Director of Global Partnerships, Events & Experiential Marketing

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

As our Director of Global Partnerships, you'll own the entire partnerships division, setting the strategy for how we bring in significant revenue through sponsorships across our portfolio of events. This means you're not just closing deals; you're building a multi-year vision for growth, identifying new markets, and making sure our biggest partners are incredibly happy. You'll work at the intersection of our event production, marketing, and finance teams, translating our event vision into compelling commercial opportunities that C-level executives can't ignore. When this role is done well, we'll see substantial, predictable revenue growth, our events will attract bigger, more impactful brands, and our market position will strengthen significantly. When it's not, we'll miss critical revenue targets, struggle to innovate, and risk losing our competitive edge. The challenge? You'll be navigating complex, multi-million-pound deals, often with global brands, where the sales cycle can be long and the competition fierce. You'll also need to balance the creative vision of our events with the commercial realities of what partners need. The reward, though, is immense: you'll directly shape the financial success and brand reputation of our entire events portfolio, seeing your strategic decisions come to life on a global stage.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
• Direct reports: Roughly 25-100 people, including managers and individual contributors across various teams.
• Matrix relationships: VP, Sponsorships & Partnerships, Head of Commercial Partnerships, Director of Business Development (Events), Global Sponsorship Lead,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
• CEO and Board Members
• Heads of Event Production
• Marketing Directors (Global and Regional)
• Finance Director and wider Finance team
• Legal Counsel

External:

• C-level executives of major global brands
• Strategic agency partners (media, creative, experiential)
• Industry bodies and associations
• Key investors and shareholders
• New market development partners

