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Under the general supervision of BPRM President, the Sponsorship Manager is responsible for business development and retention with respect to sponsors and partnerships, relationship management, and contract management. This position also manages the Director of Exhibitor Sales. This is a full-time position that involves considerable out-of-office in-person communications and relationship-maintenance.

JOB FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Manages Sponsor Relationships (40%)

Manages and maintains regular communications with sponsors, their account managers or team, ensuring healthy, thriving relationships with client organizations; and delivering world-class service to all to effect a solid, valued and continued sponsorship.

• Performs timely, ongoing, and consistent communications outreach to maintain solid relationships, keeping the client organization top-of-mind, effecting a long-lasting commitment from sponsors.

  • Conducts visits and in-person meetings (via offsite lunches, events, etc.) to review sponsor activity during prior periods

  • Utilizes written communications, emails, etc., as often as needed for follow-ups and responding to requests for information, placing orders and serving as operations liaison

• Supports sponsors administrative needs and requests, ensuring written agreements are in place, activations are planned, and partners receive value-added services

• Manages project support tasks, including phone and video conferencing, upcoming event activations, other related tasks as assigned

• Presents electronic recap reports to stakeholders for ROI calculations with assistance from the marketing team

• Documents events from an overall perspective, including demographics, sponsorship impressions and participation, specific sponsor activations with photographs, clips of marketing and social posts, etc.

• Manages contract negotiations and renewals to supplement revenue and product/service purchasing; ensuring representation of client’s interests; utilizing standard contracts for consistency across sponsors.

• Guarantees sponsor benefits consistent with rights fee and in-kind donations, based on the most current valuation of client’s property

• Manages sponsorship invoicing, accounting, and collections

• Works closely with the marketing team on “sponsor deliverables”; serving as the liaison for sponsor digital content and copy and ensuring all assets are shared, correct, and functional

• Communicates benefits, impressions, analytics and “posts” to deliver back to sponsors

• Brainstorms and collaborates with other thought partners to develop creative marketing campaigns and activations to remain unique and on-message

Oversees Sponsor Activations (10%)

Oversees event weekend activations, including the pre-planning and facilitation of operational tasks.

• Leads, facilitates, and supports event weekend activations; serving as the point person in communications to staff, operations, committee, and associated volunteers; providing support on tactical tasks, and/or documentation service; understanding the schedule and plans of all partners; and closing the loop by providing feedback to the sponsor/activation team afterward

• Plans activations with sponsors (and vendors); brainstorming meetings; confirming operational viability with clients and operations; and co-budgeting with sponsors

• Schedules activation events or campaigns; leveraging venues, other partners/vendors

• Confirms co-marketing with marketing team, other employees as needed

• Ensures operational success of race weekend activation, works with operations team as needed

• Solves unexpected problems that come-up or facilitates in locating resources for solutions

• Manages and facilitates the fair and proper integration of sponsors into events and programs; providing for meaningful activations for participants, overall safe execution of activities; and appropriating budgeted time and resources based on sponsor’s respective level

Wine, Beer, Liquor/Cheers Garden Management (5%)

Oversees sponsorships with any alcohol related vendors and the execution of alcohol service at all events.

• Secures wine, beer, liquor, and non-alcoholic beer sponsorships for each event to include appropriate quantities, servers, and cash where appropriate to offset corkage.

• Manages any alcohol activation (opening reception, expo lounge, cheers garden, etc.)

Expo/Festival Management (15%)

Manages Director of Exhibitor Sales for client expo and festival booth sales.

• Manages Director of Exhibitor Sales who oversees booth and festival sales and ensures sponsors are happy with their space and operating within the guidelines of the event

• Liaisons with Expo Manager for expo and/or festival execution

Manage Business Development (Grow Sponsorship) (20%)

Leads business development and sponsorship growth by managing sustained efforts to grow cash support and in-kind donations.

• Business development and sponsorship growth

• Prospects aligned categories, vets new companies, fosters new opportunities and nurture existing relationships, and close new business

• Develops and builds onto increases with existing sponsors during contract renewals or add-on business; working to lengthen terms; providing a path for sponsors to grow to the next tier; and requesting for increases in cash or donation during contract renewals

• Seeks out and cultivates new sponsors; managing a pipeline of potential partners; finding alignment and open categories; and requesting for introductions

• Remains up to date in the market/industry; reading social media, email marketing communications from prospects, and press releases; attending similar events to observe sponosorship program and activations; engaging with other event leaders and prospects.

Operations Support (10%)

Facilitates and executes tasks in support of each client’s scalable relationships with sponsors, vendors, committees, and participants.

• Manages upkeep of master partner list including sponsors, expo booth and festival sales, and potential leads

• Organizes sponsor product for all needs on race week/end dispersal

• Develops, manages and maintains VIP lists for major event functions

• Attends/participates in BPRM staff meetings, job-related meetings, and any special client meetings, as necessary

Position Essential Requirements

• Minimum of 3 – 5 years of experience with managing relationships

• Has existing brand relationships, and can work with a wide variety of people

• Trained in value-based sales process

• Has experience working in commission based sales

• Project and Program Management experience

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Excellent organization and time management skills; high attention to detail, assertiveness, diplomatic skills, and a proactive approach to work and problem solving

• Excellent at problem solving and analytical with advanced math skills

• Able to work independently in a rapidly changing, fast-paced, results-oriented environment or manage teams

• High level of professionalism essential for interaction with internal and external customers, cross-functional teams, and management

Computer Skills

Proficient in MS Office and Cloud-based computing. Has aptitude for creating efficiency with digital solutions.

Other capabilities or competencies needed to satisfactorily perform the job, which are not listed above:

1. Strong and personable character

2. Ability to ‘read’ people and situations

3. Anticipate and resolve issues

Language, Reasoning, and Relationship Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

• Ability to analyze data and provide recommendations

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists

• Exceptional follow-up skills

• Ability to work independently on numerous activities and prioritize them properly while meeting deadlines

• Customer service oriented

• Strong sense of ethics and confidentiality with regard to employee and business issue

• Ability to build strong partnerships with other employees and clients

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is often required to stand; walk; sit; often required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; rarely required to climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; often required to talk or hear; and rarely required to taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

• Ability to spend long periods of time at a computer/laptop terminal with heavy keyboarding

• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds

• This position will primarily work in a remote office or field setting; must be able to work outside on occasion, with varied environmental exposure

How to Apply for the Role

To apply for the position, please submit your resume and a cover letter to michelle@blisteringpace.com.

About Blistering Pace Race Management

Blistering Pace Race Management is a full service race management company based in Northern California. Established in 2016 and rapidly expanding, we work with clients which include the Pamakid Runners (San Francisco Half Marathon), Napa Valley Marathon, Inc. (Napa Valley Marathon and Half Marathon), and the Big Sur Marathon Foundation (Big Sur International Marathon and Monterey Bay Half Marathon). We also work with Chicago Event Management and the New York Road Runners. Our scope of work varies by event.