Job Title: Manager, Partnership Development
Organization: Tampa Bay Sun FC
Department: Revenue Generation
Reports To: Director of Revenue
Classification: Full-time, Salary
JOB SUMMARY
Tampa Bay Sun FC seeks a highly motivated, results-driven, and purpose-driven individual to fill the Manager, Corporate Partnership position. The Club’s Partnerships department is responsible for the strategic planning, sales, partnership marketing, activation, retention, and revenue generation by selling corporate and marketing partnerships across all business lines for the first women’s major professional sports team in Tampa Bay.
The Manager, Corporate Partnership will be directly responsible for driving new business sales for the Tampa Bay Sun FC, its game day stadium, and training facility assets. This role will be responsible for achieving individual and department revenue goals through successful prospecting, pipeline management, strong relationships, business acumen, solution and objective-based ideation, selling, and negotiation.
This person will collaborate closely with the entire department and organization to ensure cohesion and synergy. Cultural fit and the proven ability to operate at a high level while leading in thought and action with an organization first, department second, and individual third mindset is critical. The Manager will need to possess a positive, solution-oriented, collaborative mindset, be a relationship-oriented individual, excel at storytelling and creativity, understand the growth of scaling a new business, be able to operate independently, and embrace innovation.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Revenue Strategy & Generation: Develop and execute a strategic plan to achieve individual new business goals while supporting and contributing to the Club’s goals and objectives. Responsible for establishing and maintaining new corporate and marketing partnerships to achieve quarterly and overall annual goals.
Prospecting/Networking: Identify and target potential, best-in-brand corporate partners at the regional, national, and international levels. Prospect for new business daily through phone calls, appointment setting, presentations, networking, and referrals among local and national companies.
CRM/Database Management/Analytics: Keep detailed records in CRM to help manage the sales process. Analyze specific marketing needs of prospects based on partner objectives, market strategies, category potential, activation potential, and financials.
Game/Event Night & Activities: Host and entertain corporate partners and prospects at games and events. The role will require working approximately 18 home game nights or events during the 2025/2026 season.
Customer Relationship Management: Establish and foster strong, meaningful relationships with existing and potential corporate partners, ensuring excellent customer service and satisfaction.
Sales Analysis, Reporting & Communication: Continually assess the industry landscape, market demands, innovation, and emerging categories to keep sales strategies and tactics relevant. Regularly monitor, adjust, and report on sales performance, providing comprehensive insights and recommendations for improvement to the President and the Director of Revenue. Communicate well across all areas of the Club, including broadcast, accounting, marketing, community relations, ticket operations, and the partnership activation team.
Community Engagement: Participate in community outreach programs and networking events to enhance the team's presence and grow the fan base.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & EXPECTATIONS
- Establish, monitor, and maintain the department's revenue goals, budgets, and activity goals.
- Attend and participate in Club department leadership meetings and goal setting.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced, professional environment with a creative and solution-oriented mindset.
- Display a strong commitment to personal growth and development.
- Participate in department and Club community initiatives.
- Deliver world-class service to both internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent written and oral communication and presentations; ability to manage and maintain critical business relationships with stakeholders.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in business management, marketing, advertising, or sports management (or similar field) or equivalent training & experience in business, sports, sales (or related fields).
- MBA and/or master’s degree or concentration diploma in Sports & Entertainment Management is preferred but not required.
- Minimum of at least three (3) years of sports sales experience with an emphasis on professional sports, larger market media area, and/or sponsorship sales.
- Proven track record of developing and managing highly strategic corporate partnerships, strong prospecting, and proven ability to consistently close new business deals at the minimum $200K threshold.
- Detail-oriented with experience in business analytics and CRM management.
- Proven success in establishing and meeting challenging sales objectives in a high-profile competitive marketplace, emphasizing experience in successfully scaling a new business.
- Comfortable managing tight deadlines and meeting aggressive sales goals and expectations.
- Strong professional relationship skills; establishing and maintaining long-term strategic relationships with corporate clients and co-workers.
- Must be a skilled, ethical negotiator representing the Club's mission and values.
- Possesses excellent, creative, enthusiastic communication skills, including phone etiquette and written correspondence.
- Understands and provides superior customer service with a strong moral character and selfless decision-making ability.
- Strong presentation skills using storytelling, objectives, and KPIs, and delivering information, analysis, and recommendations to high-profile business leaders (both internally and client-facing).
- Ability to work extended hours, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and all home game days.
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.
