Director, Partnerships

POSITION TITLE:

Director - Partnerships

EMPLOYMENT STATUS:
Full Time

DEPARTMENT NAME:
Partnership Sales & Ticketing

The Big 12 Conference seeks qualified applicants to join its team as Director Partnerships. This individual will be responsible for identifying, developing, and closing high-value corporate partnerships that align leading brands with the Big 12, its member institutions, championship events, student-athletes, and rapidly expanding commercial platforms. The ideal candidate is a creative and relentless business developer who thrives in a fast-paced environment, understands how to translate brand objectives into compelling partnership opportunities, and has a demonstrated ability to build relationships and generate significant revenue.

• Drive new corporate partnership revenue for the Big 12 Conference through proactive prospecting, relationship development, and strategic selling
• Build and manage a robust sales pipeline across priority categories and emerging areas of commercial opportunity
• Identify new partnership categories, brands, and revenue streams that expand the Conference's commercial portfolio
• Develop customized, insight-driven partnership platforms that align Big 12 assets with prospective partners' business and marketing objectives
• Lead the full sales process from prospect identification and initial outreach through proposal development, negotiation, and contract execution
• Develop compelling sales presentations, proposals, partnership concepts, and other materials that effectively communicate the value of the Big 12 platform
• Build relationships with senior-level decision makers at prospective partner organizations and agencies
• Collaborate with Partnership Solutions, Marketing, Communications, Events, Digital, and other Conference departments to develop integrated and executable partnership programs
• Maintain a deep understanding of the Big 12's commercial assets, media platforms, championship events, member institutions, fan base, and broader value proposition
• Identify market trends, emerging industries, competitive activity, and innovative sponsorship models that can create incremental revenue opportunities
• Represent the Big 12 at industry events, conferences, partner meetings, championship events, and other business development opportunities
• Maintain accurate pipeline reporting, revenue forecasts, prospect activity, and sales documentation
• Support the renewal and expansion of select existing partnerships when appropriate
• Consistently meet or exceed annual partnership revenue goals
• Other duties as assigned
• Reports directly to the Chief Revenue Officer

• 5+ years of demonstrated success in corporate partnership sales, sponsorship sales, media sales, business development, or a related revenue-generating role
• Proven track record of generating significant new business revenue and closing complex, multi-year partnerships
• Strong existing relationships with brands, agencies, and senior-level marketing decision makers preferred
• Highly motivated self-starter with a strong drive for results and demonstrated ability to independently develop new business
• Ability to understand prospective partners' business challenges and translate them into creative, strategic partnership solutions
• Excellent prospecting, presentation, negotiation, communication, and closing skills
• Ability to build persuasive business cases and articulate the value of sports, media, digital, experiential, and intellectual property assets
• Strong understanding of sports sponsorship and media landscape
• Ability to develop and execute strategic sales plans against both short- and long-term revenue objectives
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment while managing…