French)

Retail Council of Canada•Montreal, QC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is seeking a strategic, results-driven Director, Sponsorship & Partnerships based in Toronto or Montreal to lead the development, sales, and management of strategic partnerships across our conferences, awards programs, education initiatives, research, and member engagement activities. Reporting to the Vice President, Education & Partnerships, you will drive sponsorship revenue growth, cultivate long-term partner relationships, and create innovative opportunities that connect solution providers with Canada's retail community. This is a bilingual role, which requires professional fluency in English and French, including strong written and verbal communication skills in both languages. This posting is for an existing role that is currently vacant.

Requirements

Professional fluency in English and French, with strong written and verbal communication skills in both languages.
7+ years of experience in sponsorship sales, partnership development, business development, or account management.
A proven track record of achieving revenue targets and securing strategic partnerships.
Strong negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong understanding of sponsorship value creation and partner needs.
Proficiency with CRM systems, proposal development, and sales reporting tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience within an association, events, media, retail, or a related industry is considered an asset.
A genuine interest in supporting the growth and success of Canada's retail industry.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute sponsorship and partnership strategies that support RCC's revenue objectives and organizational priorities.
Identify, prospect, and secure new sponsorship opportunities across RCC's events, programs, awards, education offerings, and research initiatives.
Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective partners across key retail supplier categories.
Develop tailored partnership solutions that align sponsor objectives with RCC member needs.
Monitor industry trends and emerging opportunities to strengthen and evolve RCC's partnership offerings.
Achieve and exceed annual sponsorship revenue targets.
Lead the full sales cycle, including prospecting, proposal development, negotiation, contracting, and renewals.
Create compelling sponsorship packages and partnership proposals that clearly communicate value and expected return on investment.
Identify multi-event and multi-year partnership opportunities that support revenue stability and deeper partner engagement.
Serve as the primary relationship lead for key strategic partners and sponsors.
Cultivate long-term partnerships through proactive communication, exceptional service, and consistent value delivery.
Conduct regular business reviews with partners to assess performance, demonstrate value, and identify opportunities for growth.
Collaborate with internal teams to ensure partnership commitments are fulfilled and partner expectations are met or exceeded.
Partner closely with RCC's Events, Education, Membership, and Marketing teams to integrate sponsor activations and partnership deliverables.
Support sponsor engagement across RCC's major conferences, including STORE Conference, Retail Secure, Retail Sustainability Conference, and other industry events.
Position sponsors as valued contributors to the retail community while protecting the integrity of RCC's programming and member experience.
Contribute to annual budgeting, forecasting, and revenue planning.
Provide insights and recommendations on partnership trends, market opportunities, and RCC's competitive positioning.
Collaborate with senior leadership to align partnership initiatives with RCC's strategic goals.
Support cross-departmental initiatives that strengthen member engagement and industry impact.