Kansas City Royals

Senior Director, Partnership Development

Reports to Vice President, Corporate Partnerships

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Background:

The Kansas City Royals, an iconic Major League Baseball (MLB) Team, have a rich history rooted in the heart of America’s Midwest. With two World Series Championships, 1985 and 2015, and four trips in all to the World Series, the Kansas City Royals have become a cornerstone of Kansas City’s sports culture since being founded by Ewing Kauffman as an expansion franchise in 1969. Since purchasing it from its second owner, David Glass, in November 2019, the team is now owned by John Sherman and a group of investors with deep Kansas City roots focused on winning, their associates, and innovating the ways in which to communicate, interact, and inspire fans.  

Celebrated not only for their on-field achievement but also for their deep commitment to the local community, the Kansas City Royals stand as a shining model of excellence in sports team philanthropy, inspiring others with their dedication and impact. Mr. Kauffman's steadfast belief in the Kansas City Royals' role as a crucial community asset sets them apart from other teams and imbues the organization with a profound sense of purpose. The enduring mission and philosophy instill a shared pride and deep connection to Kansas City, bringing great honor to employees and athletes who proudly call this vibrant community home. 

Kansas City, Missouri, is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan cities in the United States. Apart from the city's passionate sports culture, there is a wide variety of attractions and experiences suitable for all to enjoy. Popular attractions in Kansas City include the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the National WWI Museum, the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, and the famous American Jazz Museum. Located in the heartland of jazz music and famous barbecue food, Kansas City is renowned for its cuisine and musical heartbeat. The Historic Jazz District offers a plethora of live-music restaurants and lounges where the best local jazz musicians can be found. Away from the city's lively center, Swope Park is Kansas City’s largest public park. At 1,805 acres, the park is full of trails, woodlands, and grassy meadows, making it a peaceful hub for recreation and relaxation. Family attractions within the park include the iconic Starlight Theatre and Kansas City Zoo, which are frequently visited annually.? 

 

Any interested candidates should contact ZRG directly.

Contacting Kansas City Royals will only delay consideration of your qualifications.

 

Position Summary:

The Kansas City Royals are seeking a dynamic, strategic, and results-driven sales leader to generate and develop new partnership & media sales revenue. Reporting to the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, the Senior Director will serve as both a strategist and leader, managing a team of Partnership Development and Media Sales representatives while also driving new business growth. 

The ideal candidate will spearhead the strategic direction of the corporate partnerships team, cultivating a culture of performance, accountability, and innovation. The Senior Director will be adept at translating organizational objectives into actionable sales strategies. With a strong command of both strategy and execution, they will guide the department’s growth by aligning day-to-day operations with long-term objectives, leveraging analytics to pivot and refine approaches as needed. As a natural talent developer, the Senior Director will mentor and empower team members to consistently exceed ambitious revenue goals while supporting individual efforts with broader departmental and organizational priorities 

While direct sales will be a secondary component, the candidate must bring proven expertise in sponsorship sales and partnership development, offering mentorship and thought leadership to their team in areas such as prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship. Entrepreneurial in spirit and visionary in outlook, this leader will balance bold ideas with disciplined business acumen to drive sustainable results, strengthen relationships, and expand the organization’s national and local partnership footprint. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide visionary leadership to the Partnership Development & Media Sales team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance. 

• Develop and implement an effective partnership sales strategy to ensure all parties within the Partnership Development team reach individual and department goals. 

• Proactively research, identify, and qualify sponsorship opportunities across regional, national, and international markets, with a focus on high-value industries and growth segments. 

• Prospect, pitch, and close new partnership deals in support of individual and department revenue goals. 

•  Cultivate and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective partners while strengthening long-term, executive-level relationships within the Kansas City community and beyond. 

• Lead and direct ongoing partnership sales presentations with internal and external partners; develop positive relationships with prospects to execute against short and long-term strategic sales plans. 

• Collaborate with the Partnership Marketing team to ensure fulfillment of client deliverables. 

• Provide weekly reporting of sales metrics, including pipeline generation, account status, revenue, and quota attainment, in addition to relevant prospect interaction. 

• Ability to attend games and events to host, engage, and entertain prospects and clients. 

• Maintain excellent communication between the Partnerships department and other departments such as Community Impact, Ticketing, Pine Tar Collective, Legal, Human Resources, Baseball Operations, etc.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree is required.  

• Minimum 6-8 years of professional experience in professional sports or other related sponsorship sales. 

• Experience in managing partnership sellers and/or leading a partnership sales team is preferred. 

• Experience developing and selling fully integrated partnership packages utilizing a variety of assets, including (i.e., entitlement and naming rights, in-venue visibility, digital media, broadcast media, social media, etc.). 

• Experience developing engaging and impactful sales plans and presentations, promotional campaigns, proposals, and associated contract negotiations. 

• Must bring a love of solving strategic business challenges with creative solutions in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. 

• Must be timely and have a flexible work schedule in order to deal effectively with special event responsibilities throughout the year: weekends, nights and holidays as dictated by events or requirements. 

• Thrive in a fast-paced workplace where managing multiple projects is critical to success. 

Benefits:

This role is a Full-Time, Exempt opportunity that is eligible for Company Benefits, 401K, and PTO. This role is expected to have a standard 40-hour work week. 

We also afford equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability. For this reason, the Kansas City Royals will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant consistent with its legal obligations to do so, including reasonable accommodations applicable local, state and / or federal law. As part of its commitment to make reasonable accommodations, the Club also wishes to participate in a timely, good faith, interactive process with a disabled applicant to determine effective reasonable accommodations, if any, which can be made in response to a request for accommodations. Applicants are invited to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made to assist them to perform the essential functions of the position they seek. Any applicant who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions please inquire with Human Resources by email at humanresources@royals.com.   
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

ZRG’S Commitment:

At ZRG, we do not just accept differences—we celebrate and support it. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, marital or partnership status, military or veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. ZRG is an equal-opportunity employer and workplace, and we encourage applicants of all backgrounds & communities to apply.