Senior Manager, Global Sponsorship & Activation

PayPal•New York, NY

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

PayPal is seeking a dynamic Senior Manager of Global Sponsorship & Activation to help drive the strategy and execution of our sports and music portfolio. This role will play a critical part in activating our premier partnerships—including our NFL league sponsorship, four NFL team deals, Liverpool FC global sponsorship, and Live Nation festival portfolio (Bonnaroo, BottleRock, Lollapalooza US, and Lollapalooza Germany)—with a particular focus on social-first activation strategies that drive engagement and business results.

Requirements

8+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.
8-12 years of experience in sports marketing, entertainment marketing, sponsorship activation, or social media marketing
Proven track record of successful social media campaigns within sports, entertainment, music, or culture with demonstrable engagement and business results
Deep understanding of social platforms, content trends, and fan behaviors across key demographics
Experience managing partnerships with sports leagues, teams, entertainment properties, or cultural brands
Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple activations simultaneously
Experience working with creative and social media agencies
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Creative thinker with ability to translate sponsorship assets into compelling social-first experiences
Data-driven mindset with experience measuring and optimizing campaign performance

Nice To Haves

Experience with NFL, Premier League/global football, live music festivals, or similar premium properties
Background in fintech, payments, or digital commerce industries
Experience creating influencer and athlete-driven content strategies
Familiarity with paid social media amplification and media buying
Understanding of Gen Z and millennial audience behaviors and preferences
Experience managing budgets for activation programs

Responsibilities

Lead complex marketing projects and initiatives to drive business growth
Resolve complex marketing problems and develop innovative solutions
Determine methods and procedures for new marketing assignments
Implement global process improvements to enhance marketing effectiveness
Collaborate with senior leadership to align marketing strategies with business goals
Provide thought leadership and expertise in marketing best practices
Serve as primary day-to-day relationship owner for assigned partners within the portfolio (NFL teams, Liverpool FC, or Live Nation properties)
Manage partner expectations, communications, and deliverable timelines to ensure seamless execution
Conduct regular partner check-ins and business reviews to assess performance and identify opportunities
Ensure partners fulfill contractual obligations and maximize value delivery against PayPal's business goals
Escalate partner issues and negotiate resolutions in collaboration with Director and legal/business affairs teams
Build strong relationships with partner marketing, activation, and content teams to unlock unique opportunities
Lead the development and execution of social media activation strategies across assigned partnerships
Create culturally relevant, platform-native content and campaigns that drive engagement, brand affinity, and business KPIs
Identify and leverage trending moments, cultural insights, and fan behaviors to maximize sponsorship impact on social platforms
Collaborate with creative and agency partners to develop breakthrough social content that amplifies sponsorship assets
Stay ahead of platform trends, emerging formats, and best practices across TikTok, Instagram, X, YouTube, and other relevant channels
Support end-to-end activation planning and execution for assigned partnerships within the portfolio
Develop integrated activation plans that connect sponsorship assets with product, brand, and business objectives
Manage activation timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure flawless execution
Coordinate with internal teams (Product, Brand, Content, Media) and external partners to bring campaigns to life
Oversee on-site activation execution at events and experiences as needed
Manage social and creative agency partners to deliver high-quality, on-strategy content and campaigns
Brief agencies clearly on objectives, provide feedback, and ensure alignment with PayPal brand standards
Monitor agency performance and budgets to ensure efficiency and quality
Define social and activation KPIs, tracking performance against established benchmarks
Analyze campaign results, generate insights, and identify optimization opportunities
Report on activation performance to senior leadership with clear recommendations
Build learnings library to inform future activation strategies and improve ROI
Partner with Brand, Product Marketing, Sales, and Communications teams to ensure activations support broader business initiatives
Build strong working relationships across the organization to secure resources and drive alignment
Represent Global Sponsorship in cross-functional planning sessions and working groups