WHO IS USA LACROSSE

USA Lacrosse, a non-profit organization, is the governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse in the United States, leading the U.S. National Teams Program and establishing universal standards.  With nearly 400,000 members, we provide national leadership, structure, and resources to fuel and unify the sport's growth and enrich the experience of its players, coaches, officials, parents, and program leaders. 

USA Lacrosse believes a diverse team best positions our organization to fulfill its mission. We strive to attract and maintain a team of talented and dedicated professionals who represent the diverse nature of our membership and the national lacrosse community.  We are committed to a team culture that ensures everyone feels welcomed, valued, and included.

Core Values

• We Influence - Written and Verbal Communication
• We Serve - Customer Focused
• We Create & Innovate - Creativity
• We Collaborate - Peer Relationships
• We are Humble & Honest - Integrity and Trust
• We Embrace Individuality - Diversity
• We Have Fun – Work Hard and Play Hard

If this aligns with who you are and what you are looking for in an organization, keep reading. 

POSITION SUMMARY

USA Lacrosse is looking for an experienced Business Development Manager to focus on bringing in new business for sponsorship and partnership sales.  You will work cross-departmentally to identify sellable assets and devise a sales and marketing strategy that will make business partnerships appealing to brands to partner with USA Lacrosse to increase brand awareness and generate revenue for both organizations.  In this role you will conduct market and brand research to identify viable partners to create a win-win relationships for both organizations that will result in increased brand recognition, loyalty, and revenue.  You will get to showcase the talented US National Team athletes who compete at the highest level of the sport, along with all USA Lacrosse does to grow lacrosse, making it a safe, fun, and inclusive sport for all.     

You will work closely with the VP, Corporate Partnerships to build and maintain a pipeline of potential partners, develop targeted sales strategies, and meet with companies to explore possible areas of opportunity, ensuring a cultural and mutually beneficial fit for both organizations. 

To be successful in this role you will be a driven sales professional who is ready to put in the hard work required to develop new business.  You will be inspired by the Mission of USA Lacrosse and want to help us increase brand recognition and increase revenue by finding organizations that will allow us to grow the sport.  If you are looking to work with a team of passionate and talented individuals who are dedicated to providing exceptional service to our sponsors and partners while furthering the Mission of USA Lacrosse, allowing our National Team athletes to have what they need to compete against the best in the sport, keep reading!          

A Typical Day Looks Like…

• Manages the full sales cycle of new sponsorship and partnerships by prospecting, soliciting, cultivating, and maintaining new sponsorship and partnership relationships.  This includes, but is not limited to conducting research, making cold calls, sending emails, scheduling introductory meetings, conducting sales presentations, and negotiating and closing contracts.  
• Builds and manages a realistic prospect pipeline of potential sponsors and partners with local, regional, and national companies who would be a good fit for USA Lacrosse.  This includes working cross-departmentally to understand what other departments are doing to align efforts and make an impact on the overall business and initiatives of USA Lacrosse.  
• Ensures corporate sponsorship and partnership sales generation/new business development is based on individual and team sales goals/key performance indicators (KPIs) and leads the department in achieving annual overall revenue and in-kind targets as establishes by USA Lacrosse.
• Effectively communicates market feedback internally to USA Lacrosse’s cross-functional departments to refine and optimize the go to market strategy and identifies innovative approaches to package assets to best serve USA Lacrosse and its partners.
• Structures, negotiates, and sells integrated sponsorship and partnership opportunities including, but not limited to intellectual property (IP), entitlement options, events, print and digital advertising, member communications, USA Lacrosse programs, retail promotions, and National Teams to maximize sponsor and partner return on investment (ROI) to provide value to USA Lacrosse.  This includes distributing and adjusting sales materials and proposals, including customization of elements, terms, and language to establish value/rate card of USA Lacrosse properties.
• Partners with the VP, Corporate Partnerships, the partnership and advertising team, and other departments across USA Lacrosse to brainstorm and develop new and cutting-edge ideas to generate revenue and build brand recognition for USA Lacrosse and its National Teams for continued growth of the organization and its initiatives.  
• Guides and protects brand positioning and representation of USA Lacrosse marks across all sponsorship and partnership programs/relationships.  This includes leveraging sponsorship and partnership relationships beyond driving revenue to include increasing member value and building brand awareness and equity while supporting USA Lacrosse’s overall mission of fueling the growth of the game. 
• Develops and maintains sales projections and prospect reporting procedures and database, including regular reporting to track and forecast sales prospects (i.e., potential sponsors and partners) and renewal accounts. 
• Regularly reports on performance, this includes providing ad hoc reports for the leadership team and the Board to show revenue performance of the partnership and advertising team.  This includes identifying blinds spots and highlighting areas of opportunity to expand into new markets/areas to increase revenue.
• Monitors the competitive marketplace, including maintaining an understanding of what other governing bodies (GBs), local, and national sports and entertainment organizations are doing to keep USA Lacrosse on the cutting edge. 

