Closing Date of Applications – 26th November 2023

Our Story

Established in 2013, City Football Group is the world’s leading private owner and operator of football clubs, with total or partial ownership of thirteen clubs across the world. City Football Group also invests in other football related businesses and serves as a global commercial platform for our partners, whilst fulfilling our purpose of empowering better lives through football on a local and global scale, consistent with what “City” football has meant to people for over a century.

Our Winning Team

Our purpose is to empower better lives through football. We are proud of the role City Football Group clubs play in their localities, delivering positive economic, social and environmental impact through our operations and through programmes and activities that bring about meaningful, lasting change.

Working closely with (and reporting to) the Senior Partnership Marketing Manager – Europe & Africa, the Partnership Marketing Manager will be responsible for managing and maximising a portfolio of CFG’s global & regional commercial partners, with a focus on Europe and Africa. Responsibility and remit for these partnerships will be end to end, including all associated partnership planning and activation programmes.

The Partnership Marketing Manager will be required to work closely and effectively with the Partnership Marketing and Operations teams, as well as other Club departments, to deliver best in class partnerships that achieve and exceed brand objectives.

Other specialist projects may be introduced from time to time, depending on priorities and workloads, which will require the Partnership Marketing Manager to work with departments across the Club, and as a core member of the Partnership Marketing Team this role will be expected to support the continued growth of Manchester City Football Club and all City Football Group (CFG) properties and contribute across core departmental objectives.

Please note: this role may require business travel (UK and overseas) with the successful applicant attending key meetings, activations, and establishing/maintenance of key relationships. Matchday attendance will also be required.

This is Your City

As part of our team, you will be entitled to 26 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday, private healthcare and dental cover, an annual discretionary bonus, plus a range of partnership and lifestyle discounts.

Your Impact

1. Planning

• Takes responsibility for ‘living and breathing’ a consistent framework that enables Partners to develop compelling, competitive partnership strategies and activation plans
• Immerses in the world of the partner, building a rich appreciation of their environment and a detailed understanding of objectives , opportunities and challenges
• Drives the planning approach, assuming ownership of workshops and providing clear direction to marketing/leadership teams. Fuels this process with insight and expertise and involves other Club departments as appropriate
• Proactively contributes to the evolution of the planning framework, ensuring that the Club’s approach stands out from the competition and is truly fit-for-purpose in the region
• Adopts an ‘objectives and measurement-focused’ mind-set, enabling the department to build a full and true picture around the impact of the Partnerships

2. Club brand

• Engages and educates Partners on the Club’s brand vision and positioning, as well as the current marketing strategy and priorities
• Explores areas where the respective outlooks (Club and Partner) share commonality. Assesses opportunities to collaborate and maximise the return for both business’
• Enhances and protects the Club’s brand throughout the term of the partnership by playing an integral role in the planning process
• Proactively shares best practice and learning via preferred platforms. Maintains regular dialogue and support with stakeholders and peers in all regions

3. Delivery

• Works in tandem with the Partnerships Operations team to ensure all Partnership rights are delivered with maximum effectiveness and efficiency
• Delivers high quality briefings to relevant members of the Operations team and keeps Partners well informed of status and progress
• Continually looks for opportunities to refine and maximise ways of working
• Proactively report s and shar es insights and success efficiently with department and other relevant stakeholders

4. Case Studies

• Engages Partners and works with them to co-create rich stories that demonstrate the power of association, with a clear thread throughout (linking objectives to tangible results)
• Delivers to a consistent standard and brings about a genuine step-change in how case studies are crafted and communicated on-going
• Takes the lead role in creating full end of season reports for Partners and explores innovative ways to present/tell the stories both internally and externally
• Takes advantage of all opportunities to feature Partner activity, working with the Operations Team and providing creative as required
• Explores opportunities for awards submissions and other recognition/accreditation

5. Business Development

• When workloads allow, the Partnership Marketing Manager will be expected to work collaboratively with Partnership Sales Managers and the Partnership Planning and Creative team to help shape compelling proposals
• Attends meetings and pitches as required, to offer insight and expertise in relevant fields such as Digital and Media
• Supports the Senior Partnership Marketing Manager in developing renewal strategies each season, providing Partner and category insight wherever relevant
• Proactively develops ideas that bring about benefit to Partners and also drive organic revenue growth for the Club

What we are looking for

Essential

• Strong knowledge of the global and regional football
• landscape
• Experienced with football sponsorship contracts and rights packages
• Solid commercial experience and acumen, with an inherent interest in this area
• Skilled in partner/client servicing
• Skilled digital management/consultancy and digital literacy
• Strong team ethic and collaborative nature – confident managing multiple stakeholders
• Flexible working attitude and approach within dynamic Club environment
• Availability to travel for business needs
• Strong digital expertise and experience, preferably within sports media/advertising
• Experienced/capable across all aspects of marketing and sponsorship, including:

• Strategy & Planning
• Activation & Rights Delivery
• Integrated communications
• Results Analysis & recommendations
• Negotiations & renewals

• High competence in standard Microsoft programs
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent

Desirable

• Additional language skills
• Exposed to a rights-holder/club environment
• Exposed to overseas markets/business cultures
• Post-graduate digital qualifications/courses
• Further marketing/sports-related credentials (Masters/Diploma etc)

City Football Group promotes equal opportunities in employment and we positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We will screen all applicants and select candidates whose skills and experience seem to meet our needs. We will carefully consider your application during the initial screening and will contact you only if you are selected for an interview.

Employment is subject to the provision of proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Due to our safeguarding promise, all UK based CFG roles will be subject to a DBS check upon commencing employment with us. This will be either a basic, standard or enhanced check depending on the job role and responsibilities.