Sport Partnerships Specialist (2025)

Duration: Permanent

Salary: circa £42,000 per annum

Job Level: Level 4

Hours: 35 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered

Disclosure Level: Basic - This role involves no direct or indirect work with children

Team: Sport and Gaming – New Business

Reports to: Head of Sport and Gaming Partnerships

Location: Working from Home and at 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world. We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children.

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights.

ABOUT THE TEAM

UNICEF UK are the leading UK charity working in, around, through and with sport and gaming to achieve positive change for children and have exciting ambitions for our work in the sector in the coming years. 

The Sports and Gaming Team is actively developing new partnerships in sport and gaming that cut across fundraising, communications, advocacy & programmes, as well as expanding our existing partnerships.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Sport Partnerships Specialist role is central to achieving UNICEF UK’s ambitions in working with the sports sector. The role will be responsible for cultivating and securing multi-year, high-value (six to seven-figure annually) partnerships with UK-HQ sports teams, leagues, events, governing bodies, suppliers and brands in line with UNICEF UK’s New Business strategy. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering against agreed annual income targets.

What we will expect you to achieve

• Deliver agreed annual income targets by securing shared-value, multi-year sport partnerships worth six and seven figures annually.

• Working collaboratively with the Head of Sport and Gaming, you will inform and implement an ‘end-to-end’ new business process—prospecting, qualifying, developing proposals, contracting, and securing multi-year partners.

• Think creatively, innovatively and proactively to help cultivate new partnership opportunities.

• Proactively demonstrate best practices in business development, use data and insights to inform your decision-making and approaches. Track activity and maintain the CRM.

• Input into the sport and gaming team strategy. Work closely with the UNICEF UK’s Sports Advisory Board on wide-ranging projects and business development to further UNICEF UK’s work in sport.

• Participate on key cross-organisational priorities as required, as well as leading on key thematic priorities in the wider Corporate team.

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work and leadership.

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential.

Effective behaviours 

Supporter-driven and mission-aligned 

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a world that is fit for every child.

  Communication  

• Conveys complex ideas and messages using a variety of methods to engage an audience and win understanding and support. 

Achieving change 

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability to working in new scenarios.

• Demonstrates a solution-focused approach.

• Maintains focus in uncertain or ambiguous situations.

Negotiating and influencing  

• Using a range of approaches to gain commitment. Ability to operate and negotiate with confidence with new and existing contacts at a senior level.

Collaboration 

• Consults others and shares expertise, know-how and ideas with colleagues for best results 

• Values diversity, respecting and drawing on colleagues’ different perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge.

Relevant experience 

• Experience in successfully developing new long-term partnerships in the sport, gaming, charity, or entertainment sectors.

• Experience in leading new business meetings, comfortable in presenting to C-suite level decision makers.

• Has demonstrated negotiation, presentation, and proposal development skills.

• Experience developing and implementing new procedures and strategies.

 Specific knowledge and skills  

• Knowledge and interest of current developments, trends and issues in the sport industry. Ideally, first-hand experience working within the sport or gaming industry and an existing network of relevant contacts.

• Knowledge of best-in-class sport, gaming and charity partnerships, and understanding of shared value propositions.

• Knowledge of ‘Sport for Development’ and other sport-for-good initiatives as well as how charities leverage sport.

• Knowledge of CRM systems, pipeline building, networking, and new business strategies to contribute to a high-achieving sales culture. 

• Able to learn new skills and knowledge on strategic private sector/sport sector engagement at a leading international organisation.