What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President - Corporate Partnerships position at Tepper Sports & Entertainment?
Position: Vice President of Corporate Partnerships
Department: Corporate Partnerships
Reports to: Chief Revenue Officer
Status: Full-Time (Exempt)
Organization Overview
Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. It owns and operates sports teams - including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and MLS’s Charlotte Football Club. TSE also owns and operates venues – including Bank of America Stadium and the Atrium Health Performance Park Additionally, TSE produces live events – including concerts and other sporting events like international soccer matches, college football games, and much more.
In 2018, David Tepper bought the Carolina Panthers and Bank of America Stadium for an NFL record. Since then, Tepper has transformed Charlotte into a dominant destination for sports and entertainment, and to that respect, he founded Tepper Sports & Entertainment (“TSE”). He has assembled a top-notch management team and reimagined the Panthers’ business operations to a fan-centric home for fans in both Carolinas. Combining football and soccer success, business growth and an even deeper engagement with the community, fans, marketing partners and other constituents, TSE strives to be a top innovator and place to work in the industry.
Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing DMA’s in the United States and has been highlighted by Forbes as one of the Best Places for Businesses and Careers. The weather and quality of life are unmatched. TSE enjoys one of the largest geographic footprints in all of sports and are working hard to more fully and consistently engage all of it. Regionally, the Panthers are supported by 15 million residents in both North and South Carolina. Charlotte, also known as the “Queen City,” provides something for everyone.
Position Summary
The VP, Corporate Partnerships oversees all aspects of corporate partnership sales revenue and activation for TSE. This position holds P&L budget responsibility and is charged with driving top-line growth and bottom line profits, all while carefully selecting/curating the “right” long-lasting relationships and partnerships with brands that are aligned with the company’s core values. This position will be tasked with leading a full-service Partnerships Team responsible for sales, account management, activation, and commercial media for the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC, TSE Venues (including Bank of America Stadium, the Atrium Health Performance Park, and TSE Live Events business). This position and department will collaborate with internal stakeholders, including marketing, ticket sales, operations, finance and other core shared services.
Primary Responsibilities
- Develop, implement and lead corporate partnership strategic plans for achieving annual and long-term revenue and profitability growth targets. Maintain focus on maximizing profitability, creating new revenue streams, reducing operating expenses, identifying efficiencies, synergies and economies of scale that lead to tangible economic value creation.
- Develop and monitor key performance indicators and metrics to drive results and provide informed recommendations and effective decision making.
- Assess the existing corporate partnership approach, ensuring standards, processes and solution-selling methodologies are in place to serve existing and new potential customers most effectively.
- As a key team member of the leadership team, identify challenges/emerging issues faced by the organization and help develop strategic solutions for corrective action and/or resolution.
- Proactively ensure the corporate partnership group successfully drives new profitable business opportunities and maximizes client retention.
- Activation, service and retention are vitally important to building long-lasting partnerships. Critically assess the needs of existing and new partners to determine the proper account retention and growth strategies.
- Develop pricing strategies based on various selling-process situations. Identifies and provides effective and creative cross-selling products, services and/or offerings.
- Ensure relationships with strategic partners are effectively built and maintained. Identifies and/or creates new opportunities for profitable business growth.
- Work closely with and leverage the company’s business intelligence group to ensure all corporate partnerships are appropriately (and efficiently) strategized, scaled, priced, marketed and sold.
- Collaborate with and leverage the finance group to develop forecasting projections with consistent, accurate and relevant sales revenue, profit, and expense budget models that meet business objectives. Work closely with finance to ensure highly accurate and reliable monthly and annual sales forecasts.
- Partner with the company’s marketing group to ensure marketing and media programs are effectively and efficiently laser geared toward maximization of impact and value for each marketing partner.
- Serve as a key company spokesperson on corporate partnership-related matters, communicating regularly and effectively with all relevant stakeholders.
- Lead and assist with complex presentations, proposals and negotiations.
- Interact regularly with department leaders to ensure the corporate partnership priorities are aligned with TSE’s strategic plan.
- Partner with department heads to maximize opportunities to promote the companies, teams and brands.
- Ensure the brands are used consistently and respectfully within established guidelines.
- Provide effective leadership and management oversight to partnership leaders and their teams. Hire, develop, evaluate, mentor and manage team. Ensure appropriate organization structure(s), level of staffing and build sufficient bench strength. Take active role to ensure leadership development and succession planning goals and objectives are achieved.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on business, management, sports, sales or related field.
- 12-15 years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in corporate partnership sales, service & activation.
- Proven partnership leader with a demonstrated track record of performance and business achievements.
- Exceptional track record of developing and implementing partnership strategies that have consistently met or exceeded planned objectives.
- Evidence of being a strategic thinker with the ability to develop and implement processes and plans.
- Evidence of planning acumen, analytical expertise and long-term strategic outlook with proven results.
- Evidence of highly developed collaboration, persuasion, relationship building and interpersonal skills that results in trust from peers, public and private stakeholders and company ownership/leadership.
- Strong leadership, planning, management and organizational experience, directing the outcome of multiple, complex projects with high ethical standards.
- Demonstrated communication effectiveness in all forms and the ability to educate and inform broad audiences with evidence of well-developed influencing, persuasion and negotiation skills.
- Ability to thrive in a collaborative, matrixed environment.
- Ability to articulate a point of view and to influence across the organization.
- Must be flexible to work evenings and/or weekends and all Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC and Bank of America Stadium events, including events held on weekends, nights, and holidays, and be willing to travel both regionally and nationally/internationally.
- Must be able to handle confidential, privileged, and/or sensitive information with carefully and with sensitivity.
- Must pass pre-employment screens
Work Environment
- This job operates in a professional office environment, and will require work at stadium events, as mentioned above, on nights, weekends, and holidays. It may also require travel to off-site partnership events.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.