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role is absolutely critical to our bottom line. You're directly responsible for a significant portion of our company's revenue, driving multi-year growth and ensuring the financial health of our global events portfolio. Your decisions on strategic partnerships can shape our market position, brand perception, and even influence the direction of future event development. Honestly, you're a major player in our overall business strategy.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Total Partnership Revenue (P&L Ownership)
2. Desc: The overall revenue generated from all sponsorships and partnerships across our global events portfolio.
3. Target: Achieve £10M+ in annual partnership revenue, maintaining or exceeding target profit margins (typically 25-30%).
4. Freq: Monthly, Quarterly, Annually
5. Example: Delivering £12.5M in partnership revenue against a £10M target, with a 28% profit margin for the fiscal year.
6. Metric: Year-over-Year Revenue Growth
7. Desc: The percentage increase in partnership revenue compared to the previous year, demonstrating sustainable expansion.
8. Target: Achieve 20% year-over-year growth in partnership revenue.
9. Freq: Annually
10. Example: Growing partnership revenue from £10M in 2023 to £12M in 2024, representing a 20% increase.
11. Metric: New Strategic Partner Acquisition
12. Desc: The number of new, high-value, multi-year 'platform' partners secured, often representing 7-figure deals.
13. Target: Secure two new 7-figure, multi-year strategic partners annually.
14. Freq: Quarterly, Annually
15. Example: Signing a three-year, £2.5M deal with a new automotive brand and a two-year, £1.8M deal with a new tech company in a single fiscal year.
16. Metric: Global Market Expansion & Penetration
17. Desc: Successful entry into new geographic markets or significant growth in existing underdeveloped regions.
18. Target: Launch partnership programmes in 2 new key international markets or increase revenue by 30% in 3 existing growth markets.
19. Freq: Annually
20. Example: Successfully establishing a partnerships team and securing initial deals in the APAC region, contributing £1.5M in new revenue within 18 months.
21. Metric: Operational Efficiency of Activation
22. Desc: Improvements in the cost-effectiveness and seamlessness of delivering partner activations, often measured by internal resource allocation or client satisfaction with delivery.
23. Target: Improve operational efficiency (e.g., reduce direct activation costs as a % of revenue, or reduce client feedback on delivery issues by 25%).
24. Freq: Quarterly
25. Example: Through process optimisation, reducing the average cost of delivering a 'Gold' level sponsorship activation by 10% while maintaining partner satisfaction scores.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Board & C-Suite Influence
2. Desc: Your ability to strategically advise and influence the executive leadership and board on partnership strategy, market trends, and growth opportunities.
3. Evidence: Regularly invited to present partnership strategy to the board; CCO and CEO actively seek your input on major commercial decisions; your strategic proposals are frequently adopted and funded.
4. Metric: Team Leadership & Development
5. Desc: The effectiveness of your leadership in building, motivating, and developing a high-performing global partnerships team.
6. Evidence: High team retention rates (above 85%); demonstrable career progression for your direct reports; positive feedback in 360-degree reviews; your team consistently hits its targets and is seen as a high-performing unit.
7. Metric: Strategic Partner Relationship Depth
8. Desc: The quality and longevity of relationships with our most important, multi-year partners, moving beyond transactional sales to true collaboration.
9. Evidence: Key partners proactively approach us with new ideas; high renewal rates on 7-figure deals (above 90%); partners refer us to other brands; C-level counterparts at partner organisations see you as a trusted advisor.
10. Metric: Market Reputation & Thought Leadership
11. Desc: How the industry perceives our organisation's partnerships function, and your personal standing as a leader in the events and experiential marketing space.
12. Evidence: Invited to speak at industry conferences; competitors try to poach your team members; our partnership programmes are cited as examples of best practice; you're seen as a go-to expert for market insights.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Strategic Resilience
• Manifestation: You're the person who can absorb a major, multi-million-pound deal falling through and still calmly articulate the next five steps to the CCO within the hour. You see global market shifts or unexpected competitor moves not as roadblocks, but as complex puzzles to solve. You don't take the inevitable 'no' from a major brand personally; instead, you're already thinking about the next approach or the alternative solution. Your team looks to you for steady leadership when things get tough, and you deliver.
• Benefit: At this level, you're playing for very high stakes. Deals are bigger, sales cycles are longer, and the potential for setbacks is constant. Without deep, strategic resilience, you'll burn out, your team will lose faith, and the business will miss its critical revenue targets. You need to be the rock that keeps the ship steady through any storm, always focused on the long game.
• Trait: C-Level Empathic Consultant
• Manifestation: When you're in a room with a global brand's CMO or CEO, you're not just pitching our event; you're diagnosing their deepest marketing challenges. You can listen for an hour, then re-frame their business problem in a way that makes them feel truly understood, before presenting a tailored partnership solution that speaks directly to their strategic goals. You're comfortable challenging their assumptions, but always from a place of genuine understanding and a desire to help them win. You're a trusted advisor, not just a vendor.
• Benefit: Major global brands don't buy 'sponsorship packages'; they invest in strategic platforms that solve complex business problems, whether that's market entry, brand perception shifts, or lead generation at scale. If you can't genuinely understand their C-level agenda and articulate how our events are a vital part of their solution, you'll never secure the multi-year, multi-million-pound deals that drive our growth. It's about building deep, strategic relationships, not just selling inventory.
• Trait: Visionary Storyteller (Boardroom Ready)
• Manifestation: You can paint a compelling picture of our global events portfolio, not just to a prospect, but to our board, investors, and the wider industry. You can articulate a multi-year vision for partnerships, explaining complex market trends and our strategic response in a clear, engaging way. Your proposals aren't just lists of assets; they're narratives that inspire confidence and justify significant investment. You can stand in front of a skeptical board and confidently defend a £5M partnership strategy, making them believe in the future you're describing.
• Benefit: You're selling an intangible future experience and a strategic vision. Your ability to communicate that vision persuasively, both internally and externally, is paramount. You need to inspire your team, convince C-level clients to part with significant budgets, and assure the board that their investment in your division will yield substantial returns. Without this ability, your strategic plans will remain just that—plans—and won't translate into tangible business growth or market leadership.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Global Commercial Acumen
• Desc: A deep, intuitive understanding of global business models, diverse market dynamics, and international marketing funnels. You can spot a commercial opportunity in a new region or a niche industry that others might miss.
• Trait: Transformational Leader
• Desc: You're not just managing; you're inspiring and empowering a large, diverse team to achieve ambitious goals. You can drive significant organisational change, fostering a culture of high performance, innovation, and continuous improvement across your global division.
• Trait: Master Negotiator
• Desc: You thrive in complex, high-stakes negotiations, whether it's with a global brand's procurement team or an internal stakeholder. You can secure favourable terms while maintaining strong relationships, always keeping the long-term partnership in mind.
• Trait: Politically Astute & Influential
• Desc: You can gracefully navigate complex internal politics, securing resources and alignment from other departments (Production, Marketing, Finance) to ensure your global partnership strategy is executed flawlessly. You can influence upwards to the C-suite and across to peer directors with ease.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Driving Global Business Growth
2. Daily: You'll be constantly looking for new markets, new revenue streams, and new ways to expand our partnerships business. This means researching global trends, meeting with potential international partners, and developing strategies to scale our offerings. The thrill comes from seeing your strategic plans translate into tangible, multi-million-pound growth.
3. Motivator: Building and Leading High-Performing Teams
4. Daily: A significant part of your day will involve mentoring, coaching, and empowering your leadership team and their reports. You'll be setting the vision, removing roadblocks, and fostering a culture where everyone feels they can excel. Seeing your team members grow and hit ambitious targets is a huge driver for you.
5. Motivator: Shaping Enterprise Strategy & Market Position
6. Daily: You'll be working closely with the C-suite and board, providing insights into market opportunities and influencing the company's overall commercial direction. This means preparing strategic presentations, analysing global trends, and making recommendations that impact the entire business. You're not just executing; you're defining the future.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone. If you need constant, immediate gratification from every single deal, you'll find the long sales cycles and strategic setbacks frustrating. If you prefer to focus solely on sales without the broader P&L and team leadership responsibilities, you'll struggle with the strategic demands. And if you're not comfortable with high-level politics and navigating complex organisational structures, you'll likely feel bogged down.

