Job Description
The Senior Manager, Global Business Development will be responsible for driving North America revenue growth, developing marquee partnerships, and cultivating new business opportunities across the WSL ecosystem — including events, media, content, digital platforms, and sustainability programs.
Reporting to the SVP, Global Business Development, this individual will be involved in strategic prospecting, pitching, and closing of multi-dimensional partnerships that align with WSL’s brand values, audience, and long-term business strategy. The role is both highly entrepreneurial and deeply collaborative, requiring a strategic thinker and relationship builder who can translate brand needs into world-class, customized partnership solutions. This is a hybrid role, with 3 days in office based out of our Los Angeles headquarters.
Responsibilities include (but not limited to):
Partnership Development
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of WSL’s brand, products, audiences, and global positioning within the sports and entertainment ecosystem to articulate a unique and compelling commercial narrative.
- Identify, qualify, and secure new partners across our portfolio of events.
- Create customized, year-round partnership programs that leverage WSL’s media, digital, event, and community assets in authentic, value-driven ways aligned with partner objectives to generate measurable ROI.
- Incorporate data and analytics to evaluate opportunities, forecast revenue potential, and optimize performance.
- Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospective partners, maintaining disciplined tracking, forecasting, and reporting through CRM tools (Salesforce or similar).
Collaboration and Integration
- Work cross-functionally with internal teams, including Marketing, Content, Broadcast, Digital, Athlete Relations, and Event Operations, to design innovative partnership platforms and deliver commercially sound, scalable solutions.
- Partner with internal WSL teams to ensure sales strategy aligns with WSL’s brand purpose, creative vision, and organizational priorities.
- Guarantee seamless transitions of new partners to the Marketing Partnerships team for activation and sustained success, ensuring continuity and excellent client service.
Performance and Growth
- Consistently deliver annual sales growth objectives and contribute to long-term revenue planning.
- Maintain a disciplined, transparent pipeline management process using CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce or similar) to track progress, forecast revenue, and report performance.
- Contribute to special projects and cross-department initiatives that advance WSL’s broader commercial strategy.
Qualifications & Experience:
- 3-5+ years of experience in sports, entertainment, media, or brand partnership sales, with a proven record of securing six figure deals.
- Network of decision maker relationships across brands, agencies, and categories relevant to WSL’s ecosystem.
- Experience in consultative, solution-based sales, with the ability to translate brand objectives into creative, data-driven partnership concepts.
- Deep understanding of the evolving sports and entertainment landscape, including integrated commercial models across media, content, experiential, digital, sustainability-driven marketing, and purpose-led storytelling.
- Experience working within or alongside sports properties (e.g., Collegiate Athletics, NBA, NHL, PGA, MLS) strongly preferred.
- Passion for surfing, action sports, or ocean sustainability preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.
Personal Attributes:
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and initiative who thrives in ambiguity.
- Strategic and creative thinker who thrives in dynamic, high-growth environments.
- Collaborative communicator who inspires confidence, fosters innovation, and drives results through building influence, alignment, and trust.
- Strong storyteller with the ability to articulate WSL’s brand purpose and partnership value proposition with authenticity, clarity, and enthusiasm.
- High integrity, professionalism, and self-awareness; demonstrates passion for WSL’s mission and the broader surfing community.
- Globally minded with cultural fluency and an appreciation for diversity, inclusion, and sustainability.
- Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive base salary, commensurate with experience.
- Commission and performance-based incentives tied to sales goals and revenue growth.
- Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off.
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V
Salary Range: $95,000-$110,000 based on relevant experience
