JOB TITLE: Senior Partnerships Manager
DEPARTMENT: Partnerships (Commercial)
DIRECT REPORTS: Partnership Executive
LOCATION: Stamford Bridge, London
CONTRACT: Permanent, Full Time
JOB FUNCTION: World class strategic partner management with a view to delivering industry-leading servicing and maximising potential for investment into Chelsea Football Club
Closing date: 21st April
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the position may be filled before the listed closing date. To avoid missing out, please submit your application at your earliest convenience.
Main Responsibilities:
- Management of club principal partnerships (accounts to be defined) in line with their business objectives and partnership KPIs, ensuring all contractual rights are delivered in a timely manner and to the highest standard
- Planning, implementation and evaluation of effective partner campaigns using Chelsea assets and IP. This includes a proactive approach to campaign ideas, delivery of campaign assets in the correct specs, working to deadlines with the marketing team and capturing and reporting campaigns once live.
- Working with the Commercial Manager to deliver relevant partners' contracted appearances with the Men’s, Women’s and Academy Squads (such as meet & greets, filming/photo shoots and official club events)
- Line management of Partnership Executive, focused on developing an entrepreneurial approach when constructing creative global activation plans to meet strategic goals and to ensure the club maintains a world class account management function
- Supporting Partnership Managers in delivery of global partners, focused on advising, trouble-shooting and escalating situations to Partnership Lead when necessary
- Managing international based contracted legend appearances for relevant partners. Work closely with the Commercial Manager to book the appearance, create an appearance brief and accompany club legends on international based events
- Delivery of relevant partners’ activations domestically and in all global markets, including CSR programmes, match day experiential and pre-season tour events
- Supporting Partnership Lead in maintaining a culture that ensures club partners are able to network amongst themselves and work effectively with other members of the partnership team, when opportunities arise for collaboration between club partners
- Working with club’s monitoring agency and utilise evaluation tools to track partner return on investment and extract insights to advise partners on best use of branded assets
- Working with Partnership Lead to build best-in-class case studies for use across the partnership team and sales team
- Developing and maintaining excellent relationships with all internal stakeholders to ensure partners are successfully integrated across the club, including partner integration into club marketing campaigns, events, pre-season tours, CSR projects and player endorsements
- Developing expertise on relevant partners, their industries and competitors within their category
- Leading meetings with internal stakeholders, club partners, their agencies and other external parties
- Identification of relevant industry news & insights and communication of them to the department
- Identify commercial opportunities to grow/develop club partnerships including integration into pre-season tours, CSR projects and player endorsements
- Working alongside Head of Partnership Management and Partnership Leads to create a positive team environment, in which proactivity and professionalism are encouraged, enabling the club to deliver world class partner servicing and adhere to Club values.
- Working alongside the Partnership Leads to report and track on partnership servicing budgets, particularly for principal partners.
Measures of Performance:
- Delivers against business objectives and KPIs
- Manages effectively the time of Partnership Executives and ensures development within their roles
- Develops and maintains a healthy and proactive relationship with all partners
- Develops and maintains first class relationships with internal stakeholders, and collaborates well with other Senior Partnership Managers
- Partner activation plans and contracted rights are delivered on time and to the highest standard
Person Specification:
- Demonstrable experience within the sponsorship/sports marketing industry
- Experience of account managing brands on a global scale
- Experience of activating brand campaigns across social media
- Strategic & analytical capability
- A commercial, results driven individual with entrepreneurial capabilities
- Excellent communication and influencing capability
- An experienced team leader, capable of working with less senior team members to manage workflow and ensure team resources are utilised efficiently
- A proven team player who is calm, professional, works well under pressure and is diligent and detail orientated
- Willing to work between locations and to be flexible with working hours (including working weekends and international travel)
Our Expectations:
- To embody the club’s BLUE behaviours (Brave, Lead, Unity, Edge) in the approach to work and interaction with others
- To adhere to the club’s policies and procedures, including Health & Safety, Financial Authorisation, Confidentiality and GDPR.
- To act as an ambassador for diversity, equality, and inclusion, and demonstrate a positive commitment by treating others fairly in line with our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and reporting any acts of discrimination through appropriate channels
- To create a safe environment and act to protect all young people and vulnerable adults that are either in your care or attending club premises, and report any concerns to the Safeguarding Lead
- To report any misconduct or suspected misconduct to the HR Department
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
At Chelsea we recognise that the diversity of our people is one of our greatest strengths and we are taking positive action to ensure our existing colleagues and job applicants can fully be themselves and bring their own unique experiences and perspectives to Chelsea FC. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.
If you need reasonable adjustments made to the recruitment process, please reach out to your recruiter, who will be able to advise and support you.
Chelsea FC is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children, young people and adults at risk (vulnerable groups). We therefore require all successful applicants to complete a DBS Check prior to starting employment. Depending on the role, successful applicants may also be required to undergo other child protection screening where appropriate.
This Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive; the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the Club.
