Manager, Partnership Sales

Chicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997. Under new ownership the Club recently returned to Chicagos iconic Soldier Field opened a new 50000square foot office in the heart of the city and unveiled a premium stateoftheart Performance Center in January 2025. With tremendous growth and expansion the Club is laying the foundation for an audacious and ambitious vision that will transform the brand and the company in the coming years.

At Chicago Fire Football Club were on a mission to entertain serve and unite Chicago by delivering excellence on and off the pitch to ensure a worldclass experience. As a club we let our values guide everything we do: we uphold uncompromising integrity show respect for all at all times never settle for less constantly innovate and hold ourselves relentlessly accountable.

Job Overview:

Chicago Fire FC is seeking a Manager of Partnership Sales to join our team and grow the Clubs Corporate Partnerships department. The Clubs 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 development of new corporate partnerships as well as assisting the Director of Partnership Sales with the support of the corporate partnership strategy. The Manager of Partnership Sales will assist with identifying emerging sponsorship categories building relationships across a variety of industries generating sales leads through networking and research conducting client presentations and negotiating highvalue contracts to meet and exceed annual revenue goals.

Job Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with colleagues across the Club to develop dynamic and innovative marketing platforms geared towards securing new corporate partnerships
• Identify emerging sponsorship categories with focus on identifying forwardthinking 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 development of storytelling materials and client presentations
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify specific activation concepts for each prospect to align with brand objectives
• Negotiate highvalue contracts to meet and exceed annual revenue goals
• Conduct necessary inmarket research
• Build and expand network around this communitybrands and agencies
• Facilitate discussions crossfunctionally to create alignment internally
• 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 sponsorrelated projects as assigned by the departments VP of Partnership Sales
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 4 years of relevant work experience in partnerships sales or a related industry
• Proven track record of securing new business and selling multiyear corporate partnerships
• Strong presentation interpersonal and communication skills
• Demonstrated experience developing innovative marketing platforms with crossfunctional teams
• Ability to generate sales leads through networking research and cold outreach
• Ability to interpret data for proposals and sales presentations
• Willingness to learn and adapt in a fastpaced environment
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings weekends and holidays
• Strong problemsolving and prioritization skills; capable of working independently and collaboratively
• Ability to give constructive candid feedback to colleagues
• Detailoriented with strong multitasking abilities

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree
• Experience negotiating highvalue contracts
• Background working with national and local brands or agencies
• Experience engaging diverse corporate communities
• Familiarity with inmarket research practices

Compensation:

• This role offers a salary range of $70000.00 $80000.00 and is commission eligible
• Final salary is determined by carefully considering the applicants background experience and qualifications. Base pay may vary significantly based on geographic location jobspecific knowledge skills and overall experience. This role is classified as Fulltime exempt
• This role is bonus eligible based on clubwide goals
• Additional benefits & perks: 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 wed 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 People and Culture Department at to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

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