Chicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997. The Club returned to Soldier Field as well as opened a new 50,000 square foot business office in the heart of the city. With tremendous growth and expansion, the Club is laying the foundation for an ambitious vision that will transform the Club in the coming years.

Position Overview:

Chicago Fire FC is seeking a Director of Partnership Sales to join our team and grow the Club’s corporate partnership department. The Club’s partnerships team is responsible for creating dynamic and comprehensive marketing platforms to reach the objectives of and drive ROI for our corporate partners. The partnership sales team is responsible for identifying, prospecting, proposing, and acquiring new partnerships and driving business development for the Club. The individual hired for this role will be responsible for leading sales, marketing efforts, and the development of new corporate partnerships, as well as assisting the VP of Partnership Sales with the buildout of a commercial strategy. The Director of Partnership Sales will identify emerging sponsorship categories, build relationships across a variety of industries, generate sales leads through networking and research, conduct client presentations, and negotiate high-value contracts to meet and exceed annual revenue goals.

Job Responsibilities:

Collaborate with colleagues across the Club to develop dynamic and innovative marketing platforms geared toward securing new corporate partnerships
Identify emerging sponsorship categories with a focus on identifying forward-thinking companies who will push the envelope on creative activations and programming
Regularly identify and pursue opportunities that deliver mutual growth for the prospective partner and the Club
Develop a strong understanding of industry trends and competitive landscapes to enable effective positioning of partnership opportunities
Generate sales leads through networking and research
Interpret data for sales presentations; leverage this information for partner proposals and pitches
Regularly conduct cold calls to secure appointments, creating opportunities to sell to new prospects among local and national companies
Assist with the development of storytelling materials and client presentations
Collaborate with colleagues to identify specific activation concepts for each prospect to align with brand objectives
Negotiate high-value contracts to meet and exceed annual revenue goals
Build a strategic plan around engaging corporate communities in Chicago
Conduct necessary in-market research
Build and expand the network around this community—brands and agencies
Facilitate discussions cross-functionally to create alignment internally
Present strategic plan to the department’s VP of Partnership Sales and Chicago Fire’s senior leadership team
Align with other department directors to maximize all corporate revenue streams (e.g., special projects, strategy, categories, partnership marketing)
Engage other corporate communities in Chicago with varied backgrounds
Coordinate any sponsor-related projects as assigned by the department’s VP of Partnership Sales
Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

6 years of relevant work, industry, and partnership development experience
Proven track record of securing new business and selling multi-year, million-dollar partnerships
Experience collaborating with colleagues to develop innovative marketing platforms for potential corporate partners
Strong presentation skills, excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment
Ability to work non-traditional hours, in non-traditional settings, including all home games (or other work events) that fall on nights, weekends, and/or holidays
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to problem-solve, prioritize, and meet deadlines
Ability to give candid feedback with good intentions to help get the best out of colleague
Detail-oriented and able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
Bachelor’s degree preferred

Please note:

Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Our diversity initiatives start with the recruitment and selection process; therefore, we’d like to welcome all diverse candidates to apply to opportunities within our Club.
CFFC is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, age, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual orientation or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.
- If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

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Director, Partnership Sales