Partnership Strategy Manager

The Strategy Manager joins SPORTFIVE's Partnership Strategy team to support brand advisory and talent marketing work within the UK. The role sits within a function experienced in identifying, creating, selling, managing and activating sponsorship deals for brands, and works closely with premium rights holders to help commercialise their partnership and marketing rights. Reporting to the SVP or Director of Partnership Strategy, the post-holder supports advisory processes that distil brand marketing and commercial requirements into the best partnership routes available.

• Support advisory processes, distilling brand marketing and commercial requirements into a process that determines the best partnership routes available.
• Join brand conversations to crystallise marketing intentions and formulate briefs that lead into active processes.
• Liaise with internal business intelligence and insight teams to decipher viable partnership routes through audience analysis.
• Formulate the commercial and marketing benefits of various partnerships, guiding how partnership rights can deliver tangible, measurable impact nuanced to a given brand's needs.
• Keep abreast of developments and emerging opportunities within the rightsholder and media landscapes.
• Understand the nuances of what rightsholders offer in order to project distinct partnership solutions.
• Work closely with SPORTFIVE's creative functions and other third-party agencies on content strategy, production, the development of marketing assets, partnership materials and media plans for global use.
• Generate and present creative and strategic activation concepts, thinking laterally and innovatively.

• Experience in sponsorship, brand marketing or strategic planning, with a track record of shaping partnership strategy, not just delivering it.
• Demonstrable strategic planning and creative aptitude, with the ability to generate original, insight-led platform and campaign ideas.
• Proven ability to translate brand objectives and marketing needs into clear, actionable partnership strategies.
• Strong marketing acumen covering brand positioning, audiences, and how sponsorship drives measurable outcomes.
• Confidence using data and insight to build a compelling argument and evaluate partnership routes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Flawless attention to detail.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to work across multiple concurrent processes.
• Interpersonal skills in working with multiple departments to coordinate and advance workstreams.
• Excellent presentation skills, including creating and presenting strategy and partnership concepts.
• A real passion for and knowledge of sport, with a good understanding of UK and global sport.
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as individually, with strong leadership skills.
• Must be available for travel.

• Brand experience would be an advantage but is not essential.

• Altrincham, Cheshire or London.
• Hybrid, flexible working model — 4 days in the office and 1 day at home.

• 25 days annual leave plus an additional gifted day over the Christmas period.
• Full Vitality health cover including dental, optical and mental health support.
• Enhanced family leave entitlements.
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme.
• Electric car scheme.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• A day off for moving house or getting married.
• Regular social events such as summer and Christmas parties.
• Life assurance at x4 annual salary.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• The opportunity to join an organisation that invests in and rewards its staff, provides an enjoyable working environment, and offers genuine responsibility and scope to shape a role and add real value.

Its work ranges from supporting Premier League football clubs to secure their next front of shirt sponsor, to curating deals for brands to showcase their advertising during games televised to millions worldwide, to representing leading industry talent.