Business Development Manager

Job Summary

Position Summary

The Business Development Manager will serve as a vital role on Sporting Kansas City’s Corporate Partnerships team as a New Business revenue generator focused on creating innovative solutions for next-generation Sporting Club partners. This sales position is expected to have a strong corporate partnership background as well as the capacity to adapt to the unique and vibrant Kansas City market.

The position is to be a key contributor to the Corporate Partnerships team while ensuring all work is consistent with the Sporting KC brand purpose: “We create memories through personalized experiences with our Club.”

Sporting Kansas City is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and equity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all associates. All associates are expected to positively collaborate with individuals of diverse backgrounds. All talented individuals looking for a challenge are encouraged to apply.

Essential Functions

• Report to the Director of Corporate Partnership Sales to effectively and strategically enhance Sporting Kansas City’s corporate partner base.
• Revenue generator across the Sporting Club portfolio with primary focus on Sporting Kansas City, the region’s premier Major League Soccer professional sports franchise.
• Turn a standard sales pitch into a solutions-oriented story, connecting the client’s goals and objectives into a well thought out personal connection to Sporting Kansas City’s brand.
• Consistently exceed daily call and appointment targets while using traditional and innovative interpersonal communication tactics.
• Brainstorm new initiates and platforms to engage partners. Outside the box thinking is vital to this role.
• Work in conjunction with other internal departments on ideation, approvals, and execution in relation to partnership proposals.
• Meet and exceed yearly corporate partnership sales targets set by the Leadership Team.
• Network with local, regional, and national organizations to create authentic and mutual beneficial corporate partnerships.
• Maintain and continually grow the company’s prospective partner pipeline.
• Build relationships with prospects’ gatekeepers and key company decision-makers, as well as internally with each Sporting Club group.
• Create, track, and maintain all proposals for prospective clients, detailing the progress of the sales process.
• Compile, report, enter, collect, forecast, and track accurate account elements, billing fulfillment and contract information, as well as reports pertaining to proposals, contracts, budgets, and other account details into KORE/Salesforce
• Prepare documents as needed, including expense reports, account budgets, memos, letters, contracts, spreadsheets, etc.
• Support Sporting Kansas City’s mission, vision and values of excellence, competence, collaboration, and innovation.
• Mentor junior associates and seasonal interns.
• Support Sporting Kansas City’s mission, vision and purpose.
• Represent Sporting Kansas City and its related affiliates in a professional manner at all times.
• Perform other related tasks as assigned.

Match Day Responsibilities

• Full-time associates act as representatives of Sporting Kansas City at all home matches, engaging with guests and working to create Magic Moments for all fans.
• Meet with clients and host partner representatives.
• Conduct pre-game walk thru of the suites, concourse and club spaces to ensure activation.
• Assist with oversight of suite levels at Children’s Mercy Park.
• Assist with gameday partner promotions when needed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Personal Attributes

• Strong organizational, communications and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to listen and understand client’s pain points and objectives.
• Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities.
• Independent judgment to plan, prioritize and organize a diversified workload.
• Ability to coordinate and lead multiple tasks and projects.
• Ability to demonstrate poise, tact and diplomacy. Strong teamwork aptitude required.
• High level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive, confidential situations and information.
• Self-motivated and goal-driven.
• Professional appearance and attitude, as well as ability to work with others.

Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Sports Management, Marketing, or another related field required.
• Master’s degree in a related field preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of professional sales experience, preferably in the sports industry.
• Possess an extensive regional and national contact list.
• Proficient in the Sportsdigita, Salesforce, and KORE software platforms.
• Capacity to adapt to the unique and vibrant Kansas City market.
• Must be able to fluently speak, read, and write in the English language.
• Spanish language fluency preferred, but not required.
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite.

Physical Abilities

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Required to sit, stand and walk.
• Use hands operate and feel objects, tools or controls.
• Reach with hands and arms.
• Required to talk and hear consistently.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to twenty-five (25) pounds if necessary.
• Specific vision abilities required by the role include the ability to distinguish the nature of objects by using the eye.
• Associate will be required to travel as needed to facilitate business contacts.
• Ability to work non-traditional hours and game days, including evenings, weekends and holidays as necessary.