Business Development Manager - University of Rhode Island

LEARFIELD•Kingston, RI

About The Position

Learfield is seeking a motivated, relationship-driven sales professional to join its growing sponsorship team supporting the University of Rhode Island. The Business Development Manager manages existing client relationships while growing revenue through renewals and new business. The role owns partner agreements from prospecting through renewal and collaborates with internal teams and university stakeholders to deliver campaigns aligned with partner goals. The position develops and sells integrated sponsorship packages, manages a defined book of business, and builds proposals across digital, social, broadcast, in-venue, and experiential platforms. It also supports campaign execution, renewal planning, and game-day and client hospitality activities. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.

Requirements

At least 4 years of sales experience focused on building and maintaining client relationships.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and meet or exceed sales goals.
Strong communication and presentation skills and a customer-first approach.
Comfort navigating CRM systems and working in a performance-driven sales environment.
Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed for game days and events.

Nice To Haves

Experience in sports sponsorship or media sales, such as radio, signage, social, or digital.
Familiarity with marketing solutions that include digital and experiential assets.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Responsibilities

Meet or exceed assigned revenue goals by developing and selling integrated sponsorship packages.
Manage a defined book of business and own the full sales cycle for renewals and new business deals.
Build, present, and negotiate proposals across digital, social, broadcast, in-venue, and experiential platforms.
Develop relationships with local, regional, and national partners to demonstrate the value of collegiate sponsorships.
Build and maintain relationships with university partners, athletic department staff, corporate sponsors, and internal stakeholders, representing Learfield and the university.
Collaborate with internal teams to execute partner deliverables in accordance with contract terms and brand standards.
Maintain accurate records of sales activity and pipeline progress in CRM systems.
Support year-end recaps and participate in renewal planning discussions.
Attend and contribute to game-day operations and client hospitality events, including occasional nights and weekends.
Stay informed about industry trends and best practices, brand activations, digital marketing tools, and emerging sponsorship platforms.
Perform other related duties as required.