Common Frustrations

1. The 'Boardroom Backflip': Presenting a meticulously crafted multi-year strategy to the board, only for a last-minute, unexpected pivot to completely change direction, requiring you to re-strategise on the fly.
2. Global Regulatory Headaches: Navigating the complexities of international tax laws, data privacy regulations (like GDPR in Europe, or local equivalents), and legal frameworks that can significantly impact partnership agreements and activation plans across different countries.
3. M&A Integration Mayhem: Being tasked with integrating a newly acquired company's partnership portfolio and team, which often means dealing with disparate systems, conflicting cultures, and legacy contracts that don't quite fit our model.
4. The 'C-Suite Whisperer' Challenge: Having to constantly manage expectations and secure buy-in from various C-level executives who all have their own priorities, sometimes conflicting, for what 'success' looks like for a major partnership.
5. Resource Scarcity at Scale: Despite owning a large P&L, you'll often find yourself fighting for internal resources (e.g., dedicated marketing support for partner campaigns, event production bandwidth) across a global portfolio, where everyone wants a piece of the pie.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A purely individual contributor sales role where you only focus on closing deals and don't manage a team or P&L.
2. A predictable, low-stress environment with minimal ambiguity or strategic challenges.
3. A role where you can avoid complex internal politics or high-stakes external negotiations.
4. A position without significant accountability for multi-million-pound revenue targets and global expansion.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast-paced, high-stakes nature of global partnerships, with constant strategic challenges and new market opportunities, can be highly stimulating and engaging for those with ADHD.
2. The need for creative problem-solving and innovative approaches to complex, multi-million-pound deals can be a strong outlet for divergent thinking.
3. The ability to hyper-focus on strategic initiatives and critical negotiations can be a significant asset in securing major global partners.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. Managing a large, diverse team and a global P&L requires meticulous strategic planning and follow-through; robust executive support and project management tools (like Asana/Monday.com) are essential.
2. The long sales cycles and numerous moving parts in global deals can be challenging for maintaining consistent attention; breaking down large goals into smaller, measurable milestones can help.
3. Accommodations include flexible working arrangements, access to dedicated executive assistants for administrative tasks, and tools for structured strategic planning and progress tracking.

