Local Partnership Director

Role Main Purpose:

Developing and managing commercial partnerships with businesses and organizations within Saudi Arabia. This role is critical in driving revenue growth and increasing the visibility and reach of the Saudi Pro League within the local market.

Operational Responsibilities:

• Manage the progress of identifying and cultivating relationships with local companies and businesses interested in sponsoring, negotiate sponsorship agreements, and ensure that sponsors receive the agreed-upon benefits and visibility.

• Identify and target potential local partners (e.g., corporations, SMEs, government entities) that align with the league's commercial strategy.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all local partners, through managing development and implementation of activation plans to maximize the value of partnerships.

• Monitor and report on the performance of partnerships, ensuring deliverables are met and Identify opportunities for partnership expansion and renewal.

• Engage in negotiations to establish mutually beneficial partnership agreements.

• Oversee the contract creation and signing process.

• Oversee the alignment with local broadcasters to secure broadcasting rights for the league's matches within Saudi Arabia, involve negotiating contracts, ensuring wide coverage, and maximizing the financial returns from broadcasting deals.

• Monitor the collaboration with local manufacturers and retailers to develop and distribute official merchandise for the league and its clubs, oversee licensing agreements, monitor the quality and availability of merchandise, and explore opportunities to expand the range of products.

• Foster strong relationships with key stakeholders, including club representatives, sponsors, and government officials.

• Establish partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and community groups to foster collaboration and mutual benefits, include joint promotional activities, co-branded initiatives, or community outreach programs.

• Manage the financial aspects related to its commercial functions, involve budgeting, tracking revenue and expenses, and providing regular reports on the financial performance of the commercial activities.

• Collaborate with the league's marketing and communications teams to align partnership activations.

Strategic & Leadership Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development of the league's overall commercial strategy

• Analyze market trends and competitor activities to identify new partnership opportunities.

• Provide regular updates and performance reports to league management

Performance Indicators:

• # Higher number of new local partnerships secured.

• % Increase of local partnership deals.

• %Increase in partner satisfaction rating.

• %Increase in activation and deliverable completion rate.

• %Increase in revenue rate of the contribution from local partnerships.

Internal Contact:

• Partnership team

• Commercial functions and teams

• SPL divisions and functions teams

External Contact:

• National partners and potential new business partners

• Clubs’ management

• Football national community

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, or a related field.

• Minimum 7 years of senior leadership experience

Other Knowledge & Skills:

• Proven track record of successfully securing and managing commercial partnerships.

• Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills

• Excellent communication and presentation abilities

• Proficiency in Arabic and English languages

• Knowledge of the Saudi Arabian business landscape and sports industry