Director of Partnership Solutions & Revenue Strategy

Position Overview

The Director of Partnership Solutions & Revenue Strategy will lead all facets of the Partnership Solutions & Revenue Strategy vertical of the Partnerships Department. This role is focused on driving commercial value via campaign creation, platform development, new and renewal business sales process support, and revenue strategy for Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE).

You will lead a team of partnership professionals responsible for developing fully integrated partnership campaigns and proposals as well as overall departmental strategies geared toward driving results against the organization’s revenue goals. You should possess the ability to diagnose often-hidden partner goals, align them with existing and potential initiatives and serve as a “steward” for cross-departmental creativity, collecting information and redistributing it as necessary to maximize value.

The Director of Partnership Solutions & Revenue Strategy will work closely with other members of the Partnerships leadership team to ensure seamless integration into the sales process both for potential prospects and renewals / upsells with existing partners, providing an organizational viewpoint to create better programming and drive incremental revenue. You should possess high-level leadership expertise with a demonstrable record of success leading high- achieving teams to contribute significantly to aggressive revenue goals.

Core Values

HSE embodies the following core values:

• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Competitiveness
• Candor
• Accountability
• Resilience

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and mentor the Partnership Solutions & Revenue Strategy team and create targeted, individual professional growth plans for each member of the team.
• Cultivate and grow talent on the team while fostering a culture that prioritizes teamwork, collaboration, employee well-being, achievement, learning and development.
• Encourage cross-departmental collaboration and organizational achievement.
• Develop and implement strategies to achieve aggressive revenue goals (new business and partnership marketing leaders, business intelligence leaders and the Vice President of Partnerships).
• Drive the team to be industry-leading practitioners by coaching them to leverage business insights, align those with partner objectives, engage target markets with customized, fully integrated partnerships, all to ultimately drive measurable, impactful results for partners that enhance the fan experience and maximize organizational revenue.
• Partner with all key departmental stakeholders develop strategies, processes and tactics for achieving annual growth targets.
• Assist in creating strategic plans for maximizing revenue for open and emerging business categories, untapped categories and categories up for renewal.
• Attend and actively contribute to Discovery, Brainstorm, Pitch and Negotiation meetings with new business prospects and current partners, acting as a true “second chair” in conversations and sales processes.

• Stay up-to-date on industry trends, partnership best practices, and competitive offerings to ensure the organization remains at the forefront of partnership solutions.
• Continuously improve tools, templates, and resources used in partnership development, activation, and reporting.

• Strengthen relationships with current and potential partners through direct interaction with clients and new contacts aimed at influencing revenue driven from those accounts.
• Review and approve all partnership proposals prior to distribution to current and prospective partners.
• Build, and lead the team that builds, all new and renewal partnership proposals including longform proposal document, pitch decks, deal sheets in CRM, etc.
• Serve as the organization’s leader of innovation in the partnerships space.
• Attend games and events to support partner activations and strengthen relationships.
• Maintain proactive communication with internal teams and external partners to ensure alignment and success.
• Demonstrate professionalism and uphold HSE brand standards in all interactions and deliverables.

Required Skills, Experience, and Abilities

To perform the job successfully, you should demonstrate the following competencies associated with the essential functions of this job.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing or a related field (preferred).
• 8 years of experience in partnerships or a similar field, with a proven record of managing high-performing teams.
• Strong relationship-building skills with a customer-first approach, capable of engaging with executives and affluent clientele.
• Exceptional organizational, leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate, guide and develop a team.
• Proven track record in creating and managing partnership assets, such as rate cards, asset lists and prospect decks.

• Ability to develop innovative, compelling partnership opportunities and assets that stand out in a competitive market.

• Strong experience in creating partner recaps, measuring partnership performance and reporting on success.
• Knowledge of partnership activation, digital media, sponsorship trends and fan engagement strategies
• Keen negotiation skills and the ability to highlight the value of partnerships.

• Strong strategic understanding of partnership sales, marketing and activation with the ability to think long-term while meeting short-term objectives.
• Proven ability to get buy-in and work cross-functionally across teams, ensuring alignment on objectives and smooth execution.
• Strong analytical skills to assess partnership performance, identify trends and optimize strategies.
• Exceptional organizational and leadership skills.
• Proficiency in CRM tools and analytics platforms.
• Excellent negotiation, closing and consensus-building skills.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to engage with all levels of the organization and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with adaptability in style.
• Innovative and strategic thinker, passionate about the entertainment industry.
• Flexible schedule availability, including evenings, weekends and select holidays.

Additional Information

This is a full time benefit eligible position. HSE is dedicated to creating and upholding a welcoming environment that celebrates diversity.

HSE provides valuable benefits and competitive time off policies to help you and your family lead healthy, balanced lives.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. All requests for medical or religious accommodations to perform the stated job duties will be considered.