Director of Sponsorships & Partnerships

Company Description

Creative 21 is dedicated to exploring creative thinking as a vital skill in the 21st century. The organization examines how creativity is applied across disciplines, industries, and real-world contexts to solve problems, inspire innovation, and foster resilient communities. Through live events, engaging demonstrations, and thought-provoking discussions, Creative 21 highlights the process of transforming imagination into practice.

Creative 21 is preparing for a major milestone in 2026: the launch of its first large-scale public creative event in Charlotte, NC (October 2026). Following a successful private pilot, we are assembling a small, high-accountability team to support this public launch.

Role Description:

We are seeking a Director of Sponsorships & Partnerships to lead sponsorship and partner development for the 2026 event cycle - building a credible pipeline, closing partnerships, and stewarding relationships through activation and follow-up. The role reports directly to the Executive Director.

This is a senior, individual-contributor contract role for the 2026 event cycle; there is no base salary and no initial team oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy & Packaging

• Develop and execute a sponsorship and partnerships strategy tailored to the 2026 event cycle
• Shape partnership proposals, asset packaging, and partner activation concepts in coordination with leadership

Prospecting & Pipeline

• Identify and pursue qualified prospects across corporate, small business, and community sectors
• Build and manage a healthy pipeline (targets, stages, next steps, timelines)

Outreach, Pitching, Negotiation, Closing

• Lead outreach, pitch meetings, proposal development, negotiation, and closing
• Drive opportunities to signed agreements and ensure a clean handoff for fulfillment

Partnership Operations & Stewardship

• Manage partner relationships through activation and post-event follow-up
• Maintain accurate tracking for agreements, deliverables, and payment status
• Coordinate with the Executive Director and Operations team to ensure commitments are feasible and deliverable

Compensation:

This is a commission-based contract role designed to attract experienced sponsorship/partnership professionals.

• 20–25% commission on sponsorship and partnership revenue secured
• Commission is paid on funds collected, not verbal commitments or unsigned pledges
• No cap on earnings
• Full commission mechanics and performance thresholds will be shared with qualified candidates during the interview process

What Success Looks Like:

• A strong, credible pipeline established early in the planning cycle
• Signed sponsorship/partnership agreements that materially underwrite the event
• Professional partner communications and reliable follow-through on deliverables
• Strong revenue performance that supports a high-quality October 2026 execution

Qualifications:

• 5 years in sponsorship sales, partnerships, business development, or related roles
• Demonstrated ability to independently close mid- to high-value deals
• Comfortable with a commission-only, performance-based contract structure
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills
• Highly organized, self-directed, and accountable
• Experience with events, arts/culture, media, sports, hospitality, or community-facing initiatives is a plus
• Familiarity with the Charlotte market is helpful but not required

Timing & Commitment:

• Flexible, part-time commitment initially; expected to ramp as the event approaches
• Planning and partner development will run throughout 2026
• On-site presence in Charlotte will be required closer to the event date (October 2026), as needed for partner meetings and activation

How to Apply:

Please submit:

• A brief introduction describing your relevant experience and interest in the role
• Minimum of One example of a sponsorship, partnership, or business development effort you’ve led (summary or redacted materials are acceptable)

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.