Senior Partnership Sales Manager - China

Closing Date of Applications - 25/10/2024

Location – Shanghai

This role is a Fixed Term Contract for 2 years

Our Story

Established in 2013, City Football Group is the world’s leading private owner and operator of football clubs, with total or partial ownership of twelve clubs across the world. City Football Group also invests in other football related businesses and serves as a global commercial platform for our partners, whilst fulfilling our purpose of empowering better lives through football on a local and global scale, consistent with what “City” football has meant to people for over a century.  

Our Winning Team

Our purpose is to empower better lives through football. We are proud of the role City Football Group clubs play in their localities, delivering positive economic, social and environmental impact through our operations and through programmes and activities that bring about meaningful, lasting change.

The Senior Partnership Sales Manager, based in China, will be responsible for driving the acquisition of regional, pan regional and global partners for City Football Group, in order to underpin continual revenue growth from the region with best in class partners who grow our respective club brands. This role will lead group sales activities across China to achieve stretching sales targets whilst working closely with the Head of Partnership Sales China and the global CFM sales network to support global success.

This is Your City 

As part of our team, you will be entitled to 26 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday, private healthcare and a simply health cash plan, an annual discretionary bonus, plus a range of partnership and lifestyle discounts. 

Your Impact

1. To have a comprehensive understanding of the market dynamics in China in order to identify commercial prospects to develop a robust pipeline of partnership prospects inline with the centrally agreed City Football Marketing (CFM) sales strategy.

2. Effectively plan and work towards the achievement of individual and team budget targets as set by the Head of Partnership Sales China and the SVP Global Partnerships Sales.

3. Work closely with the other Sales Managers to ensure consistency of messaging, asset construction, pricing, prospect approach and partnership hierarchy across the China region and to leverage synergy to drive regional opportunities into pan-regional and/or global partnerships where relevant

4.  Development of sales presentations, compelling sales propositions and negotiate partnership agreements with partners that maximise revenue and profitability for City Football Group properties.

5. Develop and maintain excellent relationships across the sports marketing industry in China, including but not limited to: brands, football clubs, football federations, sports marketing agencies, advertising agencies, Media and PR companies.

6. Work closely with the Regional Director and Head of Marketing of City Football China to be aware of in market activities to be used as sales assets.

7. Lead and guide the Partnership Sales and BI Executive China to maximise sales efforts in China.

8. Share sales updates constantly on CFG’s CRM platform as well as weekly, bi-weekly & monthly update sessions

9. Maintain an excellent understanding of and working relationships with City Football Group operations including City Football Services, City Football Foundation, Group Marketing and others to support their initiatives and activities in China.

What we are looking for

Essential

• Proven track record of representing premium rights holders to deliver material revenue growth, year on year. 
• Sound knowledge of the global and regional/local football landscape.
• Familiarity with sports/football sponsorship contracts and effective partnership programmes.  
• High-level skills in all aspects of sales, presentation and contract negotiation.
• Experience in a rights-holder/club environment.
• Experience in partnership sales within in sports, entertainment or advertising industries.
• Fluent in Chinese & English (speaking & writing)

Desirable

• Well organised with consistent attention to detail.
• Self-sufficient and proactive.
• Flexible and comfortable in a fast-paced working environment
• Broad commercial acumen.
• Sophisticated presentation skills in order to articulate CFG story and CFM commercial platform to partners and prospects

City Football Group promotes equal opportunities in employment and we positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We will screen all applicants and select candidates whose skills and experience seem to meet our needs. We will carefully consider your application during the initial screening and will contact you only if you are selected for an interview. 

Employment is subject to the provision of proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Due to our safeguarding promise, all UK based CFG roles will be subject to a DBS check upon commencing employment with us. This will be either a basic, standard or enhanced check depending on the job role and responsibilities.