Job Title: Director, Corporate Partnerships
Department: Corporate Partnerships
Reports to: Vice President, Corporate Partnerships
Manages: N/A
Position Summary: The Director, Corporate Partnerships is a proactive, high-energy sales executive with a deep love for the sports industry. This is a high-pressure, high-reward role. This position will leverage a positive reputation in the sports industry with the Lakers iconic brand to generate team revenue. It is ultra-responsive, corporate-client focused, and is responsible for business development and client relationship management, while maintaining Lakers brand guidelines.
Key metrics used to evaluate performance:
- Dollars generated annually – both new business and renewals/upsells
- Client satisfaction (survey at end of each season)
- Impact of new/updated partnerships signed (amount of intangible value that can be leveraged across the Lakers company)
- Level of innovation incorporated into contracts
Essential Functions (Duties & Responsibilities**):
Overall: Responsible for developing and securing new corporate partnerships to achieve annual revenue goals —including outreach, negotiation, and renewal
Prospecting
- Research and qualify leads and set up face-to-face appointments in pursuit of new business (usually spearheading 2-3 meetings before final proposal)
- Brainstorm creative leads in both new and untapped categories, capitalizing on changes in sports industry, Lakers team, fan preferences, what other NBA teams are doing, etc.
Sales
- Serve as the primary presenter in high-stakes sales meetings, confidently communicating value propositions and partnership opportunities to executive-level prospects
- In conjunction with the Business Solutions team, collaborate cross-functionally with all departments to create comprehensive packages for sponsors, while ensuring a high level of internal communication relative to sales activities and internal approvals
- Deep understanding of potential partner brands and their competitors to develop solution-based platforms to help amplify partners' brands, enable them to break through the clutter, and achieve their marketing objectives while also advancing sales efforts or upselling renewals
- Leverage Lakers games and other events to demonstrate the full-range of sponsorship potential to warm leads
- Use Lakers Rate Card to creatively capture business and maintain accurate reporting regarding sales, forecasting, and account maintenance
Activation & Servicing
- Develop and maintain client relationships and drive renewals for future marketing programs (e.g. understand clients’ business priorities, timelines, and budgets to adapt past proposals and drive increased revenue)
- Represent the Lakers at games and promotional events
**Responsibilities subject to change based on organizational needs and direction from management.
Education (required/ preferred): Bachelor’s Degree (Business Administration or Marketing, preferred)
Previous experience:
- A minimum of five (5) years work experience in sales and customer service
- A proven track record of sales success (including cold calls and environments with high rates of rejection)
- Past experience making impactful presentations to senior executives
- A good reputation within the sports industry, in LA, and nationally
Technology Capabilities: Microsoft Office, LinkedIn (Sales Navigator), the List, the Sports Business Journal (Resource Guide), and other online lead generation tools.
Knowledge, skills, abilities:
- Strong Interpersonal skills (high EQ)
- Excellent presentation skills (must be client-ready)
- Must be a skilled negotiator with the ability to represent the standards and philosophy of the department effectively
- Creative problem solver who is able to connect today’s trends with Lakers inventory and differentiate new sponsors from existing sponsors
- Strong networking skills within the corporate community and the ability to develop lasting relationships
- Strong client relationship management (CRM) skills and exceptional responsiveness
- Demonstrated cross-functional leadership
- Proven ability to meet ambitious deadlines and quotas
- Proven ability to navigate office politics and create internal buy-in around new ideas
- Proven track record of prioritization, organization, and the ability to multitask
Physical Demands: Ability to lift up to 25 lbs. and walk significant distances in the arena on game day
Location: El Segundo (offices M-F), downtown Los Angeles (Crypto.com for select Laker home games), and other off-site client meetings
Travel: Must be willing to travel 5%-10% of the time to league meetings, client meetings, and occasional away games.
Hours: Regular office hours M-F plus nights & weekends for games/client events
The base pay for this role is $100,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications. In addition to those factors, we consider the relative pay of our current employees in similar positions when making a final offer.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
