Sponsorship Manager

Company DescriptionSaudi Motorsport Company (SMC) is the dedicated entity driving the growth of motorsport in Saudi Arabia, aligned with the ambitious goals of Vision 2030. Operating under the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation and the Ministry of Sports, SMC is responsible for hosting and promoting major events like the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Dakar Rally, and Extreme E series, and World Rally Championship.Role InformationPosition Title: Sponsorships ManagerDepartment: Sponsorships - CommercialReports to: Sponsorships DirectorRole DescriptionThe Sponsorship Manager is a commercially driven role responsible for identifying, pitching, and securing sponsorship revenue across SMC’s motorsport portfolio (F1 Saudi Arabia GP, WRC, Dakar, Jeddah Corniche Circuits). The role requires an aggressive sales mindset, strong market intelligence, and a proven track record of closing multimillion sponsorship deals. This function will also oversee the coordination of external agencies to expand outreach, accelerate deal flow, and maximize commercial performance.Role AccountabilitiesSponsorship Sales & Revenue Generation Take leadership of prospecting, outreach, pitching, negotiation, and closing of local, regional and global sponsorship deals.Build and maintain a strong sales pipeline with constant brand engagement across priority sectors (telco, automotive, FMCG, banking, entertainment, travel, luxury, etc.).Use strong existing networks within Saudi and regional markets to open doors and secure meetings at senior level (CMO/CEO/VP Marketing).Develop compelling commercial proposals based on market insights, brand objectives, and SMC asset strengths.Lead high-impact negotiations to secure long-term, high-value partnerships, ensuring commercial targets are met or exceeded.Special projects or other duties as assignedMarket Intelligence & Brand StrategyIdentify new commercial opportunities through continuous monitoring of brand priorities, industry trends, and competitive activities.Build category-specific acquisition plans and define target brand lists with clear revenue expectations.Work closely with the team to integrate data and insights into pitches.Agency & External Partner CoordinationOversee and manage external sales agencies, assigning brand verticals and supervising performance and pipelines.Ensure strong alignment between SMC and agencies regarding messaging, outreach quality, prioritization, and reporting.Review and validate agency-generated proposals before submission to rights-holders or clients.Internal Collaboration & Rights-Holder AlignmentWork closely with internal SMC teams to ensure smooth execution of every sponsorship deliverable.Prepare and present weekly performance updates, sponsor pipelines, forecasts, and commercial dashboards to senior leadership.When not the sales lead, assist the team in development of presentations, delivery of pitches and negotiationsQualificationsBachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field.Master’s degree is a plus but not required for exceptional commercial profiles.6–8 years of direct sponsorship sales experience, ideally within sports, motorsport, entertainment, or major events.Proven track record of closing large sponsorship deals.Existing network within KSA/MEA brands is a must.Experience with / or managing sales agencies or external commercial partners.Experience working with international rights-holders is an advantage.Exceptional sales, negotiation, and deal-closing abilities.Strong personal brand and credibility with senior marketing leaders.Ability to craft compelling proposals and commercial narratives.Strong presentation and communication skills (English a must; Arabic is a major plus).High resilience, persistence, and ability to work under pressure and ambitious targets.Ability to manage multiple pipelines and projects simultaneously.