Senior Partnerships Manager

About the Company

This is a fan-first football and soccer media business that blends sport, culture and storytelling. It creates work, content and live experiences designed to break through a crowded landscape, connect authentically with audiences and generate clear value for brand partners.

The company is focused on the space beyond the ninety minutes, building around broader cultural truths that can travel across markets. Its view is that the strongest fan relationships are developed through sustained interest over time rather than isolated moments.

About the Opportunity

The business already has a major, long-running partnership with one of the world’s best-known global sports brands, and the goal is to expand that relationship even further. To support that ambition, they are looking for someone who can work close to the client in the United States.

This person should be able to build trusted relationships within a large, layered organisation, understand how the client operates day to day, and move quickly when new opportunities appear. The aim is to become more embedded, more forward-thinking and more essential to the partnership.

This is a hands-on ownership role rather than a support position. You will be accountable for the relationship, the workflow and the identification of new business opportunities. You will also help grow the pipeline of work, and as the role develops, you may take on additional North American accounts. The flagship partnership remains the main priority.

Key Responsibilities

• Take day-to-day ownership of a high-profile brand partnership and become the main point of contact for the client.
• Learn the client organisation in depth, including its stakeholders, priorities, decision-making structure and upcoming needs.
• Coordinate delivery across campaigns, content, activations and experiential work.
• Identify ways to expand the scope of work and pursue opportunities before they are formally requested.
• Work closely with teams across the US and UK to keep delivery aligned and efficient.
• Prepare updates on account health, commercial performance and relationship status for senior leaders.
• As the portfolio expands, manage additional North American accounts.

What the Employer Is Looking For

• A strong fit would be someone who has worked inside a major global sports brand and understands how those organisations operate, make decisions and manage stakeholders, with experience in agency or partnerships roles or a willingness to move into that environment.
• Agency-side account leads or business directors will need to demonstrate an owner mindset and the ability to act as a true extension of a partner’s team rather than simply as a supplier.
• Experience in brand marketing, integrated partnerships, or a senior partnership role within a club, league or sports media organisation.
• Direct exposure to a major global sports or apparel brand, or a sports-led media business, would be a strong advantage.
• Ideally located in Portland, though candidates in Seattle, Los Angeles or San Francisco may also be considered, and able to work in the partner office one to two times per week.
• Comfort working in large, complex organisations with many stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Self-starting and proactive, with the ability to anticipate needs and respond quickly to emerging opportunities.
• Comfortable working in a content-led, culturally aware environment where football, sport and wider culture intersect.
• Strong senior-level communication skills and the confidence to represent the company credibly.

Compensation and Contract

Salary range: $150,000 to $170,000.

Employment is available on either a permanent basis or a 1-year fixed-term contract, depending on the candidate.

The role is hybrid, with in-office time alongside the partner one to two times per week in Portland.

Benefits

• Health coverage
• Paid vacation
• Paid sick leave

Inclusion Statement

The employer is an equal opportunity employer and actively welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds. Hiring decisions are based on skills and potential as well as experience. Candidates will be considered without regard to age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Accessibility support can be requested to improve the application experience.