Media & Sponsorship Manager

About the Role:

Baird is seeking a Media & Sponsorship Manager to lead the strategy, planning, and execution of media and sponsorship investments across the firm. This role connects business priorities to effective media and partnership strategies, ensuring investments are well-managed, measurable, and aligned to brand and growth objectives. Serving as both a strategic advisor and hands-on contributor, you will partner across Marketing & Communications, business units, community partners, and external vendors to deliver integrated, high-quality programs while leading and developing a small team.

The Impact You'll Make:

Develop and execute media and sponsorship strategies aligned to brand and business objectives

Guide mix of media investments, across a broad set of channels, overseeing budget allocations and campaign timing decisions across initiatives

Identify emerging media and sponsorship opportunities and recommend innovative approaches while balancing stakeholder priorities

Evaluate, negotiate, and manage sponsorship and naming rights investments across sports, nonprofit, and community partnerships

Build and manage sponsorship portfolios aligned to firm and business-unit priorities

Translate media and sponsorship investments into measurable business and marketing outcomes

Serve as a trusted advisor to Marketing & Communications and business stakeholders

Partner with marketing colleagues to translate business objectives into actionable media and sponsorship strategies

Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors, partners, and internal teams

Monitor performance against goals and leverage data and insights to optimize outcomes

Manage budgets with discipline, accountability, and transparency

Ensure high-quality, consistent execution across multiple initiatives and work streams

Lead the media and sponsorship function, including managing and developing a team while remaining actively engaged in key initiatives

What You’ll Bring to Baird:

Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, Marketing, Business, or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience7+ years of experience in media research, planning, buying, and sponsorship strategy

Financial services experience is preferred

Experience supporting enterprise-level initiatives and multiple business units with aligned strategies and an ability to connect marketing investments to business outcomes

Excellent negotiation skills and understanding of how to add incremental value and communicate that to our clients

Experience in leading people and building a team Strong understanding of both traditional and digital media channels as well as sponsorship marketing

Experience and knowledge of Salesforce, RFP processes, demos and selection of media and sponsorship planning/buying software tools

Familiarity in using AI tools, especially for tasks like ideation and research

Proven ability to manage vendor relationships, work across teams and influence stakeholders at all levels

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail

Compensation and Total Rewards Package: $102,000  - $156,900 annual salary range

Bonus potential up to 25% of base salary

Compensation and bonus are commensurate with experience, performance and/or firm profitability and location

Check out our Total Rewards at Baird, which is a summary of our benefits and compensation

Candidates based in Chicago must work from the Milwaukee office four days per week during their first year of employment#LI-AK1

Baird is committed to diversity and provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other status protected by law.

Summary

Location:

WI-Milwaukee; IL-Chicago Type:
Full time