Partnerships Activation Manager

About Sports Marketing Group (SMG)

Founded in 2017, Sports Marketing Group is a rapidly expanding sport marketing agency with expertise in brand partnerships, PR and communications, social strategy, and digital activation within the global sports industry. Operating from offices in London, Monaco, UAE, and Riyadh, SMG has successfully executed prominent brand collaborations across Formula 1, Esports, major worldwide sporting events, and multilingual digital campaigns. The company embraces a 'people first' and cooperative culture that drives authentic client engagement.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Commercial Director & Head of Partnerships, the Partnerships Activation Manager will oversee partner activation projects, focusing primarily on the Wilkinson Sword and Atlassian Williams F1 Team multi-year sponsorship. This role demands managing the complete activation delivery while supporting other SMG accounts and aiding the company's expansion of its activation division.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as main liaison for the client, ensuring ongoing clear, proactive communication to align stakeholders.
• Manage the comprehensive planning and execution of the Wilkinson Sword activation calendar, including hospitality, content, social media, and PR, all aimed at achieving commercial KPIs.
• Handle the operational aspects of the partnership, maintaining rigorous control over timelines, budgets, and deliverables.
• Develop frameworks to track progress and assign accountability across team members for all active projects.
• Optimize use of partnership rights to advance client marketing and commercial strategies.
• Inject creativity and proactive energy into both internal and external meetings to maintain momentum and coordination.
• Coordinate internal briefing sessions to allocate clear responsibilities among SMG’s brand partnerships, digital, social, PR, and communications teams.
• Oversee on-site activation during race weekends, managing multiple real-time workstreams.
• Supervise budgeting procedures to ensure transparency and performance monitoring.
• Serve as the primary contact for activation across SMG projects, supported by senior leadership.
• Identify activation prospects within current accounts and potential new business opportunities.
• Contribute actively in new business pitches focusing on activation strategy, creative concepts, and budgeting.
• Represent SMG’s activation capabilities at industry events, pitches, and sector discussions.
• Support other activation, events, and hospitality projects at SMG.
• Drive growth initiatives including proposing business cases for team expansion.

Candidate Requirements

• 3 to 5 years of experience in sports sponsorship, hospitality programs, and brand marketing, with agency or brand background preferred; essential to have experience in Formula 1 or motorsport sectors.
• Proven ability to establish trust with senior clients and prospects through excellent client relationship management.
• In-depth knowledge of sponsorship rights and contractual terms.
• Exceptional organizational skills covering project management, asset delivery, budget and contract oversight.
• Experience managing live event and race weekend operations.
• Proven VIP and guest management expertise.
• Desirable skills include conceptualizing and delivering high-quality content projects and executing creative briefs.
• Proficiency in Keynote, PowerPoint, Excel, and project management software.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with clarity and conciseness.
• Commercial acumen with a demonstrated talent for new business development and account growth.
• Self-motivated with entrepreneurial mindset to build a key company pillar aligned with SMG’s growth strategy.
• Leadership qualities coupled with team collaboration spirit to maintain high standards and motivate colleagues.
• High attention to detail and ability to perform under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Fluency in English required.
• Willingness to travel and work flexible hours including weekends.

Working Conditions & Benefits

• Position based in London Bridge area with hybrid working flexibility (office and remote).
• Standard hours from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM with available flexible scheduling.
• Competitive salary range between £40,000 and £45,000 per annum.
• Generous 25 days holiday allowance plus bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• Pension contributions provided.
• Access to private healthcare and gym membership.
• Opportunity for advancement within a small but rapidly growing company.
• Exposure to diverse facets of marketing including PR, social media, sponsorship, and brand partnerships.
• A supportive and personable company culture promoting ownership of key business areas.
• Potential for bonus dependent on company and division performance.