Director, Brand Partnerships

Federal Realty Investment Trust•North Bethesda, MD

1d•$200,000 - $260,000

About The Position

Federal Realty Investment Trust is a proven leader in the ownership, operation, and redevelopment of high-quality retail real estate in the country's best markets. We believe we are one of the most innovative and dynamic real estate companies you can work for. Interested candidates who research Federal hear a lot about our high-quality shopping centers and mixed-use centers. Our well-respected real estate team is at our core, but it's the smaller intangible things that can make working at Federal so satisfying. You see, while we're one of the largest publicly traded real estate investment trusts in the country, as measured by the value of our shopping centers, we're really a very small company by most standards and we try to operate that way. Our stability and success are due to our great team of employees! Would you like to join our team? If so, learn more about our current opportunity below. We are looking for an experienced, entrepreneurial partnerships and sponsorship professional to join our team in the role of Director, Brand Partnerships. The preferred candidate will have a well-rounded background in selling and pricing sponsorships, brand partnerships, or experiential and media inventory, with at least ten years of hands-on experience, and will build a new partnerships and sponsorship discipline across an assigned portfolio of properties. The Director will identify and price sellable space and assets, and will create revenue beyond budget (or reduce expenses) through four deal structures: brand activations, brand partnerships (sponsorships), retail pop-ups in common areas and within premises, and strategic partnerships. This role will also represent Federal in the market, building a network of experiential agencies and working with our on-site teams to turn local inquiries into multi-asset, multi-property, or multi-year partnerships. This role reports to the Vice President, Business Development and requires a self-directed professional who exercises sound judgment, manages priorities independently, and communicates proactively with leadership and property teams.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in sponsorship, brand partnerships, experiential marketing, media sales, or a related field, including in a leadership or senior individual contributor role; retail real estate, shopping center, venue, or live event experience preferred.
Bachelor's degree in marketing, business administration, communications, real estate, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience selling and pricing sponsorships, brand partnerships, or experiential and media inventory, including building a rate card, sales policies, or a sales process for a new or growing program.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to analyze market trends, benchmark against peers, and turn that analysis into revenue targets, prospecting plans, and pricing.
Experience working with brands and experiential agencies, with the ability to build long-term relationships and represent the Company professionally in the market; willingness to travel as needed.
Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal day-to-day oversight, exercise sound judgment on pricing and deal prioritization, and know when to escalate, while communicating proactively and clearly with executives and local property teams.
Strong oral, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with individuals and teams across all organizational levels.
Ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities while meeting deadlines; takes initiative, demonstrates urgency, maintains accountability and honesty in communication, and thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Demonstrates alignment with Federal's mission, vision, and values.

Nice To Haves

Experience with program measurement, audits, and recap reporting preferred.

Responsibilities

Identify and categorize all potential inventory across the assigned portfolio, including high-visibility and weather-protected spaces suited to brand activations, and recommend how space should be used.
Identify and price partnership and sponsorship assets, and create a rate card for all assets.
Propose revenue targets and timetables for deliverable milestones, and prioritize efforts by risk and reward, industry, and category.
Establish guardrails, policies, and procedures for sponsorship and media sales, including endemic versus non-endemic brands, merchandising, frequency, pricing, and appropriate content.
Build a marketing calendar for the assigned portfolio and identify sponsorship opportunities against existing programming.
Conduct benchmarking and market trend research to position the assigned portfolio against other retail developers, and use the findings to shape prospecting and marketing strategies.
Coordinate with local teams on all inbound inquiries, helping them sell local partnerships and, where appropriate, elevating conversations to multi-asset, multi-property, or multi-year partnerships.
Sell partnership, media, and signage inventory, and maintain the sales process.
Produce program recaps with performance data, and oversee fulfillment, media planning and scheduling, measurement, and client audits in coordination with internal teams and outside partners.
Build and maintain a network of experiential agencies, introducing Federal's inventory and developing long-term relationships.
Work with executive teams to recommend innovations and upgrades to partnership and sponsorship offerings and processes.
Develop and pursue strategic partnerships across the assigned portfolio.
Recommend the most desirable course of action for each property across all partnership activities, and complete other special projects and duties as assigned from time to time.