Partnership Sales Manager

Description

Position Summary

The Partnerships Manager is a relationship-driven sales and business development professional responsible for growing USA Triathlon’s portfolio of endemic partnerships, exhibitor relationships, and industry-facing sponsorship opportunities. This role focuses on cultivating and converting partnership opportunities within the triathlon, endurance sports, health and wellness, outdoor, and active lifestyle marketplace.

Working in close collaboration with the Sr. Director of Marketing, Communications & Partnership, external sales agency partners and internal fulfilment team, this position supports USA Triathlon’s corporate revenue strategy through proactive prospecting, relationship management, expo and event sales, and the development of integrated partnership opportunities that strengthen engagement across the multisport ecosystem.

The ideal candidate brings strong relationship-building and sales instincts, a passion for endurance sports, and the ability to grow long-term industry partnerships through consistent outreach, thoughtful account management, and dedication to collaboration.

Essential Job Functions:

Sales & Pipeline Development

• Pipeline Ownership: Proactively build and manage a deep, multi-tiered sales pipeline. Conduct outbound outreach daily via calls, email, and in-person engagement.
• Prospecting & Research: Lead outreach and relationship development efforts targeting endemic brands and businesses within the triathlon, endurance sports, outdoor recreation, health and wellness, nutrition, recovery, coaching, training, and active lifestyle sectors.
• Proposal Development: Build tailored sponsorship proposals and presentations that clearly articulate USA Triathlon's value proposition, audience reach, and activation potential to prospective partners at every investment level.
• Deal Closing: Own the full partnership sales cycle for endemic sponsorships, exhibitor relationships, and event-based partnership opportunities — from prospecting and outreach through proposal development, negotiation, and execution.
• Sales Management: Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of all sales activity, pipeline status, and partner communications in Salesforce. Generate pipeline and forecasting reports as needed to support leadership visibility and revenue planning.

Event & Partnership Sales

• Manage and grow exhibitor and vendor relationships connected to USA Triathlon National Championships, Endurance Exchange, and other owned events, with an emphasis on long-term industry engagement and retention.
• Serve as a relationship ambassador within the multisport industry by building trust with brands, vendors, coaches, race directors, and community stakeholders.

Collaboration & Strategy

• Collaborate with the Senior Director and cross-functional teams — including Partnership Fulfilment, Marketing, Communications, High Performance, Constituent Relations, and Foundation — to align/develop new sellable assets and integrated partnership opportunities.
• Collaborate with the external Sales Agency to contribute to annual asset valuation reviews and support the development of tiered partnership packages that reflect current market value.
• Assist with renewal strategy and coordination for existing partners, including identifying growth and expansion opportunities within the current portfolio.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Potential to oversee interns or temporary staff, including onboarding and workflow management 

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Business development Mindset: Demonstrated track record of closing partnership sales at multiple levels, from transactional event activations to complex, multi-year agreements.
• Pipeline discipline: Strong instincts for prospecting, qualifying, and moving deals through a structured sales process with consistent daily activity.
• Persuasive communicator: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to craft compelling narratives and present confidently to prospects at all organizational levels.
• Collaborative team player: Ability to work cross-functionally across departments and contribute to a team-oriented sales culture without losing individual accountability.
• Detail-oriented and organized: Ability to manage multiple deals, projects, and relationships simultaneously with strong follow-through and attention to detail.
• Analytically minded: Comfort with sales data, reporting, and using metrics to evaluate pipeline health and inform strategy.
• Tech proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Salesforce CRM experience required; comfort with pipeline reporting and forecasting within the platform.
• Positive and resilient: Maintains a constructive attitude in a fast-paced environment; solution oriented, handles rejection as part of the sales process.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, sports administration, or a related field - required.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in sponsorship sales, exhibitor sales, account management, sports marketing, or business development, with a demonstrable record of closing deals at varying investment levels.
• Experience working within the endurance sports, active lifestyle, wellness, outdoor recreation, or event industry - strongly preferred.
• Experience managing a full sales cycle, from prospecting and proposal development through negotiation and contract execution - required.
• Experience with event-based sales, expo/exhibitor programs, or sports property partnerships - strongly preferred.
• Demonstrate ability to manage pipeline, log activity, and generate reports within the platform – experience or understanding of a CRM based system required.
• Knowledge of or passion for the multisport, triathlon, or endurance sports industry – preferred.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.

Compensation

• $60,000 - $70,000 Annually + Performance-Based Bonus Opportunity of up to 20% bonus for hitting performance metrics.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• USA Triathlon is a primarily office-based organization in Colorado Springs, offering a hybrid structure of Colorado Springs offices Wednesday and Thursday (8:30 AM – 5:00 PM); remote Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Based on the candidate, there may be an option for fully remote.
• This position requires periodic non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and select holidays, related to USA Triathlon event attendance and sales commitments.
• Travel of approximately 10–15% is expected, primarily related to events and select industry conferences.
• Physical requirements include the ability to stand, sit, and work at a computer for extended periods; at events, may require working outdoors for up to 12 hours and lifting objects up to 40 pounds.

EEO Statement

USA Triathlon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required. Duties and responsibilities may change as business needs evolve.

 "Only applications that include a cover letter will be considered for this position.”