Organizational Commitment
At USL Spokane, every employee—regardless of role—leads with a commitment to valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and representation. We prioritize the community, the fans and the athletes to create a sustainable organization. We create sustainability in all decisions, seeking solutions with minimal environmental impact. Collaboration, creativity, and cooperation are essential to success here.
Position Summary
USL Spokane (Spokane Zephyr FC and Spokane Velocity FC) is seeking a strategic and results-driven Senior Director of Partnerships. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for architecting and executing the comprehensive revenue generation strategy that powers our mission. You will not only drive significant revenue but also lead, mentor, and scale the partnerships team to capitalize on the immense opportunity within our community and region.
The Senior Director of Sales and Partnerships is a key member of the leadership team, responsible for the strategic vision, development, and management of all corporate partnership revenue. This includes leading new business acquisition, overseeing the retention and growth of a significant existing portfolio, and mentoring a team of partnership professionals. You will be tasked with developing innovative, multi-faceted partnership platforms that deliver exceptional value to top-tier local, regional, and national brands, ensuring their success and long-term investment in the USL Spokane ecosystem.
Key or Essential Functions
- Revenue Strategy & Leadership: Develop and own the annual and multi-year corporate revenue budget and strategy. Set aggressive yet achievable targets for new business and retention.
- Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and manage partnerships. Foster a high-performance culture focused on professional growth, collaboration, and exceeding goals.
- High-Value Sales & Negotiation: Personally manage and close the most complex, high-value partnership opportunities. Structure and negotiate long-term, seven-figure agreements with C-level executives and key decision-makers.
- Strategic Portfolio Management: Oversee the entire corporate partnership portfolio, ensuring the highest level of client satisfaction, identifying deep-level upsell opportunities, and implementing strategic renewal plans to maximize lifetime value.
- Product Development: In collaboration with marketing and operations, lead the innovation and development of new, data-driven sponsorship inventory and assets (e.g., digital media, exclusive experiences, B2B programs) to stay ahead of market trends.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the primary business liaison between the partnerships department and other key divisions (Ticketing, Marketing, Community Engagement, Operations) to ensure flawless integration and execution of partnership assets and deliverables.
- Executive Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain executive-level relationships with key corporate partners and community stakeholders. Represent USL Spokane at high-level community and industry events.
- Market Intelligence: Maintain a deep understanding of the regional and national sports sponsorship landscape, providing insights and competitive analysis to inform pricing, packaging, and sales strategy.
Secondary Functions
The startup nature and growth of USL Spokane requires highly skilled employees who can operate in a fast paced and frequently changing environment. All positions require an entrepreneurial spirit to identify new solutions and trends, a can-do attitude with a goal of always finding a way to success, and the ability to thrive in an environment of ambiguity and change. As individual employees, members of a team, and part of the entire USL Spokane eco system, a passion for solving complex problems and contributing to the overall success of all operations is key. Every single employee contributes to a culture of working collaboratively and contributing to all aspects of the club. Employees must contribute fully to their own position and more broadly to all areas of business as needed to support the mission and drive forward success on and off the field.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a related field; Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
- Minimum of 6+ years of progressive experience in corporate sponsorship sales, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or management role overseeing a team and a multi-million dollar revenue budget.
- Experience in professional sports, preferably within soccer or a multi-team organization.
- Proven track record of personally selling and closing complex, high-value ($250k+) sponsorship deals and consistently exceeding revenue targets.
- Demonstrated experience in building, mentoring, and leading a high-performing sales team.
- Extensive experience in contract negotiation, strategic planning, budget management, and client servicing at the executive level.
- Deep existing network of contacts within the Spokane, Eastern Washington, and Pacific Northwest business community is highly preferred.
- Ability to pass a comprehensive background check, including a motor vehicle report.
- Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
- This position must be able to work flexible hours which may include extended days, nights, weekends, holidays, and overnights due to travel.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience selling in a new market or for a startup franchise.
- Prior experience selling multi-faceted advertising and sponsorship platforms to local, regional, and national companies. Experience should include selling signage, promotions, experiential marketing opportunities, radio, web and print.
- Strong existing relationships with key industries in the region (e.g., healthcare, technology, financial services, retail).
Compensation and Benefits
- Exempt position with competitive salary range of $105,000 - $130,000, commensurate with experience
- Tiered performance-based bonus potential tied to team and individual revenue goals
- Unlimited vacation and paid sick leave (prorated sick leave the first year of employment)
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance provided with a 75% employer contribution for employee premiums
- 50% employer contribution for dependent/spouse medical, dental, and vision
- Employer paid employee life insurance and AD&D
- Complimentary game tickets and parking
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Leadership: Acts proactively, supports team growth, and models empathy and inclusivity.
- Community & Environmental Stewardship: Understands local context and integrates sustainable practices.
- Adaptability: Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment with multiple priorities.
- Analytical Skills: Gathers, interprets, and applies data to decision-making.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; comfort with technology and research tools.
- Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Builds trust, adapts style to audience, listens actively, and negotiates effectively.
- Dependability: Organized, deadline-driven, and reliable in execution.
Physical & Working Conditions
While performing the essential job functions, the employee may experience the following conditions:
- Position may require flexible hours which may include extended days, nights, weekends, holidays, and overnights due to travel.
- Noise Conditions: exposed to nose consistent with a standard office environment on a regular basis; exposed to loud noise occasionally.
- Heat / Cold: May be subject to heat, cold, wet and / or humid weather conditions, and occasionally extreme heat and /or cold.
- Atmospheric Exposure: Typical office environment conditions.
- Injury Exposure: May be exposed to mechanical equipment used to support players in their training.
- The club may accommodate some work from home and remote work based upon the needs of the club and suitability for the position.
- Ability to work with moderate exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and / or loud noise while performing work in the field and at the stadium.
- Essential position functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to:
o Stand or sit for prolonged periods of time
o Regularly talk and hear
o Occasionally walk; stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist
o Lift, carry, push, and /or pull light to moderate amounts of weight up to 15 pounds
o Operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard with ability to grasp and reach
o Utilize verbal and written communication to exchange information
Note: USL Spokane retains the right to add or change the job description at any time. This position description is not all-inclusive, and employees may be required to perform duties outside this description to meet the organization’s needs.
USL Spokane is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. USL Spokane provides a work environment for employees that is free from unlawful discrimination. All employment-related decisions including hiring are made without consideration of an employee’s race, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identify and expression, religion, age, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, marital status, genetic information, use of a trained service animal or dog guide, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C status, or any other basis protected by local state or federal law.
