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Form of workChicago Fire Football Club is a Major League Soccer team that was founded in 1997 and is Chicago's ambassador to the global sport of soccer. The Club recently returned to Soldier Field as well as opened a new 50,000 square foot office in the heart of the city. With tremendous growth and expansion, the Club is laying the foundation for an audacious and ambitious vision that will transform the brand and the success of the Club in the coming years.
Some of the fabulous employee perks Chicago Fire Football Club offers to full-time employees include:
Work-Life Balance
- Option to work remotely 1 week from any place of choice per year
- Flexible work arrangements & hybrid scheduling (upon manager approval)
Paid Time Off
- 3 weeks of Paid Time Off upon hire
- 22 days of paid holiday time off (including 2 weeks off at the end of each calendar year)
- 1 day of birthday PTO
- 4 hours of Volunteer Time Off per month
Excellent Benefit Programs
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Supplementary Life, Supplementary AD&D, Flexible, Spending Account & Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits
- 401k eligibility immediately upon hire with a 3% employer contribution rate
- Educational Stipend of $1,500 per year
Paid Parental Leave
- 14-16 weeks fully paid leave for employees giving birth and 8 weeks fully paid leave for committed partners & spouses - applicable to foster care & adoptive parents as well
- 6 weeks fully paid FMLA leave to care for a family member with a serious medical condition
Office Culture & Facilities
- Full game room, frequent happy hours & parties, employee recognition programs, and access to a full workout center and rooftop at our central office
Position Overview:
Chicago Fire FC is seeking a Director of Partnership Sales to join our team and grow the Club's corporate partnership department. The Club's 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 the development of new corporate partnerships, as well as assisting the VP of Partnership Sales with the buildout of a commercial strategy. The Director of Partnership Sales will identify emerging sponsorship categories, build relationships across a variety of industries, generate sales leads through networking and research, conduct client presentations, and negotiate high-value contracts to meet and exceed annual revenue goals.
Job Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with colleagues across the Club to develop dynamic and innovative marketing platforms geared toward securing new corporate partnerships
- Identify emerging sponsorship categories with a focus on identifying forward-thinking companies that 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 the development of storytelling materials and client presentations
- Collaborate with colleagues to identify specific activation concepts for each prospect to align with brand objectives
- Negotiate high-value contracts to meet and exceed annual revenue goals
- Build a strategic plan around engaging corporate communities in Chicago
- Conduct necessary in-market research
- Build and expand the network around this community-brands and agencies
- Facilitate discussions cross-functionally to create alignment internally
- Present strategic plan to the department's VP of Partnership Sales and Chicago Fire's senior leadership team
- 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 sponsor-related projects as assigned by the department's VP of Partnership Sales
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree preferred
- Minimum six (6) years of relevant work, industry, and partnership development experience
- Proven track record of securing new business and selling multi-year, million-dollar partnerships
- Experience collaborating with colleagues to develop innovative marketing platforms for potential corporate partners
- Strong presentation skills, excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to work flexible hours, including but not limited to evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to problem-solve, prioritize, and meet deadlines
- Ability to give candid feedback with good intentions to help get the best out of colleagues
- Detail-oriented and able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
- Must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19
Please 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, we'd 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 Human Resources Department at hr@chicagofirefc.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
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