Loudoun United FC is seeking a highly motivated and creative Account Executive, Partnerships to drive corporate revenue growth by identifying, developing, and securing new sponsorship deals. This role is responsible for the entire sales cycle, from prospecting and pitching to contract negotiation and post-sale support, creating customized marketing solutions that deliver significant value and measurable ROI for our corporate partners.
Key Responsibilities
Sponsorship Sales & Business Development (80%):
- Prospecting & Lead Generation: Proactively research, prospect, and cold-call local, regional, and national businesses to build a robust sales pipeline of potential corporate partners.
- Needs Analysis: Conduct consultative sales meetings to deeply understand the marketing and business objectives of prospective partners.
- Proposal Development: Creatively design and present integrated, customized sponsorship proposals utilizing all club assets, including:
- Stadium signage (LED, static, jumbotron).
- Digital and social media campaigns.
- Experiential and on-site activation (fan zones, sampling).
- Hospitality, premium seating, and client entertainment.
- Community outreach programs.
- Negotiation & Closing: Lead contract negotiations to secure mutually beneficial long-term partnership agreements that meet and exceed individual and team revenue goals.
- CRM Management: Utilize the club's CRM system (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) to accurately track all sales activities, update pipeline status, and forecast revenue.
Account Management & Fulfillment Support (20%):
- Transition to Service: Work closely with the Partnerships Activation team to ensure seamless transition of new accounts and clear communication of all contractual deliverables.
- Game Day & Events: Represent the club at all home matches and key community events, assisting with partner hospitality, activation execution, and general relationship building.
- Reporting: Assist in the creation of mid-season and year-end recap reports, gathering proof-of-performance data to demonstrate value and set the stage for partnership renewals and upsells.
Qualifications and Experience
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sports Management, or a related field is preferred.
- Experience: 2-3 years of proven sales experience, preferably in sports, media, or complex business-to-business (B2B) corporate sales. Experience in sponsorship sales is a significant plus.
- Sales Skills: Demonstrated track record of hitting or exceeding sales quotas and an ability to manage a full sales funnel from cold-call to contract.
- Communication: Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to C-level executives and marketing directors.
- Creative Thinking: Ability to develop and articulate creative, non-traditional marketing solutions that go beyond standard logo placement.
- Work Ethic: Highly motivated, self-starter who thrives in a competitive, team-oriented environment and possesses a willingness to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required by the match and event schedule.
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.
