Director, Partnership Development (Music & Live Events)

Company Description

At Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Partnership (MLSE), we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that is representative of our community and where all employees feel they belong and can reach their full potential. We are Canada’s preeminent leader in delivering top quality sport and entertainment experiences and one of North America’s leading providers of exceptional fan experiences. We are the parent company of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts and development teams with the Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League), Raptors 905 (NBA G League), Toronto FC II (MLS NEXT Pro League) and Raptors Uprising Gaming Club, the Toronto Raptors Esports franchise in the NBA 2K League.

MLSE owns and/or operates all the venues our teams play and train in, including Scotiabank Arena, BMO Field, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Ford Performance Centre, BMO Training Ground, and OVO Athletic Centre. We also provide fans in Toronto with incredible live music and entertainment events, as well as exceptional culinary experiences through our restaurants (e11even and RS) and clubs (Hot Stove Club, ScotiaClub and Platinum Club). Through MLSE Foundation, we have invested more than $45 million into Ontario communities since 2009 and with MLSE LaunchPad, we provide a place where youth facing barriers use sport to recognize and reach their potential.

We achieve all of this through our Common Purpose - to unite and empower our employees to create extraordinary moments for our fans and each other. Come be a part of the team.

As the Director, Partnership Development for Music & Live Events, you will focus on the development, sales, and execution of partnerships (sponsorship) for Live Nation Canada, for which MLSE is the national sponsorship agency. We are looking for a client-centric, sales leader with a passion for building and delivering outstanding campaigns to join the Music & Live Events Partnerships team and keep pace with a growing portfolio of assets Live Nation is acquiring to deliver on that Sponsorship growth.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep and detailed understanding of the partners' business and competitive environment to continually deliver against business objectives for both the partner, MLSE and Live Nation.
• Lead Partnerships team to achieve revenue targets and provide status reports accordingly
• Project manage partnership discussions from first touchpoint to close
• Lead presentations to new prospects and negotiate packages for potential Live Nation partnerships
• Seek and engage a large volume of new prospects for Music Partnerships, developing customized, integrated and innovative partnership proposals that demonstrated insight and knowledge of client business and the world of music
• Provide thought leadership to partners during the conceptualization phase and throughout delivery; set the standard of creativity and strategic delivery.
• Proactively identify and manage critical issues; demonstrate resilience and adapt to evolving plans and strategies; where conflicting issues on partnerships arise, able to find solutions along with the internal team.
• Lead and encourage a team of emerging sales professionals; provide mentorship to ensure objectives are met and nurture personal development goals.
• Lead annual renewal processes as required, including leading the negotiation and execution of all necessary legal processes
• Actively maintain relationships with any current partners, industry contacts or future partnership prospects
• Drive, measure and report on pipeline progression
• Effectively balance priorities to deliver national platform and regional/festival partnerships
• Use analysis and insight to drive decisions in a way that yields sustained, measurable results
• Manage client expectations honestly and with integrity

Qualifications

Note: Before reviewing the qualifications listed below, we want you to know that we understand you may not meet all the qualifications described and have other relevant expertise and experience. We invite you to please share this with us in the "Message to the Hiring Manager" section of our online application.

• Creative problem solving and experienced negotiating skills
• An energetic self-starter that works best under minimal direction
• Ability to think ‘big picture’ in both strategy and execution
• An ongoing awareness and responsiveness to client happiness
• Ability to build and develop professional relationships both inside and outside of the organization with ease
• A detailed understanding of new media and a desire to stay current on emerging digital platforms
• Ability to work events (evenings and weekends) as the need arises – This is the entertainment business. The magic often happens after dark.
• A genuine curiosity about evolving consumer and cultural trends
• A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated success in a sponsorship/partnership sales, strategy and/or sponsorship marketing role
• Strong proficiency using PowerPoint and Excel
• You are a creative, upbeat and an organized leader with vision, driven to deliver breakthrough and compelling multi-platform marketing and digital solutions
• Excellent client interpersonal skills, presentation skills and confidence in leading conversations
• Post graduate degree or diploma in a business-related field preferred
• Experience developing and managing budgets
• Thrives in a fast-paced team environment with ability to efficiently manage multiple priorities

Additional Information

Apply by: July 28, 2023

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

At MLSE, we are committed to building an equitable, diverse and inclusive organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. MLSE will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in the job application process. If you have difficulty using our online application system and you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email [email protected]. Please note this email is only for accommodation requests. Resumes sent to this email address will not be considered.