Strategic Partnerships Lead - Melbourne, Australia - Bastion Agency

Description

This role can be based in our Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney office.

There is also a requirement for regular travel to the Gold Coast and nationally in Australia as required for new business meetings, with potential travel to New Zealand.

Application closing date: May 10

Bastion Experience is a strategic commercial and partnerships agency that delivers leading insights and analysis to help our clients solve their complex business and marketing problems. Working with leading brands and the biggest rights holders in sports and entertainment, a role at Bastion Experience is unlike any other. Bastion Experience is part of Bastion Agency Group. We have built Bastion over more than a decade by bringing together world-class independent agencies and experts, with complementary skill sets, to deliver a truly integrated communications service offering to our clients. We think wide across the breadth of communications disciplines, with deep expertise in each service offering we deliver. Each of our specialty services are delivered by an industry renowned Managing Director with a team of experts in their field.

We offer a wide breadth of specialist capabilities across the communications spectrum including market research, brand and creative, advertising, corporate and change communications, PR and social media, digital and customer experience (CX), sponsorship and experiential, film and content production, merchandise, Asia marketing and communications, data analytics and panel management. Experience is a sponsorship, partnerships and commercial strategy agency consulting agency that delivers leading strategy, insights and analysis to help our clients solve their complex marketing, sponsorship and business problems. Working with leading brands (KIA, SIXT, Pepperstone, Kennedy, Red Bull, Ferrari, AIA) and the biggest rights holders in sports and entertainment (AFL, NRL, Australian Grand Prix, UFC, Australian Ballet), a role at Bastion Experience is unlike any other.

The National Football League (NFL) is one of the world's leading sports organisations with a global presence and fanbase. In recent years, the NFL has established headquarters in Queensland to support the growth of the sport in Australia and New Zealand. Bastion has assisted the NFL to assist their growth into these markets.

Role Overview

The NFL and Bastion are looking for a gun Strategic Partnerships Lead who thrives on helping brands solve challenges others can't and discovering and developing innovative marketing and partnership solutions for the NFL.

The role will predominantly be focused on developing new business opportunities for the National Football League within the markets of Australia and New Zealand. You will be working closely with the NFL as their day-to-day person, but sitting directly in the Bastion Experience Strategic Partnerships team working closely with the Head Of and General Manager. Such an opportunity requires someone who has a strong network of brand relationships and can craft authentic partnership propositions that align to a brand's key objectives.

Key responsibilities of this role:

• Prospect for, close and deliver agreed financial targets for the NFL
• Lead the NFL's efforts with prospecting potential categories and brands that align with the NFL in collaboration with the GM and VP, International.
• Provide relevant briefs to the NFL to develop proposals and attend meetings in regard to sponsorship opportunities.
• Develop proposals for potential partners and support the NFL and Bastion colleagues will the development of proposals including, but not limited to, term sheets, asset ideation, advice on benefits, unique value proposition, and brand positioning.
• Lead brand negotiations and assist the NFL and Bastion colleagues with negotiations on potential new sponsorship opportunities including, but not limited to, advice on contractual elements of the sponsorship.
• Lead day to day management of the NFL's domestic and international stakeholders to drive strategic direction of the commercial sales strategy.
• Work with Partnership Marketing team to develop new and innovative programming within client's marketing objectives and assist with the renewing/up-selling of partnerships to maximise their value.
• Develop WIP templates and manage the CRM to ensure new business prospects are being tracked, monitored and managed effectively.
• Provide regular communication and manage the relationship with the GM Australia & New Zealand and NFL Commercial Team to host regular meetings to discuss opportunities, stay up to date on planned activities and programs being developed by the NFL and update on prospects via a regular WIP.
• Provide regular communication to the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Bastion Leadership Team on the status of NFL activity and commercial programs, pipeline, financial targets and prospecting, whilst also proactively seeking and informing Bastion of any new business opportunities to broaden project scope with the NFL.
• Lead the internal Bastion teams to assist with commercial and creative strategy for proposal development.
• Manage all costs to ensure maximum profitability.
• Continue to improve invoicing, pricing and finance processes and ensure 100% budget accuracy.
• Deliver against all agreed financial targets for the NFL, divisional and company.

We want someone:

• Possesses a deep working knowledge of the sales process and a strong general sales acumen, as well as superior relationship development and account management skills.
• That has a passion for developing world class innovative partnerships that deliver shared value for brand partners and rights holders.
• Has excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Who is self-motivated, competitive, high energy, strong organisational and time management skills with the ability to multitask in a fast paced environment.
• Who can challenge themselves, challenge our clients and is looking for a role offering a strong growth potential working alongside the MD, GM, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Strategic Partnerships Director.

What You Bring

• Track record of 5+ years in developing, negotiating, contracting and managing new partnerships in a business development role in the sport sponsorship landscape
• Highly proficient sales experience and commercial acumen across a range of commercial contracts including sponsorships, licensing and supply agreements
• An extensive network of senior marketing leaders at tier 1 or 2 brands in AU / NZ
• A strong understanding of the AU / NZ / global sports, arts and entertainment landscape.
• Ability to create pitch decks and synthesise opportunities for brands in an easily digestible manner.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A natural operator with organisational skills to balance high pressure projects
• concurrently.
• Ability to manage key stakeholders and maintain regular WIPs and communications.

What We Offer

• Full support of the Bastion Experience Team including commercial, creative, experiential
• Flexible work in a hybrid work environment with mental wellbeing initiatives
• A supportive culture focused on collaboration and personal growth
• A truly integrated agency network that includes research, data, insights, creative, digital, experiential, reputation management, content production, performance, earned media, etc.
• The opportunity to lead fully integrated campaigns that expand your experience in the marketing and communications landscape
• Robust G&D program training throughout the year
• Happy Days
• Inclusive parental leave that offers 12 weeks paid to the primary carer
• Culture Club: a calendar of events that connects our team in creative and fun ways
• The Bastion Bridge mentoring program
• CSR leave
• International Exchange Program

Bastion Values

• Be All In
• Act like a Maverick
• Create Fearlessly

NFL Values

• Respect
• Integrity
• Responsibility to Team
• Resiliency

Policies

The successful applicant will have access to both Bastion and NFL systems and will be required to adhere to all IT & HR Policies and Procedures of both organisations, including the following NFL Gambling Policy for NFL personnel concerning gambling activities;

Betting on Football: All NFL Personnel are prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating

any bet, whether directly or through a third party, on any NFL game, practice or other event (e.g.,Draft or Combine).

Betting on Other Sports: All NFL Personnel are further prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating bets on any other professional league globally (e.g., NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA,

USTA, MLS), college (e.g., NCAA basketball), international (e.g., World Baseball Classic,

World Cup), or amateur (e.g., Olympic, AAU) sports competition, tournament or event.