Overview

The Director of Partnerships is responsible for leading all sponsorship and premium seating initiatives for OVG at McCormick Place, Wintrust Arena and the Arie Crown Theatre. The Director of Partnerships is the primary salesperson, responsible for conducting and overseeing the entire sales process from prospecting new business, presenting to prospective clients, negotiating, and then implementing contractual agreements with all corporate partners.

The Director of Partnerships oversees 1-2 additional Partnerships department team members while working internally with other department directors and the facility client to ensure all processes are efficient and in line with overall operations and business plans. This position reports locally to the facility General Manager and regionally through the Regional Director and Vice President of the OVG Global Partnerships West Region

This role will pay a salary of $115,000 to $135,000.

For FT roles: Benefits: Health, Dental and Vision insurance, 401(k) savings plan, 401(k) matching, and paid time off (vacation days, sick days, and 11 holidays).

job expires 5/31/2024

Responsibilities

· Identify, source, and develop new partnerships on a national, regional, and local scale through research, benchmarking, and business intelligence across the market.

· Create and manage high-value, fully-integrated advertising and sponsorship packages that are in line with a partner’s marketing objectives.

· Set appointments, meetings, and presentations with C-suite executives to secure sponsorship contracts in order to meet and exceed revenue goals.

· Draft sales proposals, negotiate terms, and develop partnership agreements for prospective partners.

· Proactively identify and collaboratively assess partnership opportunities while establishing new client relationships utilizing various sales strategies, including but not limited to, research, cold calls, site visits, and outside sales calls.

· Provide partners with Proof of Performance and Recaps to assist renewal and upsell opportunities.

· Create new sales collateral or modify existing collateral as required for both OVG and your Facility.

· Identify strategic growth opportunities for your property or other properties through non-traditional inventory, platforms and partners.

· Meet and exceed sales revenue quota as well as other goals set by your manager.

· Collaborate internally with other venue departments (ie Marketing, Operations, Food & Beverage) to build out creative and unique sponsorship opportunities.

· Regular reporting to venue management and partnerships through email and proper reporting of sales activity and lead generation through the company CRM software - Salesforce.

· Effectively communicate client expectations and contractual obligations to appropriate internal departments to properly execute contracted sponsorship agreements.

· Establish and maintain complete and efficient records of all partner/prospect contacts that are accessible by OVG.

· Work with internal departments to develop and execute programs that support partnership programs and elements.

· Provide regular reports as required by your manager for sales pipeline, revenue achievements, prospecting, and forecasting through proper recording methods provided by your manager.

· Conduct business during non-traditional hours, taking advantage of opportunities to interact with clients and prospects during games, events and off-site gatherings.

· Day of event responsibilities such as sponsorship activation setup, coordination, entertaining clients, premium seating preparation and fulfilling necessary sponsorship contract obligations.

· Sell the full suite of OVG Global Partnerships assets on a local and national scale incorporating your property, other OVG 360 properties, 3rd Party, Arena Alliance, Owned & Operated and other OVG opportunities.

· Conduct yourself in a mature, respectful manner internally and externally with all stakeholders.

Qualifications

· Ideally 7-10 years of sponsorship sales experience, preferably in the sports and entertainment or advertising and brand sales industries

· Connected to a prominent network of top-tier decision makers in the market.

· Ability to assess a prospective client's needs through conversation and research and effectively create a sponsorship proposal that meets those needs and objectives.

· Entrepreneurial mindset to take ownership of your role and improve those around you.

· Knowledge of the sport/event sponsorship sales and advertising industry

· Excellent communication, organizational, and presentation skills

· Ability to quickly establish personal relationships through trust, knowledge, and empathy.

· Ability to adapt your style or messaging to the needs of the client.

· Strong competitive spirt – Driven to success, win and overcome obstacles through hard work and determination.

· Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university

· Must be available to work flexible hours including nights, weekends, and holidays.

· A self-starter that has the ability to multitask, reacts well under pressure, and is able to work in a fast-paced environment.

· A hard worker who values integrity and respect for others, and a team player who also understands how to lead.

· Exceptional organizational skills with an ability to handle multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.

· Ability to exercise sound business judgment generating effective solutions quickly and raising issues to management as necessary.

· Strong working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams)

· A valid Driver’s License and a good driving record.