Business Development Manager - Sports Marketing

At Keywords Studios, we are seeking a results-driven Business Development Manager to accelerate the growth of our Engage service line across North America. Reporting to the Head of BD, you will be responsible for identifying, prospecting, and closing high-value creative and marketing partnerships with major Sports clients, including professional leagues, franchises, sports broadcasters, and global athletic brands.

Key Responsibilities:

• Revenue Generation: Drive new business growth by identifying and securing multi-service creative and marketing contracts within the Sports sector.

• Strategic Prospecting: Build and maintain a robust pipeline of Tier-1 clients, focusing on marketing and digital / social directors within major sports leagues (e.g., NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS), international federations, athletes and sports-centric streaming platforms.

• Solution Selling: Articulate the full suite of 'Engage' services,including Creative Production (hype reels, broadcast graphics, digital content), Social & Influencer Marketing, PR & Outreach, and Strategy & Insight.

• Pitch Leadership: Lead the end-to-end sales process, from initial outreach and chemistry meetings to complex RFP responses and final contract negotiations.

• Integrated Collaboration: Work closely with our internal network of specialized service providers to craft bespoke, integrated solutions for global sports brands and organizations.

• Market Intelligence: Stay ahead of industry trends in digital sports marketing, fan monetization, and athlete-led content to position Keywords as an innovative, essential partner.

• CRM Management: Maintain meticulous records of sales activity and forecasting within Salesforce to ensure transparency across the global BD team.

Requirements:

• Experience: 5+ years of proven success in business development or senior account management within the Sports, Esports, or Sports-focused Creative Agency sectors.

• Industry Network: A strong existing portfolio of contacts within North American sports leagues, teams, athletes and sports-media marketing departments.

• Service Expertise: Deep understanding of the sports creative production lifecycle, fan-base social ecosystems, and the athlete-influencer landscape.

• Social Media: Strong understanding of social media and influencer marketing, ROI and metrics is required.

• Communication: Exceptional presentation and storytelling skills; ability to 'sell the dream' while remaining grounded in technical feasibility.

• Commercial Acumen: Strong negotiation skills with a track record of meeting or exceeding multi-million dollar annual sales targets.

• Autonomy: A self-starter capable of operating effectively in a remote/hybrid environment across North American time zones.

• Availability: Willingness to travel frequently for client meetings, major sporting events, and internal site visits.

Benefits: The salary range for this position is $100,000+ with bonus opportunity depending on experience.