Senior Manager, Partner Activation

About the Role

The Senior Manager for Partner Activation will play a pivotal, hands-on role within the Global Partnerships department at a leading sports organization. This position requires crafting and executing strategic activation plans, analyzing asset performance through data-driven storytelling, and cultivating strong internal and external relationships to boost revenue and expand existing business collaborations. The role focuses on managing intricate accounts, such as jersey patches, facility naming rights, and key category partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the entire partnership lifecycle, from onboarding new partners to fostering brand alignment and relationship building.
• Prepare detailed contract summaries outlining partner assets and timely deadlines to enable proactive seasonal planning.
• Coordinate partner contract fulfillment, covering media, signage, print, digital, social media, arena promotions, community outreach, tickets, and hospitality.
• Create comprehensive performance recap presentations for partners, highlighting strengths and identifying areas for future improvements.
• Leverage market research and analytics to assess industry trends and competitor activities, enhancing activation plans.
• Devise innovative, solution-oriented concepts to increase sponsor ROI for both new and existing clients.
• Source and collaborate with vendors to amplify activation opportunities and implement novel ideas.
• Maintain and utilize sponsorship rate cards, demonstrating adaptability in strategic asset pivots when necessary.
• Extract and interpret performance metrics to evaluate partner campaign success.
• Maintain strong daily interactions with external agencies and partner contacts to ensure smooth program execution from start to finish.
• Adopt a relationship-focused approach rather than transactional interactions.
• Assist the Senior Director in standardizing servicing processes and promoting cross-departmental collaboration.
• Lead partner renewal initiatives and contribute to organizational revenue generation.
• Innovate creative asset opportunities aligned with partner objectives and revenue goals.
• Potentially manage and mentor 2-5 activation team members, depending on candidate experience.
• Adapt responsibilities as organizational needs evolve.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Marketing, Sports Management, or Business Administration.
• At least five years of full-time professional experience, ideally within sports team activation.
• Leadership or people management experience is preferred.
• Proficiency in CRM systems, Microsoft Office suite, and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to enhance operational efficiency.
• Strong interpersonal and mentorship skills with a solution-driven problem-solving approach.
• Demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration and breaking down communication barriers.
• Ability to meet deadlines, manage priorities, and multitask effectively.
• Experience in navigating organizational dynamics to garner support for new initiatives.

Physical and Work Environment

• Capability to lift up to 25 pounds and walk considerable distances in the arena during game days.
• Work locations include offices in El Segundo (Monday-Friday), Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles for selected home games, and various off-site client meetings.
• Travel requirements up to 5% for league meetings, conferences, and pre-season games.
• Regular office hours Monday to Friday, with additional availability for nights and weekends during games and client events.

Compensation and Equal Opportunity

Annual salary ranges from $90,000 to $105,000, with final packages based on individual skills, experience, certifications, and internal pay equity. The employer is committed to equal opportunity, considering all qualified candidates without discrimination based on protected characteristics.