Dyslexia Positives

1. The strong emphasis on verbal communication, strategic storytelling, and persuasive presentations to C-level executives plays directly to the strengths often found in individuals with dyslexia.
2. The ability to think holistically and see the 'big picture' for global market opportunities and complex partnership structures is highly valued.
3. Often excellent at creative problem-solving and finding non-traditional solutions for strategic challenges in a dynamic global market.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Extensive written communication for board reports, strategic proposals, and complex contracts can be demanding; using AI-powered writing assistants, robust proofreading tools, and having access to editorial support is crucial.
2. Detailed financial reporting and P&L management require precision with numbers; visual dashboards (Tableau, Anaplan) and dedicated finance support can mitigate challenges.
3. Accommodations include text-to-speech software, dictation tools for drafting, and ensuring all critical written communications are reviewed by a trusted colleague or assistant.

Autism Positives

1. The requirement for deep, analytical thinking to dissect global market data, identify strategic opportunities, and build robust partnership models can be a strong fit.
2. A preference for clear, logical frameworks and structured strategic planning can be highly beneficial in defining and executing global partnership strategies.
3. The ability to maintain focus on long-term, complex projects and negotiations, often with a high degree of precision, can lead to exceptional outcomes.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. Navigating the nuanced, often unspoken social dynamics of C-level client relationships and internal politics can be challenging; mentorship on executive communication and social cues is important.
2. The need for constant, spontaneous networking and relationship building at industry events might be draining; strategic allocation of social energy and clear objectives for interactions can help.
3. Accommodations include providing clear agendas for all meetings, offering quiet spaces for focused work, and ensuring direct, unambiguous communication from leadership and team members. Support for understanding unwritten social rules in high-stakes environments.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Director of Global Partnerships (L6)
2. Responsibilities: Own the entire global partnerships P&L, driving multi-million-pound revenue targets and ensuring healthy profit margins across all events and regions. This is your business unit to run.
3. Define and execute the multi-year global partnership strategy, identifying new markets, developing innovative commercial models, and expanding our footprint into untapped sectors.
4. Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing global team of Heads of Partnerships, managers, and individual contributors, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous growth.
5. Forge and maintain C-level relationships with major global brands and strategic agencies, acting as a trusted advisor and securing transformational, multi-year deals (often 7-figures+).
6. Oversee the design and valuation of new sponsorship platforms and commercial assets, ensuring they meet market demand and deliver exceptional value for partners and our business.
7. Represent the company at board level, presenting strategic plans, financial performance, and market insights, influencing overall commercial direction and securing executive buy-in for key initiatives.
8. Drive operational excellence in partnership activation and fulfilment across all global events, working closely with Production and Marketing to ensure flawless delivery and exceptional partner experiences. This means making sure what we sell actually gets delivered brilliantly.
9. Supervision: You're largely autonomous, reporting directly to the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) with monthly strategic alignment meetings. Your focus is on setting the vision, achieving strategic objectives, and managing your P&L. You'll present to the board quarterly.
10. Decision: Full authority for your global partnerships division, including P&L management (£2M-£10M+), organisational design, hiring and firing decisions, and approval of major vendor contracts (up to £500K). You'll lead M&A involvement for partnership integration and make recommendations for board-level strategic investments.
11. Success: Success looks like consistently exceeding global revenue and profit targets, successfully expanding into new, profitable markets, securing multiple transformational 7-figure partnerships, and building a highly effective, motivated, and stable global team. You'll also be recognised as a key strategic voice within the C-suite and the wider industry.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Global Partnership Strategy & Market Entry
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: N/A
• Type: P&L Management & Budget Allocation
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: N/A
• Type: Team Hiring, Structure & Performance Management
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: N/A
• Type: Major Client Contract Negotiation & Terms
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: N/A
• Type: New Product/Asset Development for Partnerships
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: N/A

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

At this level, your foundation skills are about leading, influencing, and shaping the strategic direction of a significant business unit. It's less about individual execution and more about empowering your team, navigating complexity, and making high-impact decisions.

