Director of Partnerships

The Island FC
Location: Long Island, NY
Reports to: President of Business Operations

Position Summary

The Island FC is seeking a Director of Partnerships to build and lead the club's commercial partnerships business ahead of its MLS NEXT Pro launch in 2027. This role is responsible for generating meaningful, multi-year revenue through corporate partnerships while establishing the foundation for a scalable, best-in-class commercial operation.

This is not a maintenance role. The Director of Partnerships will be expected to build pipeline from day one, close foundational deals - including jersey and stadium-level partnerships - and develop a long-term strategy that connects brand, community, and revenue.

The ideal candidate is both a seller and a builder, comfortable leading high-level negotiations while also developing process, structure, and talent underneath them.

We're looking for driven, creative, collaborative people who want to challenge convention, move quickly, and leave a real mark on the future of the sport on Long Island. If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now and help build what's next.

Key Responsibilities

Build and Lead Partnerships Strategy
Own the development and execution of a comprehensive partnerships strategy spanning founding partners, jersey sponsorships, stadium naming rights, and category exclusivity deals. Establish pricing architecture, packaging, and long-term revenue targets aligned with club growth.

Drive Revenue and Close Key Deals
Personally lead the club's most important commercial conversations, including anchor and enterprise-level partnerships. Build a strong pipeline across key categories (healthcare, financial services, telecom, lifestyle, local enterprise) and convert opportunities into multi-year agreements.

Develop Partnership Products and Inventory
Create compelling, flexible partnership offerings that integrate across matchday, digital, content, community, and youth platforms. Ensure all inventory reflects the club's brand identity and delivers measurable value to partners.

Integrate Brand and Community into Partnerships
Work closely with brand, marketing, and community teams to ensure partnerships are culturally relevant, locally rooted, and authentically integrated into the club's presence across Long Island and Queens.

Build and Scale the Partnerships Team
Hire, mentor, and lead a lean partnerships group, including sellers and account management/activation support. Establish clear roles across new business, account management, and fulfillment as the club grows.

Establish Process and Performance Metrics
Implement CRM systems, pipeline tracking, and reporting structures to manage sales performance. Define KPIs across revenue, retention, and partner satisfaction.

Collaborate Across the Organization
Partner closely with ticketing, merchandise, youth operations, and stadium development to align commercial efforts and unlock integrated revenue opportunities.

Support Long-Term Growth Initiatives
Play a key role in commercial planning tied to the club's stadium development and the future launch of a women's professional team.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Proven Dealmaker
Track record of sourcing, negotiating, and closing six- and seven-figure partnerships, ideally within sports, media, or entertainment.

Builder Mentality
Experience building or scaling a partnerships function from the ground up, including developing go-to-market strategy, pricing, and sales infrastructure.

Strategic and Commercial Thinker
Understands how to connect brand, audience, and revenue into cohesive partnership platforms that drive both business outcomes and cultural relevance.

Local Market Understanding
Familiarity with the Long Island and greater New York market, including corporate landscape and community dynamics, is strongly preferred.

Operator Mindset
Comfortable working in a startup environment with limited resources, balancing strategy with execution, and adapting quickly as priorities evolve.

Collaborative Leader
Able to work cross-functionally and contribute to a unified club vision across professional, youth, and community initiatives.

Strong Communicator
Confident in presenting to senior executives, ownership groups, and external partners.

Compensation

Competitive base salary plus commission and performance-based incentives tied to revenue generation.