Director, Brand Alliances

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Overview

As a member of MLS/SUM (Soccer United Marketing) team, the Director, Brand Alliances will be responsible for strategizing, building, and executing an end-to-end partnership sales and retention strategy from short-term to long-term. Based in New York, this position will work hand in hand with the Vice President, Brand Alliances to build sponsorship strategy and cultivate c-level relationships to bring value and profitability to grow the sport's relevance, engage fans and maximize enterprise revenue. This role will specifically help lead new enterprise sales efforts for the MLS, Mexican Football Federation (FMF) as well as Concacaf, home to the Men and Women's Gold Cup, Champions League, Nations League Finals, and other premier regional Club and National Team competitions.

Responsibilities

• Prospect, develop, and sell new integrated business partnerships to accomplish sales goals.
• Develop deep, meaningful relationships with national decision makers at brands that lead to long-term partnerships supporting the aforementioned properties and other strategic priorities for the League and greater SUM enterprise.
• Deliver strategic sales presentations and tailored business solutions to senior-level executives at prospective clients and agencies, while incorporating media, integrated platforms, and other benefits into such opportunities.
• Engage and collaborate with the enterprise (other departments, property constituents, MLS clubs, senior management, etc.) to close deals that deliver value beyond monetary benefit.
• Negotiate sponsorship deals from conversation inception to final contract.
• Create and effectively maintain reporting documents in an organized manner.
• Develop and track new revenue pipeline to present to senior leadership on a weekly/monthly basis.
• Develop innovative platforms and programs that enhance the fan journey and drive incremental revenue for MLS/SUM; take leadership in the creation of sales materials.
• Manage the relationship with Commercial Sales leads at Liga MX specific to Leagues Cup commercial efforts
• Attend networking and promotional events to develop and maintain contact with potential clients and professional partners.
• Provide day-to-day oversight and take a team sales approach with Manager(s) and Coordinator(s) to help those individuals meet and exceed annual performance goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree Required. Advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years of professional sponsorship experience in a high-performance sales environment; Sports, Entertainment, and/or Arena Industry experience preferred.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

• 75+ existing "decision maker" brand contacts at the national level and agency relationships.
• Knowledge of sports and entertainment sponsorship, including promotions, events, media, and contracts.
• Ability to take a client through the entire sales funnel, from lead generation to closing.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team environment and form strong relationships with colleagues, clients, agencies, and sports organizations.
• Ability to navigate and collaborate with counterparts in other functional areas including but not limited to other departments that require meaningful interaction including Marketing, International / Events, Media, Digital, Club Services, Competition, Consumer Products, Legal, and Finance.
• Superior business and negotiating skills.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Experience with the development and execution of dynamic and effective platforms.
• Familiarity with the standard demographic research & analytics tools (i.e., Scarborough, YouGov, MRI-Simmons, etc.) and ability to derive insights from the data.
• High-level commitment to quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity, and compliance.
• Self-starter, but team player with the ability to work against both aggressive individual and department sales goals.
• High-energy, self-motivated with a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Proven experience managing and motivating a team.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office Tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Ability to travel and to 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 offers a competitive starting base salary of $115,000 - $150,000, based on individual qualifications, market financials, and operational business needs. We are committed to providing a Total Rewards package that attracts, supports, engages, and retains talent. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a $500 wellness reimbursement, generous PTO, and a hybrid office/remote work schedule to promote work-life balance. We also prioritize career and professional development, offering on-the-job training, feedback, and ongoing educational opportunities.

At Major League Soccer, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and inclusion and believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to compete in the marketplace. We are committed to providing 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.

We are dedicated to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation throughout the job application or interview process, essential job functions, and other benefits and privileges of employment. If you require accommodation, please contact us to request it.

Join our team and be part of the Major League Soccer family, where we elevate the game and inspire greatness!