• Category: Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Skills: Organisational Leadership: The ability to inspire and direct a large, multi-functional team towards ambitious global objectives, fostering a culture of accountability and innovation.
• Vision Setting: Crafting and articulating a compelling multi-year vision for the partnerships division that aligns with overall company strategy and inspires both internal teams and external partners.
• Change Management: Leading significant organisational change initiatives, from new market entry to process overhauls, ensuring smooth transitions and sustained adoption across global teams.
• Executive Presence: Confidently engaging with C-suite executives, board members, and major external partners, representing the company with authority and gravitas.
• Category: Complex Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Skills: Strategic Problem Solving: Tackling ambiguous, high-stakes challenges (e.g., declining market share in a key region, unexpected competitor moves) by developing innovative, data-driven solutions.
• Risk Management (Commercial): Identifying, assessing, and mitigating significant commercial risks across global partnerships, including contractual, financial, and reputational risks.
• Decision Under Uncertainty: Making critical, multi-million-pound decisions with incomplete information, relying on sound judgment, experience, and strategic foresight.
• Ethical Leadership: Ensuring all commercial practices and partnership agreements adhere to the highest ethical standards and regulatory compliance across all operating regions.
• Category: Global Communication & Influence
• Skills: Board-Level Communication: Presenting complex strategic and financial information to the board and C-suite in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner, capable of influencing major investment decisions.
• Cross-Cultural Communication: Effectively communicating and negotiating with diverse global teams and international partners, understanding and adapting to different business cultures and communication styles.
• Negotiation (Advanced): Leading complex, multi-party negotiations for 7-figure deals, managing legal and procurement teams, and securing optimal outcomes while preserving long-term relationships.
• Stakeholder Alignment (Executive): Building consensus and securing buy-in from diverse executive stakeholders (e.g., CEO, CFO, Heads of Production) for strategic partnership initiatives.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

Your functional skills at this level are about architecting, optimising, and transforming the entire global partnerships operation. You're not just applying methodologies; you're defining them.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Enterprise Partnership Strategy & Design
• Desc: The ability to conceptualise, design, and implement a comprehensive, multi-year global partnership strategy that drives significant revenue, enhances brand value, and aligns with overall corporate objectives. This includes identifying new revenue streams and market opportunities.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Global Asset Valuation & Commercialisation
• Desc: Expertise in valuing complex, intangible event assets across diverse global markets, creating tiered sponsorship packages, and developing innovative commercial models that maximise revenue potential while delivering exceptional partner ROI.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: International Rights Negotiation & Contract Law (Commercial)
• Desc: Deep understanding of international commercial contract law, specifically related to sponsorship, media rights, and intellectual property. The ability to lead complex negotiations, manage legal counsel, and structure robust agreements that protect the company's interests globally.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: P&L Management & Financial Modelling (Partnerships)
• Desc: Full ownership of the global partnerships P&L, including advanced financial modelling, forecasting, budgeting, and cost control to ensure profitability and sustainable growth. This means understanding the financial levers of your business.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Organisational Design & Team Scaling
• Desc: The capability to design, build, and scale a high-performing global partnerships organisation, including defining roles, responsibilities, reporting lines, and talent acquisition strategies to support ambitious growth targets.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Post-Event ROI & Impact Assessment (Strategic)
• Desc: Developing and implementing sophisticated methodologies for measuring and reporting the strategic ROI and broader impact of major global partnerships, moving beyond simple metrics to demonstrate long-term value to C-level clients and the board.
• Level: Expert

