Manager, Strategic Partnerships (South Florida)

Intersport

20h•$55,000 - $75,000•Remote

About The Position

The Association of Pickleball Players | The APP Tour (APP) is dedicated to providing the best pickleball tournament experience for all. The APP, owned by Intersport, was founded in 2019 and serves professionals, senior professionals, and amateurs in the fastest-growing sport in the country. The first and only tour officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball, the APP Tour boasts tournament stops, as well as Showcase Series, International, and Collegiate Series events. The APP also prides itself on developing the next generation of champions through its APP Next Series and other youth initiatives. 2026 Tour schedule here: https://www.theapp.global/tour The APP is seeking to add a successful sponsorship sales professional to its Strategic Partnerships team. Manager, Strategic Partnerships, is responsible for expanding our company customer base using prospecting strategies including cold calling to identify prospects, initiate the first connection and close partnerships generating revenue for the APP Ft. Lauderdale events. The right candidate will have proven success in sponsorship sales, relationships with key clients in the South Florida DMA, and must be a self-motivated hustler, hungry for customer acquisition, passionate about contributing to top-line revenue growth and competitive individual who enjoys learning about companies’ initiatives and providing strong solutions

Requirements

Excellent communication skills - phone, writing and listening
Passion for meeting new people and helping businesses grow
Unrelenting drive to understand and meet prospective customer needs
Self-Starter who has a desire to learn, grow and excel
Results driven, innovative, resilient with a desire to win
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to engage the customer
Ability to multi-task, organize and prioritize work
High level of attention to detail
Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of four (4) years’ full-time experience in corporate partnership sales/service
Strong understanding of the sales process with a passion for pitching and closing new business
Ability to detail a history of having sold numerous six-figure sponsorship and/or media sales agreements
Current key relationships with sponsorship and/or media buyers at clients and agencies locally
Ability to develop new relationships with sponsorship and/or media buyers
Must have a strong client-direct/agency network of sponsorship marketing decision-makers in the South Florida marketplace
Exemplary verbal and written communication skills with high-level presentation ability
Flexibility to work both independently and collaboratively in an entrepreneurial environment
Proficiency in Canva, Word, Excel, LinkedIn, and CRM and virtual meeting platforms

Responsibilities

Consistently achieve Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
Establish rapport, build trust, and generate qualified leads
Use prospecting strategies to lead initial outreach to prospects
Identify the needs and challenges of prospective customers in targeted verticals via thorough needs assessment and a collaborative sales process
Help develop and execute a sales plan to exceed annual revenue targets
Proactively research and contact prospects via cold calls, emails, and social platforms such as LinkedIn and SponsorUnited
Identify potential sponsors for APP FTL through networking with pickleball stakeholders and business partners, researching local, regional, and national companies, and selling them marketing platforms that incorporate sponsorship inventory including entitlements, signage, digital/social, community involvement and VIP hospitality
Solicit referrals from your network and customer base
Think strategically to create and deliver value solutions to potential clients understanding trends / best practices
Create sales inventory, revenue projections and support overall sponsorship strategy for APP FTL assets
Develop compelling sales presentations on Canva for new marketing partners by incorporating research, category dynamics and a clear understanding of partner’s marketing goals
Manage the sales process from start to finish (create proposals and draft/negotiate contracts)
Prepare end-of-year recaps for sponsors with Property Assistants and Executive Director
Research sports sponsorship industry and stay current with relevant market trends and conditions
Understand and leverage APP FTL / Intersport resources to develop new business leads, and categories
Track progress and results in our CRM system (SponsorCX)
Collaborate with and learn from industry leaders who are dedicated to your success
Solicit referrals from your network and customer base
Demonstrate leadership and presence in all corporate partner client/prospect interaction – meetings, calls/video conferences, correspondence
Represent the tournament with the highest degree of professionalism and enthusiasm among various constituents and events
Assist in the execution of tournament-related events and corporate partner activations, including coordination and communication between internal departments and external partners/prospects
Apply a genuine eagerness to mentor, grow, and learn from a diverse and talented team
Work collaboratively with all members of integrated team