This role will be responsible for overseeing the growth of the commercial partnership revenue across Europe, with a core focus on France and Spain. They will generate meaningful partnerships that support the strategic objective of increasing fandom across the continent and be responsible for the entire sales cycle. They will be a leader, with experience managing and developing a sales team, agencies and internal stakeholders.
Main Accountabilities
- Achieve personal and team sales targets, communicating clearly the progress and pipeline development to internal stakeholders.
- Drive the sales process through direct lead generation as well as active management of the relationship with sponsorship sales agencies, driving innovative thinking and identifying areas of focus.
- Proactively identify new market opportunities and revenue streams including exploitation of traditional inventory and digital opportunities.
- Advance the sponsorship businesses through deep analysis and partner / category development – assessing the current / full potential and developing a strategy to drive upside and efficiencies.
- Build innovative and tailored proposals that attract and show value to potential partners.
- Provide support using key sponsorship and valuation metrics during contractual discussions.
- Identify and contact key decision makers at C-suite level. Develop and maintain excellent industry relationships with key clients and industry stakeholders with the commercial reputation and values front of mind.
- Proactively prospect in categories and sectors as required including compilation of company overviews, working to identify key decision makers.
- Prepare, track and manage pipeline via CRM database.
- Manage the creation of bespoke sales materials, creating best in class proposals in line with company standards. Take responsibility for all facets of the sales process working in collaboration with all key internal and external stakeholders – strategy, prospecting, outreach, pitching and presenting, client engagement, negotiations, contracting and on-going sales support.
- Coordinate with other divisions to align concepts and promotions being integrated into new business proposals to ensure opportunities deliver a robust return for partners.
- Maintain strong marketplace knowledge about industry trends and company spend in sponsorship / marketing.
- Ensure that all internal stakeholders understand the importance of the commercial programme and each department understands their role in the successful delivery of the programme.
- Work with other departments, particularly legal and marketing, to ensure the successful contracting and sign-off of any new programme.
- Work with the partnership delivery programme to ensure assets are available and inventory is being carefully managed.
- Work with other international territories, including the US, to ensure a consistent look and feel is achieved and a joined-up approach, where relevant is adopted.
- Management and development of a Sales Manager and Executive. Nurture a culture of continuous improvement and measurement within the team that creates clear accountability for partner delivery and creates process and procedure to support agreed client objectives.
- Display an unwavering commitment to the growth and success of the business within Europe.
Person Specification
Required Experience:
- A successful track record in sponsorship and building out a sales pipeline. The candidate must have extensive experience in a senior client sales role and managed complex commercial rights, IP and assets.
- To have entrepreneurial attitude, and have the ability to work across multiple stakeholders.
- Track record in identifying, attracting and converting partners into high value deals.
- Ability to represent the business with senior executives of international businesses.
- Proven experience in a senior commercial or equivalent role with a track record of managing both internal teams and key client relationships.
- Strong presenting and pitching skills with the ability to eloquently demonstrate the business vision values, and commercial strategy.
- Proven problem solver with the ability to generate creative solutions and bespoke partner propositions.
- Understanding of brand and business dynamics.
- Understanding of the media landscape and value of content and social and digital platforms.
- Knowledge of the sports and / or entertainment rights and business environments. Demonstrate a high level of connectivity within the brand, sport and sponsorship community.
- Accomplished internal communicator, able to work collaboratively across a wide range of departments and to be able to identify and resolve conflict where necessary. Ability to influence others in reaching across the business to collaborate.
- Numerate, with excellent written, Microsoft Office and digital skills.
Leadership Attributes:
- A big thinker who can identify new commercial opportunities.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to build relationships and to deliver results in a cross-functional / matrixed environment.
- Communicates clearly and inspires the team through action.
- Excellent organisational skills, multi tasker and confident presenter.
- Proven evidence of planning, forecasting and decision making.
- Adept with research, evaluation and industry analysis tools and methodologies.
- Self-reliant and able to work well unsupervised and demonstrate initiative, yet equally a team player who can follow instruction and support others.
- Effective management and delegation.
- Ability to develop direct reports’ skillsets and create career development paths.
- Understanding of a multi-faceted business operation.
- Has a flexible and ‘hands-on’ approach.
- Ethical and hard-working with a strong personal commitment to deliver at pace.
- Works well under pressure adapting to tight deadlines and differing demands.
- Possesses good judgement and behavioural maturity.
- Ambitious and hungry for opportunity.
- Commercial acumen that stretches beyond Partnerships directly.