Is This You…

• Three (3) to five (5) years of experience in a sales, business development, or marketing role with revenue generation goals/KPIs.
• Previous work in sales, partnerships, and/or business development in sports & entertainment is a plus.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft 365 products, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of software’s used for sales/business development, such as Salesforce, or comparable database applications used to track, monitor, and report on sales data with the aptitude to learn such software's.
• Knowledge of sales/business development and sponsorship activation concepts, principles, and best practices. This includes the ability and comfort level to solicit business (cold call) and build relationships with prospects and existing clients.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task and keep data organized to provide insights for actionable sales strategy for revenue generation. 
• Strong relationship building skills with the comfort and ability to cold call and “work a room” to generate sales and enhance existing relationships.
• Excellent communication skills, including interpersonal, written, and verbal.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team in a hybrid (in-office/remote) work environment in a fast-paced, “roll up your sleeves” environment to deliver results based on organizational objectives.  
• Ability to be flexible with work schedule, including availability to work nights and weekends based on business needs. This may include overnight travel to meet with partners and/or attend USA Lacrosse events.      
• Ability to exercise discretion and understand how to handle confidential information when necessary. 
• Strong work ethic with the ability to present a professional, customer-focused persona over the phone, in writing, and in person. 
• Willingness to learn about the sport of lacrosse and appreciate the needs for developing funds to fuel its development and growth.
• Ability to align with USA Lacrosse’s Mission, Vision, and Values and Strategic Plan to support our initiatives and organizational goals.

Expected Hours of Work

This position is generally expected to work Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm and occasionally requires longer hours or weekend work as related to events and other business needs.  This is a hybrid position and works from the headquarters office in Sparks, MD three (3) days a week with the flexibility to work from home two (2) days a week. 

Compensation & Benefits Overview

The total compensation pay range (inclusive of base salary plus annual incentive pay potential) for this position is $65,000 to $80,500 commensurate with experience.

USA Lacrosse offers a competitive benefits package including, but not limited to,

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance, offering multiple options for Medical and Dental (eligible the first of the month following 30 days of employment).
• Company paid life and AD&D at one time an employee’s salary up to $50,000 and company paid long term disability (LTD) at one year of employment.
• 403(b) retirement plan (eligible immediately upon hire), including a 4% employer contribution at one year of employment.
• Generous PTO, company paid holidays, bereavement, jury duty, and parental and maternity leave.
• Additional voluntary insurance options, such as supplemental benefits through Colonial and Nationwide pet insurance.
• Discounts on USA Lacrosse merchandise. 
• Free onsite gym at HQ office. 
• Free parking.

Travel Requirements

Travel may be necessary up to 50% of the time (local, regional, national).  Travel would involve the following mode(s) of travel: car, train, or air.  Out of area and overnight travel will be expected.    

EEO Statement