Title: Senior Manager, Partnerships

Department Code & Name: 90410 - Partnerships

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Remote (U.S.-based) with occasional travel for client meetings, league events, and business-related activities.

Job Summary:

As Senior Manager, Partnerships, you will play a critical role in shaping the commercial and strategic partnership ecosystem across LOVB Pro and LOVB Club. This high-impact, externally-facing role is responsible for identifying, negotiating, and securing a mix of cash-based sponsorships and strategic value-in-kind (VIK) partnerships that drive both revenue and operational efficiency.

You will lead outbound sales efforts, collaborate with agency partners, and create compelling partnership narratives that align with LOVB's mission to build community and grow the sport of volleyball. This role will work cross-functionally with teams across Business Solutions, Marketing, Legal, Finance, Operations, Club, and Sport to craft scalable, brand-aligned platforms. This is a rare opportunity to help build the next major women's sports league-one that is community-rooted, mission-driven, and commercially ambitious.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Partnership Sales & Pipeline Development

• Lead outbound efforts to secure brand partnerships across sponsorship and value-based models, expanding LOVB's commercial reach and brand ecosystem.
• Develop and manage a dynamic sales pipeline with clear next steps, CRM documentation, and forecasting transparency.
• Collaborate with our agency partner to align outreach strategy, define lead ownership, and minimize overlap.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to translate league, event, and athlete IP into actionable storytelling and partnership strategies.

Deal Structuring & Negotiation

• Structure and negotiate partnership agreements that may include a combination of financial contributions, product or service exchange, or co-branded activations.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and leadership to ensure deal terms meet strategic objectives and organizational compliance.
• Track performance against commercial goals using CRM and internal tracking tools.
• Cross-Functional Integration & Activation Support
• Support a smooth transition from contract to activation, aligning with internal operations and marketing teams to ensure execution meets expectations.
• Host and support partners at matches and events, serving as a brand ambassador for LOVB on-site. Market Intelligence & Relationship Building
• Stay attuned to trends in sports sponsorship, integrated marketing, and strategic partnerships to continuously refine sales strategy.
• Attend industry events and conferences to represent LOVB and grow our visibility among brand and agency decision-makers.

Strategic Planning & Budget Alignment

• Partner with Finance and internal leads to forecast partnership contributions, ensuring initiatives meet both revenue and value delivery goals.
• Help define KPIs for hybrid partnerships and track progress toward business impact.

Required & Preferred Skills/Abilities:

Strategic Sales Acumen: Proven success in driving partnership or sponsorship sales, with a strong track record of securing high-impact, multi-stakeholder brand deals-preferably within sports, media, or entertainment

Executive-Level Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to engage, influence, and build trust with senior brand marketers, C-suite executives, and agency partners Insight-Driven Storytelling: Skilled at crafting compelling, insight-led partnership narratives and pitch materials that align brand objectives with LOVB's platform and values

Negotiation & Deal Management: Experienced in structuring and negotiating complex agreements, collaborating with Legal, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to drive results

Operational Rigor: Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple deal cycles simultaneously; proficient in CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) and presentation platforms (PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides)

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Adept at working across teams to shape and activate integrated partnership programs; brings a collaborative mindset and the ability to influence without direct authority
Strategic Influence: Contributes to broader partnership strategy and go-to-market planning; proactively shares insights and market intelligence to help evolve LOVB's commercial approach

Autonomy & Agility: Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and can balance long term thinking with day-to-day execution

Mission & Cultural Alignment (Preferred): Passion for women's sports and a belief in LOVB's community-first approach to growing the game

Value in Kind (VIK) Expertise (Required): Proven experience negotiating, structuring, and managing VIK agreements within professional sports, sponsorship sales, or partnerships. Candidates must demonstrate a strong ability to maximize non-cash contributions to deliver measurable business value.
Industry Experience (Preferred): Background in professional sports, sponsorship sales, or partnerships is strongly preferred

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree required; preferred fields include Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related discipline. 5-8 years of professional experience in partnerships, sponsorship sales, strategic marketing, or business development-preferably within the sports, entertainment, or similar industries Proven track record of successfully securing and scaling revenue-generating partnerships, with measurable impact on business growth

Demonstrated ability to balance sales performance with brand alignment, ensuring long-term value for both partners and the organization

Personal Attributes:

• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities.
• Solutions-oriented and able to identify when to escalate issues or challenges.
• Strong collaborator with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Capable of working independently while effectively partnering with a distributed, remote team. Positive, proactive, organized, and creative - brings fresh ideas to problem-solving.
• Highly adaptable and eager to learn in a rapidly evolving environment.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements (Remote):

• Ability to operate a computer and use a keyboard, mouse, and video conferencing tools.
• Ability to clearly communicate via video, phone, and written channels.
• Occasional travel may be required for client meetings and events with heavy travel during Pro season.

Location:

Remote (U.S.-based) with occasional travel for meetings and business-related events.