Sr. Sponsorship Manager
The Los Angeles Times Events team produces over 90 market-leading events annually. Projects include the largest literary and arts festival in the US or Canada, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, nationally-recognized culinary events like Los Angeles Times The Taste and Jonathan Gold’s Bite Nite, the half-day conference format Los Angeles Times Summits, the thought-leadership Ideas Exchange series and dozens of screening and Q & A events featuring major talent from Oscar-caliber films to independent films. The Times’ events roster is the largest and most diverse of any news-based organization in the country.
The Senior Sponsorship Manager will be a key leader within the Events team of Los Angeles Times, with a specific focus on client/sponsor service. Role will focus exclusively on client/sponsor servicing and execution for Los Angeles Times Food Month during the annual January 1 to June 1 period, and on client/sponsor servicing and execution for other Los Angeles Times events during the annual June 1 to December 31 period. This position will also work cooperatively with the Advertising Department, particularly Sponsorships, to maximize the media revenue associated with event sponsorships, including sales and sales support to help secure and develop new partners for event sponsorship as well as connect sponsorship to larger holistic Los Angeles Times programs (events, print and digital media, video sponsorship, custom programs). This position will serve as a contributor to the overall strategy for Food Month and other Los Angeles Times events across all aspects of planning, promotion, operations and delivery from launch phase through to annual event programming.
The person appointed will be a driven individual, an accomplished events professional with specific sponsorship sales and servicing experience with major events and have the business acumen to drive a complete business within a transitioning media environment. The role calls for someone of entrepreneurial spirit and experience organizing major events and an understanding of the food industry. Based in Los Angeles on a full time basis, it demands communication, management and negotiation skills of the highest order.
Responsibilities:
- P&L accountability
- Implement structure of sponsorship model including sales and servicing
- Formulate and execute a sales strategy that positions “Food Month” appropriately in its target markets
- Collaborate with existing events that presently operate under Los Angeles Times and other external events
- Create opportunities, products and categories within “Food Month” based upon sound market insights and analysis. This will include events that are appropriate for associating with “Food Month” and leverage Los Angeles Times influence
- Compete and pitch for significant events and sponsorships as they emerge
- Identify and pursue sponsorship opportunities
- Stakeholder management
- Build strong bridges into appropriate business partners and client groups. Examples include advertisers, government bodies, corporates, restaurant industry, chefs, business/professional associations and industry bodies
- Formulate sponsorship management plans and critical path planning
- Manage client relationships, both internal and external
- Negotiate sponsorship programs. Act with sound commercial judgment in considering the viability and positioning of events
- Pursue new sponsorship sales leads, expanding beyond existing clients, markets and contacts.
- Work in tandem with the Events and Advertising team to develop and implement innovative sponsorship sales strategies, defining what clients are sponsoring and establishing the unique value in all Los Angeles Times event offerings.
- Proactively manage the entire sponsorship process within each opportunity and initiative to ensure all financial and marketing goals are met
- Oversee the negotiation and execution of all aspects of contractual agreements related to programs and sponsorships, in order to achieve the greatest benefits for the company and team
- Collect and monitor insights and best business practices for key categories to team members, sales managers and sales representatives leading to more persuasive positioning within assigned categories
- Provide oversight over the creation and presentation of promotional recaps to sales staff and clients at the conclusion of each sold program
- Minimum 4-year undergraduate liberal arts, business, journalism or marketing degree or equivalent related event/sponsorship/media experience
- Extensive sponsorship or related major events sales and servicing experience with extensive networks amongst advertisers and sponsor community equal to the “world’s largest/leading food events/festivals”
- Minimum 7 years of event management, marketing and sponsorship sales experience required
- Proven ability to build trusted relationships with key internal audiences, given close working relationships necessary across all products and channels. (i.e. Editorial, Advertising, Consumer Marketing)
- Proven team leader with results-oriented focus
- Excellent analytical, written and oral communication & presentation skills
- Must be effective at multi-tasking and have exceptional time-management skills
- Must have a positive attitude and be driven to optimize results for clients
- Must be able to work non-traditional hours to facilitate on-site activation of sponsorships
- Understanding of marketing research techniques and ability to apply findings in a promotional context Requires problem solving and interpersonal skills in order to reach compromises that all parties find acceptable during negotiation
- Deep existing base of contacts related to community development and experiential marketing within potential sponsoring companies
- Candidates need to be experienced and professional managers of events businesses with:
- A track record of business growth and expansion
- Appropriate market connections, with a strong preference for someone with a successful track record in working with major sponsorships, government bodies and departments
- Proven negotiation skills demonstrated in deals of significance; some exposure to acquisitions would be desirable
- Strong personal presence and excellent communication skills. A person capable and comfortable being the face of Food Month and other Los Angeles Times events
- Ability to combine creative flair with commercial realism
- Demonstrated ability in managing complex and multiple stakeholders and relationships
- Ability to also pro-actively seek sponsors for Los Angeles Times events, and contact base from which to do so, considered a strong plus