Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator

Reporting to the Director of Corporate Partnerships, this position is responsible for securing and expanding sponsorships/corporate partnerships and managing partner benefits and fulfillment.  The Sponsorship Coordinator will support the Director of Corporate Partnerships with the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of corporate sponsors to increase revenues in support of the annual operations budget. This position’s immediate charge will be to grow the overall corporate sponsor pipeline.  Self-motivator who thrives in a high energy environment, is results driven, embraces teamwork and has a passion for the creative selling of the Zoos’ sponsorships, events and marketing assets.  Must be collaborative, articulate, detail-oriented and ambitious. The ability to understand the company’s business objectives and pitch a solution-based partnership proposal to the client. At an exciting time of growth for the Zoos, this person will engage prospective companies in creative ways while serving as a positive ambassador for Zoo New England. 

Essential Job Functions

• Identify, evaluate, cultivate and prospect companies about becoming a corporate sponsor
• Manage a portfolio of corporate sponsors. Build relationships, understand their business objectives, deliver on their sponsorship benefits and cultivate a long-standing relationship between each organization. 
• Research prospective companies, build a corporate sponsor pipeline, develop meaningful and effective partnership proposals and secure prospective new partnerships.
• Some evening and weekend work required to cultivate and manage relationships

 Duties & Responsibilities

• Schedule, manage and attend regular partnership meetings
• Attend and represent the Zoos at networking events
• Provide briefing materials in advance of meetings for Director of Corporate Partnerships and leadership staff
• Create strategic events to attract prospective companies to engage them with Zoo New England
• Conducts company and market research to identify and strategize local, regional, and national sponsorship opportunities and giving trends.
• Implement a plan to approach, pitch, negotiate and close an agreed upon number of prospective companies across key company sectors per month.
• Prepares presentations, reports and contracts for each prospective sponsor opportunity
• Supports revenue generation and growth by identifying, negotiating, securing, and managing corporate sponsorships for the Zoo’s events, on-site and digital marketing opportunities, educational programs, exhibit naming sponsors and other opportunities.
• Creates sponsorship wrap-up reports and helps implement sponsorship benefits
• Performs prospect Zoo tours and meetings as needed for stewardship and cultivation of new and existing corporate sponsors
• Track existing corporate sponsor objectives, marketing platforms and activation efforts to help meet sponsor business objectives.
• Produce customized fulfillment and recap reports for each partner, outlining marketing benefits delivered.
• Provides excellent customer service, communicating with clients and fostering long-term relationships with corporate partners and pursuing renewals.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required, master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 2-4 years demonstrated successful experience in corporate sponsorship coordination with a focus on prospect identification, relationship building, and solicitation.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite; Word, Excel, Outlook required
• Experience working with many different stakeholders across and organization
• Superior written and oral communication skills
• Excellent research skills
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage complex issues creatively and effectively
• Ability to work collaboratively and successfully as a member of a team
• Perform other related duties and tasks as assigned

Preferred Job Requirements

• Strong initiative and self-motivation; ability to make independent decisions
• Knowledge of, and experience with sponsorship landscape in Massachusetts, regionally and nationally is highly desirable