Director, Brand Alliances

Overview

As a member of the MLS/SUM (Soccer United Marketing) team, the Director, Brand Alliances will have a crucial role in developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy for partnership sales and retention. This position is based in the dynamic city of New York, NY and provides an exceptional opportunity to collaborate closely with the Vice President, Brand Alliances in creating a sponsorship strategy that enhances value, profitability, and growth for Major League Soccer. The primary focus of this role will be on leading new enterprise sales efforts, highlighting your exceptional ability to form strategic alliances.

Responsibilities

• Prospect, develop, and sell new integrated business partnerships to achieve ambitious sales goals.
• Cultivate deep, meaningful relationships with national decision makers at leading brands, fostering long-term partnerships that support our properties and strategic priorities.
• Deliver flawless sales presentations and tailored business solutions to senior-level executives at prospective clients and agencies, showcasing the wide range of media, integrated platforms, and other benefits available.
• Collaborate closely with various departments, MLS clubs, and senior management to close deals that deliver value beyond financial gains.
• Successfully navigate sponsorship deals from initial discussions to finalizing contracts.
• Maintain organized reporting documents to effectively track progress and results.
• Develop and manage a new revenue pipeline, providing regular updates to senior leadership.
• Take the lead in creating innovative platforms and programs that enhance the fan journey and drive incremental revenue for MLS/SUM.
• Actively participate in networking and promotional events to expand your professional network and foster connections with potential clients and partners.
• Provide day-to-day oversight and support to Manager(s) and Coordinator(s) to help them exceed annual performance goals, fostering a collaborative team sales approach.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience required
• Minimum of 8 years of professional sponsorship experience in a high-performance sales environment. Experience in the Sports, Entertainment, and/or Arena Industry is preferred.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

• Possess a network of 75+ existing "decision maker" brand contacts at the national level, along with strong agency relationships.
• In-depth knowledge of sports and entertainment sponsorship, including promotions, events, media, and contracts.
• Proven ability to guide clients through the entire sales funnel, from lead generation to closing.
• Thrive in a fast-paced, team environment, excelling in forming strong relationships with colleagues, clients, agencies, and sports organizations.
• Collaborate effectively with counterparts in various functional areas, including Marketing, International/Events, Media, Digital, Club Services, Competition, Consumer Products, Legal, and Finance.
• Demonstrated strong understanding of business operations and a proven track record in successful negotiations.
• Strong presentation skills, captivating senior-level executives with your compelling communication style.
• Experience in developing and implementing dynamic and effective platforms.
• Familiarity with standard demographic research and analytics tools, such as Scarborough, YouGov, MRI-Simmons, etc., with the ability to derive valuable insights from the data.
• Committed to producing high-quality work and adhering to organizational ethics, integrity, and compliance standards.
• An independent and proactive individual with a focus on achieving goals, who can collaborate effectively with colleagues to drive sales for both themselves and the department.
• Possess a high level of energy and self-motivation to drive success.
• Proven experience in managing and motivating a team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Willingness to travel and work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Desired Skills (but not required)

• Strong familiarity with sports, especially soccer.
• Bi-lingual (English/Spanish).

Total Rewards

Major League Soccer recognizes the importance of attracting and retaining top talent. We offer a highly competitive starting base salary of $115,000 - $150,000, commensurate with individual qualifications, market financials, and operational business needs.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes extensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a $500 wellness reimbursement, generous paid time off, and a hybrid office/remote work schedule to promote a healthy work-life balance. We are committed to supporting your career and professional development through on-the-job training, continuous feedback, and ongoing educational opportunities.

At Major League Soccer, we take pride in being an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We firmly believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to compete in the marketplace. As such, we provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Our commitment is to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the job application or interview process, essential job functions, and other employment benefits and privileges. If you need accommodation, please contact us to request it.

Join our team and become a valued member of the Major League Soccer family, where we continuously elevate the game and inspire greatness!