Job Title: Sponsorship Sales Director

Location: London (Hybrid / International Travel Required)

Sector: Sports Marketing & Partnerships

Salary: £90,000 - £110,000 + Lucrative commission scheme

Contact: james.gershfield@forsythbarnes.com

Forsyth Barnes is proud to be representing a global sports marketing agency that operates across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The business specialises in connecting brands, rights holders, and athletes through innovative partnerships that deliver measurable commercial and brand value.

With an established international footprint, this agency delivers integrated sponsorship, talent, and content marketing solutions — working across major sports, entertainment, and lifestyle properties. Their work spans from global brand campaigns and rights-holder activations to ambassador management and experiential activations.

This is an opportunity to join a rapidly growing agency with a diverse portfolio of clients, where entrepreneurial flair, creative thinking, and commercial excellence are celebrated and rewarded.

Role Overview

The Sponsorship Sales Director will lead the agency’s global sales strategy — owning the end-to-end sponsorship sales process, from identifying and pitching new partners to negotiating and closing complex, multi-market deals.

You will play a pivotal role in driving new revenue growth across both brand and rights-holder portfolios, while collaborating with the agency’s strategy, creative, and activation teams to deliver commercially and creatively outstanding partnerships.

This role is ideal for a proven commercial leader with a passion for sport and entertainment, deep client relationships across key sectors, and a track record of delivering seven-figure sponsorship revenues.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the sponsorship sales function across the agency, driving revenue growth through global, regional, and domestic brand partnerships.
• Build and manage a strong sales pipeline aligned with annual revenue targets, ensuring consistent forecasting and reporting.
• Identify, approach, and secure new brand partners across priority categories (e.g. financial services, tech, automotive, FMCG, lifestyle, travel, and entertainment).
• Develop bespoke partnership propositions, rights packages, and activation concepts that align with brand objectives and audience insights.
• Negotiate commercial terms, exclusivity rights, and long-term contracts with senior stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with internal strategy, content, and creative teams to ensure partnership propositions are compelling, measurable, and deliver ROI.
• Maintain and grow relationships with senior brand decision-makers, rights holders, and athlete management teams.
• Represent the agency at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to drive new business and raise visibility.
• Lead post-campaign review processes, ensuring data-led evaluation, renewal discussions, and upsell opportunities.

Experience & Skills Required

• 8+ years’ experience in sports sponsorship, partnerships, or commercial sales, ideally within an agency, rights holder, or brand sponsorship team.
• Proven track record of originating and closing six- and seven-figure sponsorship deals.
• Strong network of senior-level brand and agency contacts (particularly within EMEA).
• Deep understanding of the sponsorship landscape — rights structures, activation planning, and ROI measurement.
• Strong commercial negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Experience developing cross-market or global partnerships and managing complex stakeholder groups.
• Comfortable working across time zones and cultures.
• Fluent in English; additional languages (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin) advantageous.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience selling partnerships that integrate talent, content, and digital activation.
• Familiarity with emerging sponsorship areas such as Web3, gaming, data-driven sports tech, and sustainability-led partnerships.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to blend creativity and commercial acumen.
• Entrepreneurial mindset — self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, growth environment.