Position Summary:

The Account Executive, Strategic Partnerships position supports the Strategic Partnerships team with a primary focus on new business development (60%) and a secondary focus on post-sale partnership activation, account management & administration support (40%).

Reporting to the Director of Partnerships, this role also provides executive assistance to the VP of Partnerships and will receive internal and external exposure and learning opportunities related to sponsorship sales, integrated marketing partnerships, and the overall business of IMG Academy.

Position Responsibilities:

• New Business Development: Own backend sales operations including prospect research, CRM updates, pitch deck development, and proposal creation.
• Develop and maintain brand and category trackers, prospect profiles, and sales reporting documents.
• Collaborate with the Director and VP of Partnerships to identify new categories, brand targets, and sales opportunities.
• Initiate outbound communication to set initial sales meetings with key prospects.
• Monitor sponsorship and marketing trends to inform sales strategy and identify new leads.
• Support preparation of meeting materials, agendas, and presentation decks for prospective partner meetings.
• Coordinate team sales meetings, capture notes, and manage follow-up action items.
• Partnership Activation & Account Management: Support the ongoing work for our existing portfolio partnerships, assisting the team to deliver day-to-day activations, deliverables, inbound requests and ensure timely and accurate fulfillment.
• Serve as a key point of contact for assigned partners, delivering consistent communication and high-quality service.
• Create activation plans, quarterly newsletters, and sponsorship recaps that highlight key performance metrics.
• Work closely with all internal departments (marketing, comms, sales, events, operations) to execute deliverables and on-campus activations.
• Assist with renewal discussions by tracking success metrics and identifying upsell opportunities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, sports management or a related field is preferred
• 1–3 years of professional experience in sponsorship, account management, or business development in the sports or live events industry.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word); familiarity with Canva, Wrike, or SponsorUnited is a plus.
• Experience conducting research, managing trackers, and analyzing basic data.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present ideas clearly.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive and positive attitude.
• Motivated self-starter who is eager to learn, grow, and make an impact.
• Basic understanding of sponsorship marketing and the sports, youth athletics, or live events industries.
• Strong desire to build a career in sports business, marketing, or sponsorship sales.