What are the responsibilities and job description for the Partnership Development Manager – Americas position at Art Basel?
About Art Basel
Art Basel stages the world's premier art shows for modern and contemporary works, connecting leading galleries, collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts. As a global leader in the art world, Art Basel fosters the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce, shaping conversations and experiences that drive the future of the arts.
Position Overview:
Art Basel is seeking a proactive, commercially-minded Partnership Development Manager – Americas to support partnership sales across one of its regional shows. This is an individual contributor role focused on building and managing relationships with brands based in the region, identifying new opportunities, and contributing to the execution of sales strategies.
The Partnership Development Manager – Americas will report into the Head of Partnership Development – Americas, working closely with them to support go-to-market planning, client outreach, and proposal development. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a high-touch sales environment, enjoys storytelling, and has a strong appreciation for cultural partnerships.
Your responsibilities:
Client Acquisition & Relationship Management
- Own and manage a portfolio of partnership prospects based in your assigned region.
- Identify and build relationships with brands whose values align with Art Basel’s cultural and creative platform.
- Lead partner engagement through outreach, discovery, pitching, and proposal development.
Sales Strategy & Execution
- Support the Regional Head of Partnerships in developing and executing sales strategies for the regional show and related global initiatives.
- Help prepare pitch materials, partnership proposals, and sales presentations.
- Maintain accurate records of client activity, proposals, and deal progress in CRM systems.
Proposal Development & Custom Solutions
- Work closely with internal stakeholders (Commercial Strategy, Marketing, Editorial, Show Management, etc) to tailor proposals that meet both partner objectives and Art Basel programming needs.
- Bring creative thinking and a client-first mindset to proposal development.
- Assist in the refinement of pitch materials, templates, and strategic decks.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with global sales colleagues to ensure knowledge sharing and alignment across categories and regions.
- Collaborate with the Account Management team to support a seamless handover from sales to delivery.
- Stay informed of broader category and industry trends to bring new ideas and approaches to the sales process.
Your profile:
- 5-7 years of experience in brand partnerships, sponsorship sales, or business development—ideally in art, luxury, media, or cultural sectors.
- Demonstrated success managing a client portfolio and closing partnership deals.
- Experience crafting persuasive proposals and presenting to senior stakeholders.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and storytelling skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (especially PowerPoint); experience with Salesforce or other CRM platforms is a plus.
- Passion for contemporary culture, creativity, and the arts.
- Fluency in English required; additional regional language(s) are a strong asset.