Digital Tools

• Tool: Salesforce / HubSpot (CRM)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Architecting the global CRM structure, defining sales processes for new markets, integrating with other enterprise platforms (e.g., Marketo, Anaplan), and making purchasing decisions for CRM enhancements. You'll use aggregate data to inform strategy.
• Tool: LinkedIn Sales Navigator / ZoomInfo (Prospecting & Intel)
• Level: Architect
• Usage: Negotiating enterprise contracts for prospecting tools, setting team-wide global prospecting strategies, and integrating intent data into broader market analysis and strategic planning. You're defining how the team finds its targets.
• Tool: PowerPoint / Canva (Proposal & Deck Creation)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Developing the master narrative and strategic templates for all global partnership proposals and board presentations. Your focus is on the overarching messaging and strategic impact, not just the design.
• Tool: Anaplan / Tableau Server (Financial & Board Reporting)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Managing the entire global partnerships P&L, presenting multi-year revenue forecasts and strategic investment proposals to the board, and modelling complex multi-year, multi-property deals. This is your core financial toolkit.
• Tool: DocuSign / PandaDoc (Contract & e-Signature)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Working directly with legal counsel to create and approve master contract templates, global clauses, and negotiation playbooks used by the entire organisation for all partnership agreements.
• Tool: Asana / Monday.com (Project & Activation Mgmt)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Implementing these tools across the global department, establishing best-practice workflows for activation and fulfilment, and using aggregate data to forecast global resource needs and optimise operational efficiency.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Global Events & Experiential Marketing Landscape
• Desc: A deep, current understanding of the international events industry, including major players, emerging trends, competitive dynamics, and the evolving role of experiential marketing in global brand strategies.
• Area: Brand Marketing & Sponsorship Ecosystem
• Desc: Expert knowledge of how global brands use marketing and sponsorship to achieve business objectives, including media planning, digital activation, consumer engagement, and the broader agency ecosystem.
• Area: International Commercial Law & Compliance
• Desc: A working knowledge of international commercial law, particularly as it pertains to contracts, intellectual property, data protection (e.g., GDPR), and advertising standards in key global markets where we operate.
• Area: M&A Integration (Commercial)
• Desc: Experience and understanding of the commercial aspects of mergers and acquisitions, specifically how to integrate partnership portfolios, sales teams, and operational processes post-acquisition to maximise value.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Usage: Ensuring all global partnership agreements and data collection practices for lead generation or audience engagement comply with GDPR and equivalent international data privacy laws, particularly for European operations.
• Reg: International Advertising Standards (e.g., ASA, FTC equivalents)
• Usage: Overseeing that all partner activations, branding, and promotional content adhere to relevant advertising standards and consumer protection laws in all operating territories, mitigating reputational and legal risks.
• Reg: Anti-Bribery & Corruption Laws (e.g., UK Bribery Act, FCPA)
• Usage: Implementing and enforcing robust policies and training across the global partnerships team to ensure full compliance with international anti-bribery and corruption legislation, especially when dealing with government-related entities or in high-risk markets.
• Reg: Local Event Permitting & Licensing (Commercial Impact)
• Usage: Understanding the commercial implications of local event permitting and licensing requirements in different countries, ensuring partnership activations are feasible and compliant with local regulations (e.g., alcohol licensing, public safety). You won't be doing the permitting, but you need to know how it impacts what you can sell.

Essential Prerequisites

• Proven track record of managing a significant P&L (minimum £2M+) within a commercial or partnerships division, consistently exceeding revenue and profitability targets.
• Extensive experience (10+ years) in strategic partnerships, sponsorship sales, or business development within the events, sports, media, or experiential marketing industries.
• Demonstrable experience in leading, mentoring, and scaling large teams (20+ individuals, including managers) across multiple regions or countries.
• A history of successfully negotiating and closing multi-million-pound, multi-year deals with global brands and C-level executives.
• Experience in developing and executing global market entry strategies or significant expansion initiatives for commercial products or services.
• Strong understanding of financial modelling, forecasting, and budget management at a divisional level.
• Exceptional executive communication skills, both written and verbal, with a proven ability to present to and influence board-level stakeholders.

