Director, Corporate Partnership Activation

Columbus Crew•Columbus, OH

About The Position

The Director, Corporate Partnership Activation, is responsible for overseeing the management of all the Club's corporate partnerships, as well as achieving the revenue goal tied to the retention/renewal and growth of all partnerships. The Director will oversee all strategy for setting each partnership's goals and KPIs, activation plan for the year, communication plan, measurement plan, and will work with each individual account leader to stay accountable to this strategy. The Crew have a highly engaged portfolio of partners, with a strong desire to activate outside of the venue and use the venue in creative ways. This position will lead those innovative efforts. The Director will also work very closely with the partnership sales team throughout the new business process, helping to identify opportunities through best practices, growth/change status of categories, and identifying an account executive who will assist in the partnership development from the early stages. This individual must be very sales minded, as this position is a combination of both marketing and sales.

Requirements

4-year college degree
Minimum 5-7 years of sales and activation and/or agency experience (sports experience preferred)
Minimum 1-3 years of staff management experience
Strong written and oral communication skills
Proficiency in Microsoft programs with expertise in PowerPoint
Proficiency in CRM and best practices in account management tools
Ability to think creatively and "outside of the box" as it pertains to developing marketing and activation campaigns for small, mid and large business partners
Ability to work weekends, nights and holidays as dictated by events or requirements

Responsibilities

Management of all Corporate Partnership account executives, including Managers and Coordinators
Thorough knowledge of all corporate partnerships, including contract details, opportunities for growth and advancement, areas of improvement and category changes
Develop relationships within each corporate partnership, and establish his/herself as a leader and decision maker within the company/department
Assist with all renewal and upsell negotiations
Oversee the general planning and execution of all partnership activation plans, taking a leadership role with cross-departmental collaboration
Oversee and further develop partnership communications, including regular outreach calls/meetings, recap meetings and presentations, also identifying the right opportunities to engage executive leadership with accounts
Further the renewal and partner growth efforts by identifying opportunities, with the staff, to present to partners, and encouraging the staff to think months ahead
Set aggressive timelines and revenue goals with the staff to stay progressive
Work closely on a high level with other departments, most importantly Marketing & Business Intelligence, to understand their goals and plans, to drive collaboration, and provide optimal opportunities to share with prospective and current partners
Represent the Team at various networking events and participate in other sales and community events, as defined by the Team
Oversee the department's expenditure portion of the budget, and collaborate with the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships in setting revenue goals each year
Develop and oversee all partner networking and entertainment opportunities
Provide guidance, motivation, and training (where applicable) to staff, with a focus on helping them grow into their next role within or outside of the organization