About:
The Rolex SailGP Championship is the most exciting racing on water, where anything can happen in short, adrenaline-fueled battles between national teams at iconic stadium destinations worldwide. Top athletes fly in identical high-tech F50 catamarans faster than the wind, at speeds in excess of 100km/h (60mph). Founded in 2018, SailGP is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports and entertainment properties, now in its sixth season.
SailGP is a global organisation with defined values that shape the culture of its team – Deliver Quality and Consistency; Evolve with Focus; Make it Count; Stand Together and Strike a Balance.
Role Overview
The Race Promotions Director is a strategic commercial leadership role responsible for driving revenue growth, audience expansion, event expansion and long-term market performance across events within an assigned region. Evolving from a pure event delivery focus, this role pivots entirely to regional commercial success - owning and executing 5-year strategic plans to maximize league returns and brand equity.
Leading a team of dedicated, in-market Race Promotion Managers, you will oversee event sponsorship sales, local promotional campaigns, and regional stakeholder engagement. While you will no longer directly manage Event Project Managers, you will chair the regional cross-functional working group - bringing together operational delivery, ticketing and corporate products, marketing, and broadcast teams to ensure aligned execution and maximum commercial impact.
Key Responsibilities
Regional Commercial Strategy & 5-Year Growth
- Commercial Strategy & Revenue: Develop and deliver multi-year commercial strategies for all events within the region, owning targets for event sponsorship, host city returns, corporate hospitality, ticket sales and new revenue opportunities.
- 5-Year Regional Planning: Drive long-term planning models to expand SailGP’s presence, audience reach, and commercial viability across key regional markets, including exploring new market opportunities and event feasibility.
- In-Market Leadership: Manage and mentor in-market Race Promotion Managers, setting clear targets for local sponsorship, promotional campaigns, and government/city stakeholder alignment.
Market Penetration, Media & Audience Growth
- Marketing & Communications Alignment: Partner closely with central Marketing and Comms teams to develop and execute localised, high-impact promotional campaigns that drive fan acquisition, ticket sales and support sponsorship sales.
- Broadcast & Media Expansion: Collaborate with SailGP Productions and global media distribution teams to support, secure, and grow regional broadcast partnerships and distribution deals.
- Local Network & Door-Opening: Function alongside the in-market team as key regional "fixers" - building high-level relationships with local government, city authorities, venue owners, and corporate partners to open doors and unblock operational/commercial challenges.
- Home Team Collaboration: Engage with SailGP’s home team and athletes in each market, to boost SailGP’s promotional programmes and audience growth.
Cross-Functional Regional Governance
- Regional Working Group Leadership: Chair the cross-departmental Regional Working Group, ensuring Event Project Managers, Sponsorship Sales, Corporate Ticket Sales, and Marketing and Communications leads are fully aligned on regional priorities.
- Commercial Handover & Alignment: Ensure seamless alignment between operational event delivery schedules and regional commercial/promotional commitments.
Key Expectations
- Proven Commercial Track Record: Extensive experience in sports, entertainment, or major global events driving revenue, sponsorship acquisition, promotional campaigns and market growth.
- Strategic & Analytical Mindset: Demonstrated success in developing and executing long-term 5-year growth strategies, managing regional budgets, and hitting P&L goals.
- Leadership & Team Management: Proven ability to manage, empower, and lead remote, in-market personnel across diverse international jurisdictions.
- High-Level Stakeholder Management: Exceptional negotiation and relationship-building skills, with experience interfacing with corporate executives, government bodies, host city partners, and broadcast networks.
- Resourceful "Door-Opener": A proactive, pragmatic problem solver who can navigate complex local landscapes and leverage networks to drive brand and operational success.
Location:
LondonHQ - Kensington
SailGP is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace committed to building a team culture that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion.
Skills Required
- Extensive experience in sports, entertainment, or major global events
- Proven success driving revenue, sponsorship acquisition, promotional campaigns, and market growth
- Experience developing and executing long-term five-year growth strategies
- Experience managing regional budgets and achieving P&L goals
- Proven ability to manage, empower, and lead remote in-market personnel across diverse international jurisdictions
- Exceptional negotiation and relationship-building skills
- Experience interfacing with corporate executives, government bodies, host city partners, and broadcast networks
- Proactive, pragmatic problem-solving and local network-building abilities
What We Do
SailGP, officially the Rolex SailGP Championship, is an annual international sailing competition featuring national teams racing identical high-performance F50 foiling catamarans. Recognized as the world’s most exciting racing on water, the series combines cutting-edge sailing technology with environmental sustainability initiatives. Through its Impact League, SailGP demonstrates how sport can inspire positive global change while showcasing elite athleticism in iconic waterfront cities worldwide.