Career Pathway Context

To step into this Director role, you'll typically have already held a 'Head of Partnerships' or 'VP of Commercial' position, where you were responsible for a substantial team and revenue target. You'll have seen the full lifecycle of major partnerships, from strategic conception to activation and renewal, and you'll be ready to take on full P&L accountability for a global business unit. This isn't a learning role; it's a leadership role that builds on extensive prior experience.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: Ethical AI Governance & Strategic Integration
• Why: AI is already transforming how we research, price, and report on partnerships. As the technology advances, understanding its ethical implications, potential biases, and how to strategically integrate it into all aspects of your global division will be paramount. It's about getting the most out of AI without compromising our values or data integrity.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'AI Bias Detection & Mitigation', 'description': 'Understanding how AI models can inherit and amplify biases, and implementing strategies to prevent this in prospecting, pricing, or reporting.'}, {'concept_name': 'Data Privacy in AI Workflows', 'description': 'Ensuring all AI tools and processes comply with global data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) when handling partner or prospect data.'}, {'concept_name': 'AI-Driven Market Foresight', 'description': 'Using advanced AI analytics to predict future market trends, identify emerging partnership categories, and anticipate competitor moves years in advance.'}, {'concept_name': 'Responsible AI Implementation', 'description': "Developing internal guidelines and best practices for your team's use of AI, ensuring transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making."}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Attend executive-level workshops on AI ethics and governance; read leading industry reports on AI's impact on commercial functions.
• Next 6 months: Work with our Head of Data/Tech to pilot an AI governance framework for your division, focusing on data security and ethical use.
• Next 12 months: Develop a strategic roadmap for integrating advanced AI tools into your global partnership processes, identifying key investment areas.
• Ongoing: Regularly review and update your team's AI usage policies, staying abreast of new regulations and technological advancements.
• QuickWin: Start by setting up a 'Responsible AI' task force within your leadership team to explore current usage, identify risks, and share best practices immediately. Encourage your team to experiment with AI tools for routine tasks but with a focus on validation.
• Skill: Web3 & Metaverse Commercialisation Strategy
• Why: Experiential marketing is moving beyond physical spaces. As virtual and augmented realities become more sophisticated, understanding how to create, value, and sell partnership opportunities in these new digital realms will be a significant competitive advantage. This isn't science fiction; it's already happening, and our clients will be asking about it.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Virtual Event Platforms & Monetisation', 'description': 'Exploring how platforms like Decentraland, Roblox, or custom-built metaverses can host branded experiences and generate partnership revenue.'}, {'concept_name': 'NFTs & Digital Asset Rights', 'description': 'Understanding how non-fungible tokens (NFTs) can be used for ticketing, VIP access, digital collectibles, or even as partnership assets.'}, {'concept_name': 'Augmented Reality (AR) Activations', 'description': 'Designing and selling AR-enhanced experiences that blend the physical and digital, offering new branding opportunities for partners.'}, {'concept_name': 'Audience Engagement in Virtual Worlds', 'description': 'Measuring and reporting on audience interaction, dwell time, and brand recall within metaverse environments for partners.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Research leading examples of brands successfully activating in the metaverse; identify key platforms and potential partners.
• Next 6 months: Commission a feasibility study for a pilot Web3 partnership activation at one of our smaller events; engage with specialist agencies.
• Next 12 months: Develop a 'Metaverse Partnership Playbook' for your team, outlining potential offerings, valuation models, and sales strategies.
• Ongoing: Attend virtual events and conferences to experience these platforms firsthand and understand their commercial potential.
• QuickWin: Identify one existing partner who is already active in the Web3 space and propose a small, experimental AR or virtual activation for an upcoming event. Start learning by doing.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Enterprise CRM & Data Architecture
• Why: As our global operations grow, the CRM needs to be more than just a sales tool; it needs to be the central nervous system for all commercial data. You'll need to understand how to architect it for global scalability, integrate it with other enterprise systems, and ensure data integrity for advanced analytics.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Global Data Model Design', 'description': 'Designing a CRM data model that supports diverse regional requirements while maintaining a unified global view of partnerships.'}, {'concept_name': 'CRM-ERP Integration', 'description': 'Understanding how to seamlessly connect CRM data with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for financial reconciliation and forecasting.'}, {'concept_name': 'Automated Workflow Optimisation', 'description': 'Implementing advanced automation within the CRM to streamline complex global sales processes, contract management, and activation handoffs.'}, {'concept_name': 'Predictive Analytics within CRM', 'description': 'Using CRM data to build predictive models for renewal rates, upsell opportunities, and potential churn across your global partner portfolio.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Review our current global CRM architecture; identify key pain points and areas for strategic improvement.
• Next 6 months: Lead a cross-functional initiative with IT and Finance to define requirements for a next-generation CRM architecture.
• Next 12 months: Oversee the selection and implementation of new CRM functionalities or a new platform, focusing on global scalability.
• Ongoing: Stay updated on CRM best practices and emerging technologies, attending vendor conferences and industry webinars.
• QuickWin: Identify one critical, manual process in your global sales cycle that could be automated within the existing CRM and champion its implementation with the IT team.
• Skill: Advanced Data Visualisation & Storytelling (Board Level)
• Why: While you're already presenting to the board, the expectation for sophisticated, interactive data visualisations that tell a clear, compelling story about global performance will only increase. You'll need to move beyond static charts to dynamic dashboards that allow for real-time strategic interrogation.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Interactive Dashboard Design', 'description': 'Creating dynamic, user-friendly dashboards (e.g., in Tableau or Power BI) that allow board members to explore key partnership metrics themselves.'}, {'concept_name': 'Narrative Visualisation', 'description': 'Structuring data visualisations to guide the audience through a strategic story, highlighting key insights and recommendations.'}, {'concept_name': 'Data-Driven Scenario Planning', 'description': 'Using visualisation tools to model different strategic scenarios (e.g., impact of new market entry on revenue) for board discussions.'}, {'concept_name': 'Real-time Performance Monitoring', 'description': 'Setting up systems for real-time tracking of global partnership KPIs, allowing for agile strategic adjustments.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Work with a data visualisation expert to critique your current board reporting dashboards; identify areas for improvement.
• Next 6 months: Take an advanced course in Tableau or Power BI focusing on executive-level dashboard design and interactive storytelling.
• Next 12 months: Implement a new, interactive board reporting suite for your global partnerships P&L and strategic initiatives.
• Ongoing: Seek feedback from board members on the clarity and utility of your data visualisations, continuously refining your approach.
• QuickWin: Identify one key performance metric that is currently presented statically and work with a data analyst to create an interactive version for your next board update.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, or a related field from a reputable university.
• Alts: Extensive, demonstrable experience (20+ years) in a similar senior leadership role, with a track record of driving significant commercial growth and managing large teams, can be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MSc in Marketing/Strategy) or an equivalent advanced professional qualification.
• Alts: A strong portfolio of executive education programmes focused on global business, leadership, or commercial strategy from top-tier institutions.

