SVP, Head of Growth

Background
Location: Hybrid – work-from-home and office: 303 E Wacker Dr., Suite 2200, Chicago, IL
Type: Full-time, permanent position
Division: Partnerships & Experiences
Reports to: President, Partnerships & Experiences

Overview
Intersport is an award-winning agency that fills the empty space between marketing campaigns and consumers – helping brands make more meaningful connections. Our industry-leading team includes 200+ team members supporting 50+ clients with services spanning brand and partnership consulting, experiential and event marketing, hospitality, content production, social and digital marketing, creative, and platform development. We also own and operate event properties across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, focused on sports including basketball, football, golf, pickleball, and volleyball.

The Position
Intersport is seeking to add an accomplished and dynamic SVP, Head of Growth to its Partnerships & Experiences team.

The SVP, Head of Growth, will serve as the Group’s leader in all aspects of the new business development process, working with our most senior colleagues, and leveraging a dedicated team, to define and articulate the company’s unique value proposition, systematize an approach to prospecting and outreach, and ultimately drive results in the form of revenue generation.

This position will require an assertive and creative approach to enhancing and expanding Intersport’s presence within the industry, and the SVP, Head of Growth will serve as a leader on behalf of the company while sustaining existing, and developing new, relationships among marketing decision-makers at brands.

This opportunity is best for someone who is a great collaborator, strong leader, can thrive in an entrepreneurial environment and work with a high degree of autonomy. The right candidate is one that’s ambitious about leading, passionate about the work, and driven to succeed.

Responsibilities
General

• Embody and reflect Intersport’s performance-based culture and commit him/herself and team to the highest standards for all work
• Work effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver executional excellence

Prospect, Pitch, and Win New Business

• Prospect based on one’s professional network, industry developments, consistent networking, and proactive outreach
• Apply a methodical, and where necessary opportunistic, approach to consistently identify key prospects and targets with the potential to have meaningful new business conversations with the goal of generating retainer-based revenue
• Lead the approach to developing necessary the company’s unique value proposition and positioning, new business support materials, qualifying prospects, and conducting outreach
• Based on experience and insights gathered, apply deep understanding of macro forces in the industry and identify the core challenges and business and brand objectives of a prospect to best articulate how Intersport can best support their needs
• Develop effective RFP responses, proposals, pitches, and creative concepting to further opportunities with prospects
• Based on industry knowledge and insights gathering, work to proactively identify opportunities for Intersport to enhance and expand its dedicated services offering

Provide Senior- and Executive-Level Coordination

• Develop relationships with a breadth of senior/executive colleagues to ensure coordination among target identification, leveraging the company’s collective network and insights; close partners will include:
  • President, Partnerships & Experiences
  • VP & Partnerships & Experiences
  • SVP, Brand Consulting
  • EVP, Insights & Strategy
  • COO
  • President
  • Founder & Owner
  • and internal constituencies including Agency Services, Production, Properties, Insights & Strategy, Creative, and others
• Take a proactive approach among key stakeholders to effectively consult, manage and challenge all levels of management to properly marshall resources, leverage company contacts and know how, and communicate progress throughout, all in order to deliver growth results
• Serve as the internal authority on new business by developing and articulating Intersport’s unique value proposition and communicating that perspective internally and externally
• Provide long-term forecasting for annual growth and new business planning

Lead and Manage Dedicated Team

• Create the ideal new business team structure and subsequently help to identify planned Director and Manager hires to lead a dedicated three-person Growth team
• Set an impeccable example and direct the team, inclusive of management, training, mentoring and overall professional development
• Ensure supporting team members produce quality work, including research and competitive analysis, prospecting assistance, support materials, decks and proposals, and other ad hoc deliverables and coach the teams to ensure peak performance in rehearsals

Provide Consistent and Perpetual Prospecting

• Identify and attend key industry events, conferences, and opportunities nationally and plan to gather actionable insights, socialize Intersport, and merchandise the company’s offerings
• Where possible, identify opportunities to proactively create hosting, networking, and thought leadership opportunities to engage prospects

Company Marketing, Merchandising, and Promotion

• Amplify Intersport’s unique value proposition through the development of content and editorial for company social media channels and websites, publications and agency marketing campaigns
• Lead the identification and pursuit of and submission for relevant industry awards
• Seek opportunities to further merchandise the company via speaking engagements, industry panels, etc.

Salary and Benefits
The targeted salary range for this position is $200,000+, depending on full-time, professional relevant experience.

This position includes medical, dental, vision, parental leave benefits and 401(k) with company match for qualified employees. This position includes variable compensation

Qualifications

• Minimum fifteen (15) years of experience in brand consulting, sponsorship marketing, experiential marketing, and/or other relevant discipline(s)
• A breadth of insights and understanding of the sports/entertainment/lifestyle marketing industry, with experience in sponsorship, experiential, and content
• A broad and deep professional network of sports/entertainment industry executives and marketing decision-makers at brands
• An understanding and familiarity with research, measurement, and valuation concepts
• Previous demonstrable success in, and passion for, the new business development process and closing new business, ideally on behalf of a marketing agency
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to lead presentations and articulate Intersport’s unique value proposition to persuade senior/executive colleagues and prospects alike
• Ability to manage multiple programs/projects concurrently, inclusive of a detail-oriented and organized approach
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Proactive, team player with a strong work ethic
• Ability to travel for business on trips on an as needed basis (frequency and duration to vary)

Intersport is an Equal Opportunity Employer.