Manager, Partnerships and Fulfillment

Company Overview

Chicago Event Management (CEM) is more than an event production company, it’s a team motivated to connect the communities we serve through the events we produce. At the core of our organization, we believe in sharing best practices, using learnings to create unforgettable experiences and building lasting relationships that lead to new ideas and innovation.

Events produced by CEM include the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Bank of America Chicago 13.1, Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, Abbott Chicago 5K, BTN Big 10K, and Race Management Program.

Job Purpose

The Manager, Partnerships and Fulfillment is responsible for managing and enhancing corporate partnerships across CEM initiatives, ensuring seamless integration of sponsorship deliverables into both company-wide programs and event-specific activations. This role includes managing partnerships, overseeing event fulfillment, and supporting the sponsorship sales team.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with a proven track record in partnership management, exceptional event delivery, and sponsorship program success. This position offers the chance to collaborate with dynamic teams, create impactful partnerships, and contribute to industry-leading events.

Full-Time | Exempt

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership Management

• Serve as the primary liaison for assigned partners, maintaining strong relationships and ensuring their objectives are aligned with company-wide and event-specific initiatives.
• Oversee the fulfillment of contractual obligations, ensuring value delivery and consistent quality.
• Identify opportunities to enhance existing partnerships and innovate activation approaches based on market insights and industry trends.
• Contribute to identifying opportunities and partnership ideas, supporting the Sales team with proposals, presentations, and integration efforts, without direct sales responsibilities.

Partnership Fulfillment & Activations

• Manage end-to-end fulfillment processes, including logistics, budgeting, branding, marketing opportunities, hospitality assets, credentialing, and post-event evaluations.
• Ensure events are executed on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards.
• Lead the execution of sponsor activation plans across CEM initiatives and events, ensuring alignment with Design & Marketing, Communications, Workforce Management, and Operations teams.
• Act as the sole point of contact for main stage programming, including managing video/PA content, messaging, and sponsor appearances/demonstrations.
• Act as a centralized resource to streamline communications between internal teams and external partners, ensuring alignment across all touchpoints.
• Liaise with the Operations Team to ensure partner activations align with operational designs and address any logistical needs.
• Coordinate with Workforce Management & Volunteer Teams to ensure proper staffing and resources for sponsor activations.
• Create detailed partnership recap reports with measurable results, actionable insights and recommendations for future improvements.
• Develop clear documentation and activation guides to ensure smooth execution across cross-functional teams.

Sponsor Communications and Management

• Serve as the main point of contact for assigned sponsors, ensuring clarity and consistency and establishing and maintaining strong working relationships.
• Regularly communicate with sponsors to understand their goals, needs, and expectations.
• Create activation kits to inform sponsors of deadlines and deliverables.
• Collaborate with sponsors to customize strategic plans and deliver on their goals.
• Address any issues or concerns promptly and effectively, finding solutions that meet both parties' needs.
• Provide secondary support on larger sponsor accounts.

Marketing Team Participation

• Partner with the Design & Marketing team to ensure sponsor branding, messaging, and creative assets align with overall event and company strategies.
• Provide input and feedback on marketing campaigns for events and discover and share new ideas to market events effectively.
• Contribute to formalizing sponsorship media assets from sponsorship, media, and community outreach perspectives.
• Assist with marketing initiatives and plan how to leverage trade assets to promote events.

Additional Responsibilities

• Coordinate sponsor outings and post-event reports, ensuring sponsor satisfaction.
• Maintain accurate documentation of partner entitlements, budgets, and timelines.
• Arrange and coordinate meetings and brainstorming sessions, preparing agendas and recording notes.
• Support and manage ad hoc projects and duties as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements

• Exceptional project management skills; manages time; focuses on urgent and important tasks; avoids procrastination; follows up; shows strong attention to detail; meets deadlines
• Exceptional project management and organizational abilities, with experience managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering measurable results.
• Strong collaboration and cross-functional leadership skills, with the ability to work seamlessly across departments.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with a professional approach to stakeholder management.
• Ability to adapt to shifting priorities, tight deadlines, and dynamic environments.
• Strong relationship-building and account management skills.
• Excellent analytical and research skills.
• Passion for the sports endurance industry and community-driven initiatives.
• Ability to work nights, weekends, and non-traditional hours as required by event and program schedules.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field. Relevant professional experience and demonstrated skills may be considered in place of formal education.
• 3-5 years of experience in partnership management, event fulfillment, sales, sponsorship, or related roles.
• Experience managing client requests.
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of event sponsorship management, partner activations, and fulfillment processes.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements

• Moderate walking, standing, prolonged sitting, bending, kneeling, and reaching.
• Work is performed primarily in an office setting, with occasional work in warehouse spaces or on-site event locations.
• Ability to lift and move items up to 25 pounds occasionally.

Expected Work Location/Schedule

• Primary work location: CEM Office in Downtown Chicago.
• Opportunity to work remotely up to two days per week as per CEM’s Hybrid Work Policy.
• Occasional work at CEM Warehouse in Bellwood, IL and on-site event locations throughout Chicago.

Chicago Event Management is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• How many years of professional experience do you have working directly with clients or managing accounts?
• What strategies have you used in the past to build and maintain strong client relationships?
• How comfortable are you with administrative tasks , such as tracking reports, creating recap reports, and maintaining accurate documentation?

Ability to Commute:

• Chicago, IL 60606 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60606

Salary : $55,000