The Senior Manager, Partnership Solutions is a key position in the Corporate Partnerships Department. Suitable for the role are storytellers, creative and commercially aggressive professionals who have the desire to create as well as build world-class partnerships and solutions to support the sales process. This role will be instrumental in the development of creative ideas, thought-starters, partnership packages, and presentations for new business pitches to help the organization achieve its revenue goals.

Responsibilities/Essential Functions

• Ideate and develop world-class partnership platforms and innovative ideas to arm sales teams with prospective partners across MSE properties including but not limited to: Minnesota Wild, Xcel Energy Center, and Tria Rink.
• Quickly understand the sports and entertainment group’s corporate partner offerings to architect integrated programs across key channels with alignment across various mediums including but not limited to consumer marketing platforms, client brand amplification, and sharable content.
• Liaison and coordinate internal alignment required to commercialize/operationalize ideas.
• Create and collaborate with Creative Services to make compelling presentations, sales materials, and proposals that appropriately represent new platforms in sales efforts.
• Collaborate with Sales and Partnership Success teams to identify strategic growth opportunities for renewals and upsells of current partner brands through added asset inventory, platforms, and partnerships.
• Provide thought leadership within the corporate partnerships department around platform development, prospecting and sales, and overall group strategy.
• Assist in defining value proposition to be used to sell available resources.
• Assist in creating a proactive and integrated sales process that increases internal visibility to sponsor proposals and creates a more collaborative and efficient approval of pitches.
• Conduct brand research via a research platform (ex: YouGov) and analyze data to gain consumer insights related to ongoing brand conversations and build a story to bring the brand to life through our properties/partnerships.
• Ensure relationships with strategic partners are effectively built and maintained.
• Develop sales tools for new business including client proposals, RFPs, Term Sheets, prospecting sheets, thought starters, etc. for revenue generation across all arms of the company.
• Work closely with other departments within the organization on corporate partnerships and premium sales-related programs and cross-selling opportunities including game operations, community relations, media relations, ticket sales, marketing, and building operations.
• Foster productive relationships with corporate partnership colleagues across the industry to understand and stay abreast of marketplace trends and best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
   

Position Requirements

Formal Education & Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Sales, or another related field is preferred.

Knowledge & Experience

• 3-5 years of experience providing strategic solutions in one or more industries: sports, venues, music, and/or entertainment.
• Demonstrated success analyzing marketing strategy and developing “out-of-the-box” ideas.
• Experience working in Photoshop, In-Design, Adobe Suite, and/or other creative programs preferred, not required.
• Sports sponsorship or agency experience is preferred, not required.
• Knowledge of hockey is preferred, not required.

Personal Attributes

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well with, and gain the respect and trust of, a wide range of people at all levels of seniority, internally and externally.
• Strong organizational, planning, and implementation skills.
• Ability to think creatively/outside of the box.
• Highly driven self-starter, with the ability to work as a team or independently on projects.
• Positive, can-do attitude with the ability to manage long-term projects as well as quick turnaround assignments.
• Creative problem solver with the ability to quickly understand brands/partners’ business models and identify creative solutions for how to solve for indicated KPI’s.
• Strategic and critical thinker who is dynamic, forward-thinking, analytical, and extremely well-organized.

Work Conditions

• Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as needed for games and events.
• Work is primarily sedentary.
• Physical requirements include sitting, walking, standing, bending, squatting, climbing, kneeling, twisting, lifting, grasping, etc.
• Lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Our company is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to participate in the application process or perform the essential functions of the job, please contact the People Team to request an accommodation. We will engage in an interactive process to assess your needs and provide appropriate accommodations to enable you to perform the essential functions of the position unless it would cause an undue hardship.
• We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. We value diversity and inclusion in our workplace and promote a work environment that respects and supports individuals without bias.

Experience

• 5