Director of Corporate Partnerships

Zawyer Sports is Charlotte's premier sports and entertainment organization, home to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL professional hockey), Charlotte Crown, and a growing portfolio of sports properties. We are passionate about connecting brands to the Charlotte community through innovative, results-driven partnerships. As our organization continues to grow, we are seeking a driven and experienced sales professional to join our corporate partnerships team.

Position Overview

The Director of Corporate Partnerships is responsible for generating new business revenue by developing, selling, and managing integrated sponsorship packages across Zawyer Sports properties including the Charlotte Checkers, Charlotte Crown, and additional affiliated brands. This is a full-cycle sales role: you will prospect and cultivate leads, build compelling proposals, close deals, and ensure long-term partner satisfaction.

This role is ideal for a motivated self-starter with a passion for sports, a proven track record in partnership or sponsorship sales, and the ability to thrive in a team-oriented environment.

Key Responsibilities

• New Business Development - Proactively identify, prospect, and cultivate new corporate partnership opportunities across all Zawyer Sports properties through cold outreach, networking, referrals, and community engagement.
• Full-Cycle Sales - Manage the complete sales process from initial contact through proposal development, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Customized Proposals - Design creative, multi-platform sponsorship packages tailored to each partner's marketing objectives, incorporating signage, digital media, game-night activations, social media, community programs, and hospitality assets.
• Revenue Goals - Meet and exceed individual and team revenue targets on an annual basis as set by Zawyer Sports Chief Revenue Officer
• Relationship Management - Serve as the primary point of contact for a portfolio of corporate partners, ensuring exceptional service and high renewal rates.
• Cross-Property Selling - Leverage the full breadth of the Zawyer Sports portfolio to provide partners with maximum brand exposure and integrated marketing solutions.
• Activation Coordination - Collaborate with the partnership activation and marketing teams to ensure all contracted elements are fulfilled and deliver measurable value.
• CRM Management - Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all sales activity, pipeline, and partner data within the CRM system.
• Market Intelligence - Stay current on industry trends, competitive landscape, and the Charlotte business community to identify new partnership opportunities.
• Gameday Responsibilities - Attend games and events as needed to host, entertain, and strengthen relationships with corporate partners and prospects.
  
  

Qualifications

Required

• 3 years of experience in corporate partnership, sponsorship, or B2B sales preferably within professional sports, entertainment, or a related industry
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding sales revenue targets
• Strong prospecting skills with experience building a pipeline from the ground up
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver compelling presentations to C-suite executives
• Ability to craft customized, creative proposals that align with client marketing goals
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple accounts and priorities simultaneously
• Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce or equivalent)
• Collaborative team player who also thrives working independently
• Enthusiasm for sports and the Charlotte community
  
  

Preferred

• Experience selling multi-property or multi-platform sponsorship packages
• Existing relationships within the Charlotte business community
• Experience with activation and fulfillment of partnership agreements
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sports Management, or a related field
• Zawyer Sports is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.