The Executive Director of Ballpark Enterprises is responsible for the success of the Ballpark Enterprises department. This includes developing new ventures to utilize Nationals Park as a destination for non-baseball special events in Washington, DC. The Executive Director will identify and negotiate deals with promoters of large-scale events, market and sell corporate events to be held at the ballpark, develop and market Nationals-branded events, and identify and develop new revenue streams for the organization. This position will own the bottom-line P&L for the non-game events business and be held accountable for the growth and profitability of the business.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead a team of 2-3 people that markets and sells 100-200 non-game day events that utilize the ballpark for meetings, receptions, and other functions
Develop and implement a marketing and sales strategy to attract events and other revenue generating activities to the ballpark
Identify and develop new and non-traditional and large scale opportunities for use of space at Nationals Park
Develop creative new revenue streams for Nationals Park including partnering with third-parties to operate within the ballpark and vertical integrations within the Nationals’ non-game day events business
Develop strong relationships with national tour promotors and booking agents to identify potential acts that could host profitable concerts and events at Nationals Park
Strategically negotiate deals with concert promotors to maximize profitability
Market Nationals Park to corporate Washington, DC and convention event planners which includes: marketing and advertising plan development, research, developing marketing content and presentations, and relationship creation and maintenance
Develop proposals to win business for Nationals Park and manage start to finish negotiation of non-game day event contracts to maximize revenues
Act as the primary point of contact for house accounts, maintaining strong relationships with clients to ensure the events are successful, return on an annual basis, and increase in profitability
Develop and maintain strong relationships with the local events industry, including convention and visitors' bureau, destination management companies, other venues, and vendors
Work with appropriate departments to manage the on-sales, marketing, communications, and contract administration for concerts, other large-scale events, and select corporate partnership events
Work closely with the Corporate Partnerships and Suites teams to identify cross-selling opportunities
Develop and manage the department's annual expense budget, contribute to the development of capital expenditure proposals
Track sales opportunities in CRM and sales pipeline in Ungerboeck, establish and track key metrics, forecast annual department performance
Network and attend industry events and conferences to source business
Other duties as assigned
Requirements:
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent military experience) in Finance, Statistics, Economics, or Mathematics a plus
MBA strongly preferred
Minimum of 12 years of related business experience
Minimum of 8 years of sales management experience (consulting preferred)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities necessary to perform essential functions
Creative mindset with an ability to identify ways to leverage existing assets for new business
A proven track record of successful performance in meeting targets and objectives
Demonstrated ability to conduct market research, prepare financial projections, and start to finish negotiation of revenue driving opportunities
Experience in developing P&L and pro-forma projections for complex business relationships
Must possess a strong marketing and customer service understanding and orientation
Respectful and outstanding leadership skills with the ability to articulate a vision and strategy in a way that inspires and motivates a team and focuses their energy on achieving and exceeding business goals
The ability to take initiative and manage multiple complex priorities within demanding timeframes
Excellent project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail within the context of the larger strategic goals
Excellent communication, persuasion and negotiation skills
Experience in developing presentations and presenting
Uphold Core Values: Excellence, Performance, and Accountability. These core values set the tone in everything we do, help us succeed on and off the field, make a difference in the community and provide the best guest experience in sports.
Physical/Environmental Requirements
Office: Working conditions are normal for an office environment. Position will require weekend and/or evening work.
All applicants for employment at the Washington Nationals are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencing employment. Applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment will be required to produce proof of vaccination status prior to their first day of employment. Applicants with qualifying disabilities or bona fide religious objections may be exempted from this requirement or otherwise accommodated if they are unable to be vaccinated.