Experience Requirements

You'll need roughly 16-20 years of progressive experience in commercial leadership roles, with a significant portion (at least 8-10 years) specifically within strategic partnerships, sponsorship sales, or business development in the events, media, or experiential marketing sectors. This must include at least 5-7 years of direct P&L ownership (minimum £2M+) and experience leading large, multi-regional or global teams (20+ people, including managers). We're looking for someone who has genuinely driven multi-million-pound revenue growth and successfully navigated complex, high-stakes commercial landscapes.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: Certified Sponsorship Professional (CSP)
• Prod: IEG or similar industry body
• Usage: Demonstrates a deep, structured understanding of sponsorship valuation, strategy, and activation best practices, which is crucial for leading a global partnerships division.
• Cert: Project Management Professional (PMP) or PRINCE2
• Prod: Project Management Institute (PMI) or AXELOS
• Usage: While not a project manager, leading a global division involves managing complex programmes and initiatives; these certifications demonstrate strong organisational and execution capabilities.
• Cert: Executive Leadership Programme Certification
• Prod: Leading business schools (e.g., London Business School, INSEAD)
• Usage: Shows a commitment to continuous leadership development and provides frameworks for strategic decision-making, organisational change, and global management.

Recommended Activities

• Active participation and speaking engagements at major global industry conferences (e.g., IEG Sponsorship Conference, Event Tech Live, Festival of Marketing) to build your network and maintain thought leadership.
• Mentoring rising talent within the commercial or events industry, which helps refine your leadership and strategic thinking.
• Undertaking executive education courses in areas like global strategy, digital transformation, or advanced negotiation to keep your skills sharp and current.
• Subscribing to and actively engaging with leading industry publications and research (e.g., WARC, The Drum, Campaign) to stay ahead of market trends and consumer insights.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: Head of Partnerships / VP, Commercial (from a large organisation)
• Time: 3-5 years in a similar senior leadership role
• Path: Director of Business Development / Sales (from a related industry)
• Time: 5-7 years in a Director-level role
• Path: Management Consultant (Specialising in Commercial/Marketing Strategy)
• Time: 5-8 years as a Senior Manager/Principal in a top-tier consulting firm

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
• Time: 3-5 years as Director of Global Partnerships
• Pathway: Managing Director / General Manager (Business Unit Lead)
• Time: 4-6 years as Director of Global Partnerships

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
• Time: 5-8 years
• Title: Managing Director / CEO (Business Unit)
• Time: 6-10 years
• Title: Board Member / Non-Executive Director (NED)
• Time: 8-12 years

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.