To work as a sponsorship manager, you’ll typically need a strong sales background as well as the ability to work with a wide range of personalities. You’ll be in charge of locating and closing high-value deals on a regular basis, and the sponsorships you secure may be required for the business to continue operating. Because you will frequently interact with high-level executives from other companies, understanding inter-business communication protocols can be beneficial. If you have the necessary skills, you could advance through sales or be promoted from a variety of other positions.
To become a sponsorship manager, there is no set career path, but individuals with strong sales, planning, and people skills can generally aim for this position. Typically, a combination of education and work experience is required, as well as the ability to establish and maintain important business relationships. This mix of abilities, knowledge, and networking skills can make the job both challenging and rewarding.
Before you can expect to become a sponsorship manager, you will most likely need a combination of sales and management skills. Because becoming a sponsorship manager entails selling an event or cause to another corporation or business, sales experience is usually required. A bachelor’s degree in sales, marketing, communications, or a related field could help you get some of the basic information you’ll need. Managerial skills are also useful because large sponsorship programs may require you to manage a team.
If you want to work as a sponsorship manager, you’ll need a lot of experience and connections. You might be able to build a network of contacts if you work in sales. Your contacts and the amount of sponsorship money you can promise to bring in may be used to promote or hire you. Many people in this field freelance, and a company may hire you solely on the basis of your lucrative past contacts.
Corporate event planning or management is another area where many sponsorship managers begin their careers. Because of the similar logistics involved, a background in this type of work can translate well to sponsorship management. Working as a sponsorship manager is not the same as working in sales, either inside or outside, or planning corporate events, but these are all different jobs that require some of the same skills.