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SVP, Partner Development - College

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Fanatics

2mo ago

  • Job
    Full-time
    Expert Level
  • Sports & Fitness
    Business, Operations & Strategy
  • Atlanta

AI generated summary

  • You need 15+ years in sales or business development in college athletics, a strong network, analytical skills, deal modeling knowledge, and excellent communication and multitasking abilities.
  • You will cultivate partnerships, direct a team, manage renewals, oversee strategic initiatives, negotiate contracts, develop relationships, and contribute to business strategy and team growth.

Requirements

  • 15+ years of experience working in sales, business development, or client management roles in college athletics or higher education, preferably in the e-commerce, retail, licensing, or sports marketing industries.
  • Must possess a strong and favorable network of campus decision-makers in senior level positions in college athletics, campus licensing departments, and/or campus finance/business units across a wide range of schools.
  • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, analytical, data-driven environment, which also requires strong communication skills to effectively convey complex business concepts to current and prospective clients.
  • Ability to synchronize the speed and magnitude of changes within commerce and consumer behavior with the speed and magnitude of changes within higher education and college athletics.
  • An understanding of the traditional decision-making dynamics on a college campus, as well as the typical process and timing of the sales cycle for forming partnerships.
  • An entrepreneurial spirit to drive modern business solutions for our partners and prospective partners given the changing dynamic of the college athletics landscape.
  • An understanding of deal modeling and forecasting to ensure win-win, long-term financial partnerships, as well as acumen with contracting processes and legal rights to ensure proper deal execution.
  • Ability to multitask while managing and prioritizing multiple deadlines such as RFP’s, proposals, and presentations.
  • Comfortable engaging with major client decision-makers, as well as senior executives and leaders, either in one-on-one or small group presentations.
  • Ability to synthesize and simplify a range of complex data points into concise external and internal reports.
  • A self-motivated individual and good team player, who takes accountability and ownership of his/her own work and can operate in a complex and fast-moving corporate environment.
  • Understanding of intellectual property law, trademark licensing industry, and traditional college IP rights landscape.
  • Excellent writing skills, including content creation, as well as experience in Keynote, Powerpoint, and other presentation platforms.
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Cultivate high-level partnership opportunities through strategic communication and development efforts with licensing departments, athletic departments, and finance and auxiliary departments on college campuses.
  • Direct partnership development efforts with key collegiate stakeholders, including major conferences, CFP, NCAA, and key service providers in the college space (e.g., Learfield, media companies, team apparel/sideline brands, OneTeam, collectives, etc.).
  • Develop and manage an extensive and diverse pipeline of potential new college partnerships and key college renewals across Fanatics’ business units and properly align Fanatics College talent and resources to pursue growth in these sectors with an entrepreneurial mindset.
  • Direct and support the four-person College Partner Development team based regionally across the U.S. in their work with existing partners to expand and enhance the overall relationship with Fanatics by identifying new areas of opportunity for the partner and expanding Fanatics’ contractual rights in those areas.
  • Spearhead key strategic rights acquisition initiatives (e.g., NIL, trading cards, apparel, headwear, etc.) as well as provide support for rights-related activity in support of the M&A and Corporate Development team.
  • Maintain and develop high level relationships with campus, athletics, sideline brands, and industry decision-makers through a wide range of industry and conference-level events and affiliations.
  • Oversee the completion of RFP’s, presentations, and client contract renewal negotiations, working closely with the corporate finance team in building pro forma models for proposals and contract renewals.
  • Align partner development efforts to support key strategic partners/divisions, including Lids/LidsU, Barnes & Noble College, Topps, Mitchell & Ness, and WinCraft.
  • Work with the Business Affairs and Partner Development team to share best practices and innovations to benefit teammates and other clients.
  • Cultivate talent on the College Partner Development team through leadership, mentorship, coaching, and day-to-day management to ensure personal and professional development of the team.
  • Maintain strong internal coordination with key functional divisions, including Finance for partnership modeling, Legal to support contract negotiations/finalization, and Corporate Communications for media strategies.
  • Serve as an active and contributing member of the Fanatics Senior Leadership Team to develop/drive culture and business strategy across Fanatics Commerce.

FAQs

What is the main responsibility of the SVP, Partner Development - College?

The main responsibility of the SVP, Partner Development - College is to identify and cultivate new opportunities for strategic partnerships within the higher education and college athletics landscape, while managing the College Partner Development team and aligning Fanatics' resources for growth.

What type of experience is required for this position?

A minimum of 15+ years of experience in sales, business development, or client management roles within college athletics or higher education, preferably within e-commerce, retail, licensing, or sports marketing industries, is required for this position.

Are there specific relationships or networks needed for this role?

Yes, a strong and favorable network of senior-level decision-makers in college athletics, campus licensing departments, and finance/business units across various schools is essential.

Does this position require travel?

While the job description does not explicitly mention travel, the responsibility of maintaining relationships with collegiate stakeholders suggests that travel may be necessary for meetings and events.

What qualifications are preferred for candidates applying for this role?

A bachelor’s degree is preferred, along with strong communication, analytical, and multitasking abilities to effectively manage multiple deadlines and priorities.

What skills are important for success in this role?

Important skills include strategic communication, negotiation, deal modeling and forecasting, relationship management, and a strong understanding of the college IP rights landscape.

How does Fanatics support team development in this position?

The SVP is expected to cultivate talent on the College Partner Development team through leadership, mentorship, coaching, and day-to-day management to ensure their personal and professional development.

What kind of companies and stakeholders will the SVP collaborate with?

The SVP will collaborate with licensing departments, athletic departments, finance departments, key collegiate stakeholders, major conferences, NCAA, and various service providers in the college space.

What kind of events will the SVP participate in?

The SVP will maintain high-level relationships through a wide range of industry and conference-level events and affiliations.

How does this position align with Fanatics' overall business strategy?

The SVP is a member of the Fanatics Senior Leadership Team and plays a key role in developing and driving culture and business strategy across Fanatics Commerce, ensuring alignment with key strategic partners and divisions.

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Fanatics

Technology
Industry
10,001+
Employees

Mission & Purpose

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. The company ignites the passions of global sports fans and maximizes the presence and reach for hundreds of sports partners globally by offering innovative products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans, a global partner network with over 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, teams, players associations, athletes, celebrities, colleges, and college conferences, and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail business stores.