future sponsorship proposals well ahead of annual budgeting periods to maximise commercial opportunities.

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor and support Sponsorship Account Managers within the team.
• Allocate workloads, manage performance and encourage professional development.
• Ensure sponsorship delivery aligns with commercial commitments and partner expectations.

Partnership Activation

• Facilitate strategic workshops with sponsors and internal stakeholders to maximise partnership value.
• Host prospective partners at premium race day experiences and key industry events to showcase commercial opportunities.
• Support the successful execution of sponsorship activations that strengthen long-term relationships.

Reporting & ROI

• Produce comprehensive sponsorship performance reports demonstrating return on investment and campaign effectiveness.
• Measure commercial value through sponsorship metrics and equivalent advertising value (EAV).
• Develop case studies and success stories to support future sales presentations and partnership renewals.

Experience

• 5–7 years' experience in Sponsorship Sales, Business Development, Partnerships or Commercial Account Management.
• Experience within sports, horse racing, betting, gaming, media or entertainment industries will be highly advantageous.
• Proven success in generating new business and consistently achieving revenue targets.
• Strong background in commercial negotiations and contract management.

Skills

• Outstanding business development and prospecting abilities.
• Strong commercial awareness with excellent negotiation skills.
• Exceptional relationship management and stakeholder engagement experience.
• Confident presenter with excellent proposal writing and pitching capabilities.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage a busy sales pipeline independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Established network across the sports sponsorship landscape, including agencies, media buyers, marketing leaders and brand decision-makers.
• Previous experience leading, mentoring and developing team members.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in Marketing, Business, Sales or a related discipline is preferred.

Additional Requirements

• Valid driver's licence and own reliable transport.
• Flexibility to attend client meetings, networking events and race-day activations outside of standard business hours when required.