SPONSORSHIPS & SALES MANAGER – West Monroe Sports & Events

Sports Facilities Management, LLC

LOCATION: West Monroe, LA

DEPARTMENT: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

REPORTS TO: GENERAL MANAGER

STATUS: FULL-TIME (EXEMPT)

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

West Monroe is a premier sport, recreation and entertainment destination focused on improving the health and economic vitality of West Monroe, LA. You will be joining a championship level team focused on fun, fulfillment and service built to enrich the community as well as your career and personal growth.

West Monroe is a member of The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) and is the nation’s leading resource for managing and developing sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. We provide a highly collaborative and supportive culture that raises our team members to new levels of career growth. Together, we will carve a path in a hyper-growing industry where you will enjoy the journey and learn from the industry’s best while having some fun.

SFC was awarded national and regional recognition as a Top Workplace in 2022 and is considered a workplace of choice. Our mission-focused company is highly entrepreneurial, team-oriented with a culture centered on collaboration, accountability, excellence, and service. We are growing rapidly and looking for high performers at every level to grow with us.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Sponsorships & Sales Manager will be in charge of prospecting, contracting, and supporting the operations team in the first-class execution of the facility’s sports and non-sports events, including travel sport tournaments, non-sport special events and trade shows, banquets, holiday parties, birthday parties and other events. This position will work closely with the individual leaders of other internal departments (Operations, Marketing, etc.) in order to successfully accomplish these responsibilities. This position and the General Manager have the primary responsibility for generating event revenue.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

Sales

• Create/manage a database of prospective businesses that would have the need for space at a multi-use facility
• Manage ongoing facility schedule (non-banquet food & beverage)
• Develop event programming to target various markets ranging from corporate, group, adult/youth/family, and special interest groups
• Develop and manage event and program budgets
• Create and develop sales initiatives and goals for leagues, tournaments, special events, etc.
• Generate sales through networking, building relationships, and creating strategic alliances
• Oversee all aspects of programs and special activities
• Work with third-party partners to maximize revenue and attract events sport and non-sport field house events
• Determine expected sales volume and profit for existing and new events; analyzing trends and results; establishing pricing strategies; recommending bid and rental prices; monitoring costs, competition, supply, and demand
• Event development and primary contact for all events before and after they have been contracted
• Accomplishes objectives by planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating advertising, merchandising, and trade promotion programs, developing sales action plans
• Identifies marketing opportunities by identifying consumer requirements; defining market, competitor’s share, and competitor’s strengths and weaknesses; forecasting projected business; establishing targeted market share
• Experience with and understanding of hotel rebates and strategic partnerships between hotels and facilities
• Actively participates in other operational functions as necessary, including but not limited to event setup and execution, attending all scheduled events and meetings, assisting other departments during outside or special events, etc.
• Recruit tournaments and other special events for straight rental and co-promoted dates
• Recruit teams and clubs to attend in-house tournaments
• Communicate with team officials to retain teams in out years
• Attend tournaments, trade shows, and other events to interact with team officials
• Develop leads for new business in your area

Operations

• Plan and execute venue open-house and familiarization events in support of the community, and the events business development effort
• Process tournament permission to host applications
• Set-up tournaments within application software platforms
• Develop tournament schedules to account for team requirements, referee availability, court availability and coaching conflicts
• On-site tournament director for various events
• Assist Operations Department with development of logistics plan through integration of game schedule
• Communicate scheduling with referee assignor for court loading and scheduling
• Accomplishes human resource objectives by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, assigning, scheduling, coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees; communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions; planning and reviewing compensation actions; enforcing policies and procedures

Sponsorship

• Pursuing and booking sponsorship sales
• Effectively activating sponsorship deliverables to ensure client satisfaction
• Continuously communicating relevant venue & contract-specific data/information that cultivates sponsorship client relations

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced knowledge in using Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Entry level or beginner knowledge in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically in InDesign and Illustrator
• Skilled at identifying and creating opportunities or promotions to deliver revenue goals
• Must have excellent interpersonal, problem solving and negotiating skills
• Must be a team player and deadline-driven
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be able to work a flexible work schedule (e.g., nights, weekends, holidays, and long hours)
• Proven experience in youth sports, trade shows, consumer shows and convention sales
• Proven experience in contract negotiations, event creation and planning
• A bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field with 3+ years’ appropriate sales experience required

WORKING CONDITIONS AND DEMANDS:

• Ability to travel to national trade shows and regionally by car
• Must be able to lift 40 pounds waist high
• Will be required to sit for extended periods of time operating a computer
• Will be required to conduct venue tours to prospective clients
• Office environment has intermittent noise, normal in nature