Senior Manager, Sponsorships - (New York City or Boston)

UnitedHealth Group•Washington, DC

11h

About The Position

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. UnitedHealth Group is seeking a strategic and creative Senior Manager, Sponsorships to join our high-performing team. Reporting to the Vice President of Team Sponsorships, this role will help maximize the impact of various sponsorship investments to drive enterprise growth, elevate brand perception and trust, and demonstrate our commitment to the communities we serve. The ideal candidate combines strategic thinking, solutions-based problem solving, relationship-building, and attention to detail. This role requires a deep understanding of how to: activate sponsorships to support business development, work cross-functionally to wield influence without ownership, and align with brand priorities to generate earned-media worthy activations. This is a unique opportunity for a growth and brand-minded marketer to contribute to a best-in-class team within the Enterprise Marketing and Customer Office, helping shape how sponsorships drive measurable business outcomes.

Requirements

7+ years of sports sponsorship experience managing complex projects independently
7+ years of experience working for a sports marketing agency, team/league or within a brand’s sponsorship marketing team
7+ years delivering results within matrixed organizations that require interactions with 5+ departments or decision-makers
7+ years of experience managing 5+ concurrent sponsorship programs in a fast-paced environment
7+ years of experience presenting to VP-level and above stakeholders or clients
7+ years of experience working with platforms such as Concierge Live or TicketManager to track asset utilization
Ability to provide a portfolio of experience that includes:
Cross-functional marketing initiatives led on-time, on-budget
Examples of experience with multiple projects / deliverables managed concurrently and how they prioritized their time
Presentations they created and delivered to senior leadership, as well as recaps or reporting of work they led
Examples of when they took initiative to create a better process or solution for an organizational challenge
Ability to work weekends and travel 20-30%25

Nice To Haves

Experience in healthcare, B2B, or regulated industries
Background in hospitality or experiential marketing
Proficient in data analysis and reporting
Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities
Proven excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
Proven relationship-building skills across matrixed organizations
Proven solid organizational skills and attention to detail
Proven ability to influence and collaborate across teams
Proven proactive, resourceful, and solution-oriented mindset
Proven passion for storytelling and creating meaningful brand experiences

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Alignment
Collaborate with the Director of Sponsorship Activation and various internal teams (brand, media, PR, digital) to ensure sponsorships are integrated across all relevant channels
Partner with the Sponsorships Growth Lead and internal teams across growth operations and events to align sponsorship engagements with high-value growth opportunities and enterprise priorities
Define KPIs and success metrics to measure sponsorship effectiveness and ROI
Partnership Management
Act as the primary liaison between internal stakeholders and external partners for the properties you will manage
Manage delivery and execution of sponsorship assets, ensuring alignment with brand standards and timelines
Growth Engagements & Execution
Manage a high volume of ticket requests for assigned sponsorship properties, allocating based on highest-value growth opportunities and ensuring maximum utilization
Proactively engage with growth leaders to identify and develop new opportunities for leveraging sponsorship assets
Collaborate with marketing and event leads to plan and execute strategic events at sponsored venues
Creative Activation & Execution
Lead the development of creative campaigns leveraging sponsorship assets (e.g., I/P rights, in-stadium signage, appearances, hospitality, content)
Oversee production of branded content, on-site activations, and experiential marketing initiatives.
Coordinate with internal teams, agencies, and vendors to ensure seamless execution
Performance Measurement & Reporting
Collaborate with the Operations Manager to analyze growth and brand engagement data to optimize future activations
Develop post-activation reports and presentations for internal stakeholders
Monitor industry trends and competitor activity to inform strategy and innovation
Budget & Resource Management
Manage sponsorship activation budgets, ensuring efficient use of resources
Track and reconcile spend against planned activities
Internal Communication & Advocacy
Educate internal teams on sponsorship strategy, assets, and activation opportunities
Champion sponsorship internally to drive engagement and alignment across the portfolio