Partnerships Manager

AFC Wimbledon is a professional football club based in South West London playing its home games in a state of the art stadium the Cherry Red Records Stadium, opened in August 2021.

The move to the new stadium marked a pivotal point in the club’s history as it returned to its spiritual home at Plough Lane and provides the club with the ability to deliver top level facilities for both matchday and non-matchday events.

Following our recent League 2 Playoff Final triumph at Wembley and securing a place in EFL League 1, AFC Wimbledon are seeking an experienced Partnerships Manager, who will play a key role in driving revenue growth by identifying and pursuing new sponsorship opportunities, building partnerships, driving the club’s commercial success. The role will also support partnership growth of our Women’s team, who play in the third tier.

This role focuses on securing new sponsorship for the club, activating our commercial partners’ rights, and other revenue streams through strategic planning and relationship management. Prior to applying, please familiarise yourself with our valued partners: https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/commercial/our-partners

Our desired individual will be personable, a great team player with a really strong attention to detail, as well as someone who has delivered revenue growth and maintained outstanding relationships with partners in a similar role. We are looking to hire an individual with a positive ‘can do’ attitude, a multi-tasker, and someone with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.   

Key Responsibilities:

1. Identifying & Acquiring New Partnerships

• Conduct market research to identify potential business opportunities, sponsors, and partners that align with the club’s brand and objectives.
• Develop a pipeline of potential clients and partnerships across various sectors.
• Analyse industry trends, competitor activities, and market opportunities to support the club's commercial growth strategies.
• Stay informed of the latest developments in the football industry, sports marketing, and commercial trends.
• Develop tailored proposals and presentations for potential sponsors, showcasing the unique value of partnering with the club.
• Negotiate and secure sponsorship agreements.

2. Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective sponsors, corporate partners, and stakeholders.
• Act as the main point of contact for current sponsors, ensuring effective communication and fulfilment of partnership agreements.
• Coordinate with the commercial and marketing teams to implement sponsorship activation plans, ensuring the successful delivery of agreed objectives.

3. Event Planning & Activation

• Assist in the organisation and execution of commercial events, sponsorship activations and networking events.
• Coordinate with the marketing and media teams to promote and maximise the impact of events for sponsors and fans.

4. Matchdays

• Be present at all home match days, supporting the delivery of our hospitality experience whilst nurturing and developing commercial relationships.
• Ensure partners benefit from matchday exposure according to their agreements.

5. Collaborating with Internal Teams

• Work closely with the marketing & communications department to ensure business development efforts align with the club’s overall goals.
• Liaise with the finance department to ensure revenue projections, budgets, and financial targets are met.
• Collaborate with the club’s legal team to ensure all sponsorship contracts and business deals are compliant with regulations and club policies.

The role will be offered on a permanent basis working 37.5 hours per week, working 5 days in 7 including all home match days (typically weekends and evenings; lieu days are offered for matchday working).

Salary: £30,000-£32,000 per annum (dependent on experience), plus discretionary bonus linked to KPIs, and benefits.

Key requirements

·       At least 2 years’ experience in sponsorship, account management or sales

·       The ability to work under pressure to deliver on targets

·       Exceptional attention to detail

·       Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work closely with other departments

·       A strong understanding of the football industry

·       Proactive, organised, and comfortable juggling multiple deadlines.

·       A team player who embodies the club’s values: togetherness, resilience, and constant improvement.

Closing date: 18 June

How to apply: email your CV and one-age cover note to

HR@AFCWimbledon.ltd.uk