Senior Director, Football APAC

Job description

Who We Are: IMG is a leading global sports marketing agency, specializing in media rights management and sales, multi-channel content production and distribution, brand partnerships, strategic consulting, digital services, and event management. It powers growth of revenues, fanbases and IP for more than 250 federations, associations, events, and teams, including the National Football League, English Premier League, International Olympic Committee, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, ATP and WTA Tours, the AELTC (Wimbledon), Euroleague Basketball, CONMEBOL, World Rugby, DP World Tour, and The R&A, as well as UFC, WWE, and PBR. IMG is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organization. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality. Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities Develop APAC’s football and commercial strategy in partnership with Global Football leadership and APAC Commercial and Strategy teams. Identify new revenue opportunities across traditional and non-traditional business models to drive growth in the APAC region. Identify football rightsholders where IMG can deliver value and expand its football portfolio across APAC. Act as the senior commercial lead for football in APAC, including leadership of key properties such as AS Roma and support across the wider football portfolio (e.g. Chinese Super League). Lead major regional initiatives and projects that have material impact on the business at both regional and international levels. Work closely with Production and Digital teams to identify rightsholders and partners that would benefit from the full breadth of IMG’s services. Set annual sponsorship revenue targets and define go-to-market plans, including pricing, tiering, and packaging, in partnership with Sales Operations and cross-functional teams. Drive sponsorship sales across the IMG Football portfolio in APAC by developing senior-level client relationships and new commercial opportunities. Consistently identify target brands and generate senior-level client meetings, both face-to-face and virtual. Lead sponsorship presentations and commercial negotiations through to contract execution. Maximize revenue opportunities to achieve or exceed regional targets. Partner with sponsorship account managers to ensure successful contract delivery and support renewals. Work collaboratively with the wider IMG sales organization to share best practices and support team development. Ensure sales pipelines and deals are accurately maintained in CRM systems. Maintain strong awareness of competitor activity, market trends, and relevant sponsorships in APAC. Provide weekly and monthly forecasting and reporting to senior divisional leadership within Strategic Partnerships. Represent IMG Football at major football and sports industry events across the APAC region. Management of internal stakeholders across marketing, events, operations, sales and account management Knowledge and Experience Extensive sponsorship sales experience with a demonstrable track record of sourcing new business and opening doors Proven track record in sponsorship sales and as a relationship builder, having an expansive existing contact base and existing network Experience in negotiating high value, complex, commercial contracts and global sponsorship/partnership deals across multiple platforms Proven track record of successful client relationships and strategic account management/engagement Experience developing business plans and tracking pipelines to ensure sales are delivered. Experience initiating and driving sales with limited hands-on guidance Track record of leveraging referrals, developing leads, and securing meetings with prospective suppliers and partners through research, outbound calls, and building an industry network profile Demonstrable knowledge of accurate forecasting and revisiting business plans regularly Effective communication skills with a broad range of audiences. Experience in presenting partnership opportunities to and engagement of senior and c-level executives and targeted companies and brands Experience of the development of bespoke and tailored propositions to suit the needs of individual companies A thorough understanding of the end-to-end sales process and the customer buying process (including awareness of the emotional connections required by brands) Working knowledge of closing deals including negotiation of commercial terms and working alongside the legal team to negotiate and conclude contractual agreements Demonstrable knowledge of the digital landscape in sports, sponsorship activation across all platforms and trends on consumer behavior to spot opportunities for new business Skills and Abilities Thorough understanding of IMG’s business, properties, stakeholders, and priorities Excellent verbal and written communication skills Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills Ability to solve problems and find creative solutions Ability to translate research and insights into partnership strategy and presentation/ pitch storylines Ability to lead research and various analyses on new opportunities and develop business plans Strong ability to develop deck design and support creative solutions Motivated and enthusiastic to take on new projects Demonstrate commercial and cultural awareness (as dealing with multi-national companies and international events) Driven to achieve success and possess the hunger and curiosity to learn and be proactive in finding and chasing leads Enjoy working in a team environment with the ability to collaborate, seek feedback and build credibility through interaction with others Excellent organizational and time management skills with ability to prioritize and multi-task, stay organized under pressure and self-direct Flexible and efficient working style Accurate and organized with good attention to detail Excellent MS Office skills Working Conditions This is a permanent position Regular evening/weekend work where you may be required to travel to events in line with the IMG Events portfolio Outside of event travel, there may be a requirement to travel to offsite meetings as part of the role. Adapting to use of new systems and technology where appropriate TKO EEO Statement: TKO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding non-discrimination in employment. TKO makes employment decisions based on merit and qualifications, without considering an employee’s or applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities. TKO also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state or local laws. For information about Privacy and Information Security for TKO employment candidates, please review our Privacy Policy . 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