Vice President Of Corporate Partnership Sales & Strategy

Vice President of Corporate Partnership Sales & Strategy

Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC are entering an exciting new era as one soccer family with a shared commitment of excellence and growth on and off the pitch. Each club has independently forged a rich history of performance while connecting deeply with the community. Our clubs are continually pushing the boundaries of what's possible while fostering an inclusive culture- championing causes and building community connections to expand our reach and impact. Each match is an opportunity to bring together our community, celebrating our resilience, inclusivity, and a commitment to excellence. United in professional dedication- we are two clubs with one shared vision of progress and greatness.

The Vice President of Corporate Partnership Sales & Strategy serves as a senior commercial architect for Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, leading a high-performing Corporate Partnerships (CP) sales team that drives innovative partnership and sponsorship growth across both clubs.

This leader will oversee the full commercial lifecycle—from prospecting and storytelling to deal architecture, agency management, and partner integration—while developing scalable systems and go-to-market strategies that unify both clubs under a shared commercial vision.

This is a pivotal moment of growth for the clubs' commercial enterprise, offering the opportunity to build new capabilities, expand team impact, and shape the next generation of partnership strategy in Seattle's soccer ecosystem. The ideal candidate brings strategic vision, operational excellence, and a deep understanding of how to commercialize storytelling through multi-platform partnerships.

Leadership & Revenue Generation

• Lead corporate partnership sales and strategy across Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC.
• Directly manage and develop the Corporate Partnerships sales team.
• Own annual partnership revenue targets and pipeline management across categories such as naming rights, kit entitlements, content/media, hospitality, licensing, and community impact.
• Personally engage in closing complex, multi-year, seven-figure partnerships while coaching and developing team members to achieve similar capabilities.
• Establish, monitor, and optimize sales processes, forecasts, and KPIs across internal and agency teams.
• Ensure alignment of all partnership sales with each club's mission, brand voice, and values-led philosophy.
• Lead with agility and accountability, balancing short-term revenue delivery with long-term strategic growth that positions both clubs as leaders in partnership innovation.

Agency & External Partner Management

• Oversee day-to-day collaboration with commercial agencies, ensuring alignment on prospecting, proposal development, and contract execution.
• Integrate agency activity into the broader sales and marketing strategy, ensuring consistent messaging, shared performance metrics, and accountability.
• Negotiate scopes of work, evaluate agency performance, and maintain fiscal alignment across both clubs.
• Serve as the primary liaison for league-level commercial discussions related to MLS and NWSL guidelines and best practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with leaders in Marketing, Creative, Content, Community, Operations, and Legal to design fully integrated partnership platforms that deliver excellence in execution.
• Collaborate with Finance and Strategy on pricing models, forecasting, and inventory valuation.
• Work with Communications and Production teams to co-develop storytelling-driven brand campaigns that authentically connect with fans and partners.
• Champion a unified enterprise sales narrative that connects club identity, culture, and community impact with measurable commercial outcomes.

Strategy & Innovation

• Develop and execute multi-year partnership strategies aligned with organizational priorities, fan engagement goals, and emerging business opportunities.
• Build go-to-market plans by category, including vertical-specific value propositions and partnership frameworks.
• Identify and evaluate new commercial opportunities related to the future stadium and entertainment district, digital content platforms, and evolving media rights.
• Leverage emerging technologies, data analytics, and AI-driven tools to inform decision-making, optimize partner outcomes, and drive sustainable business growth.
• Encourage innovation and creative risk-taking within the sales organization to uncover new categories, partnership models, and storytelling opportunities.
• Ensure scalable systems, reporting frameworks, and data tools that support long-term commercial growth and operational efficiency.

Development & Culture

• Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performance sales organization built on collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
• Invest in leadership development within the Corporate Partnerships team, preparing future leaders to take on expanded responsibilities as the organization grows.
• Create a culture of feedback, continuous learning, and inclusion that empowers individuals and celebrates diverse perspectives.
• Foster a team culture that values creativity, storytelling, and results.
• Lead with empathy, transparency, and a growth mindset—modeling the behaviors that drive collaboration, performance, and trust across the enterprise.
• Encourage professional development and career growth through consistent coaching and feedback.
• Serve as a visible and values-led ambassador for both the Sounders and Reign brands within the sports, business, and civic communities.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Will directly supervise a CP sales team responsible for generating new partnership revenue.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of related experience in sales, preferably in corporate partnerships, sports/event marketing, agency, or media sales, with 8+ years leading high performing teams
• Committed to living our Mission to Create Moments, Enrich Lives, and Unify and Uplift Through Soccer, as well as club values in all interactions with teammates, partners, vendors, and fans.
• Proven leader with a demonstrated track record of achieving and exceeding business objectives.
• Proven strategic thinker with the ability to ideate, develop, and execute plans, as well as assessing the long-term implications of current choices and decisions.
• Command of basic accounting principles and budget management.
• Proven ability of displaying a high level of attention to detail and strong organizational skills to prioritize projects and responsibilities.
• Dynamic, approachable personality with demonstrated relationship-building skills.
• Authentic understanding of the intersection between sport, culture, and community. Commitment to DEI and local storytelling.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to proactively communicate with partners, C-Level executives, and co-workers, to manage tight timelines and solve problems.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Innovative and creative thinker, who can contribute ideas and participate in cross-departmental efforts throughout the organization.

Work Environment

• This role requires regular on-site presence – four days a week - at our Headquarters & Training Facility in Renton, WA plus matches at Lumen Field, and traveling to other venues as needed for client meetings.
• Ability to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Employee must reside within Washington state upon date of hire.
• Must be able to facilitate own local travel.
• Must be eligible to work in the US without sponsorship.
• Employee must be able to set up partner and match day promotional and event programs. Promotional setup often requires carrying moderate sized promotional materials or boxes, so employee must be able to lift and carry up to forty (40) pounds.

Compensation, Benefits and Perks

We offer competitive compensation and an engaging, supportive environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of our people.

The salary range for this position is $200,000- $250,000 and eligible for bonus opportunity. Base salary at time of offer is based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, internal equity, and current market conditions.

In addition to financial compensation, we provide a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your overall well-being and professional growth, including:

• Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: We offer 100% employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision premiums for you and your dependents. For employees enrolled in our HSA healthcare plan, annual employer contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) — $1,000 for employee-only coverage and $2,000 for spouse or family coverage.
• Generous Paid Time Off & Leave: We offer unlimited paid vacation, paid company holidays, and paid sick leave in compliance with Seattle's Paid Sick and Safe Time ordinance. We also provide paid bereavement leave and paid jury duty