Business Development Lead at the National Basketball Association (NBA)

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is passionate about growing and celebrating the game of basketball. Through the intensity of the game and the amazing athletic skill of our players, we deliver excitement to hundreds of millions of fans around the world.

As a global sports and media business, the NBA is so much more. While Basketball Operations runs the league’s on-court activities, other departments manage relationships with television and digital media partners, develop marketing partnerships with some of the world’s most recognizable companies, oversee the licensing of NBA merchandise, and handle a wide range of responsibilities that drive the NBA’s success.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Business Development Lead
Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

Position Summary

• NBA Nigeria is seeking an experienced sales/marketing professional for the New Business Development team.
• This position plays a key role in generating new sponsorship revenue for NBA Nigeria.
• The ideal candidate must be a dynamic team player, with excellent storytelling, communication, and negotiation skills.
• The successful candidate will be implementing the new business development strategy with a focus on new partnership development - prospecting, pitching, negotiating and securing new marketing partners.
• The role will require frequent travel throughout the region and will work closely with the Marketing, Media, Events, and other groups to create and drive new revenue streams.

Major Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the business development strategy for NBA Nigeria
• Build relationships with senior-level decision makers at prospective sponsors, relevant marketing agencies, event management companies, and promoters to generate new partners and other new business opportunities.
• Deliver impactful on-brand and on-target partnership programs for new business prospects.
• Use storytelling to effectively sell-in partnership ideas to new business prospects.
• Develop, visualize and present customized partnership solutions for prospective sponsors.
• Facilitate ideation by leading cross-functional brainstorms to inform creative solutions
• Liaise with colleagues globally across the NBA to uncover business development opportunities.
• Maintain a strong understanding of industry marketing channels and technologies that clients may utilize in activating an NBA Nigeria sponsorship.
• Manage the sales process from proposal to deal memo submission and contract execution by liaising with other departments (Legal, Finance, etc.)
• Adapt current NBA marketing programs and create new initiatives tailored to NBA Nigeria
• Maintain a database of highly valuable targets and opportunities
• Monitor the activity of other sports and entertainment properties in the region.
• Prospect, target, pitch and secure NBA Nigeria sponsorship, event and media partnerships.
• Develop and maximize networking opportunities with potential and existing sponsors and relevant marketing agencies
• Understand the prospect's brand DNA and design sales presentations to reflect brand synergies and positioning.

Internal Partnerships:

• Establish and develop close relationships with all the NBA NY global account teams, ensuring that they are proactively informed about all the NBA NIGERIA plans, initiatives, and projects.
• Develop and execute a detailed and coherent plan focused on engaging the NBA NY global account teams with exciting and consistent presentations, aiming to get them on board with all the NBA NIGERIA plans, initiatives and projects so those can be considered as key components for all global or regional new partnership opportunities and upsells.
• Represent the NBA NIGERIA in global pitches and status meetings, providing relevant information and insights about the NBA NIGERIA's plans, initiatives and projects, while also outlining clearly how current and potential global partners would receive value through those.

Educational Background

• Required Bachelor's degree required

Required Skills/Knowledge:

• Successful track record building business in Nigeria; must have a strong understanding of the market and a network of relationships across all sectors of Nigeria's marketing and media landscape.
• Creative storyteller with the ability to sell conceptually.
• High-level connectivity - client-side and sponsorship/marketing community in general.
• Ability to attain and exceed targets.
• Ability to develop creative solutions which will meet the objectives of prospective partners.
• Experience working within a structured corporate environment.
• Business knowledge - being up to date with business/market/industry trends.
• A thorough understanding of the sports landscape (basketball and NBA knowledge preferable).
• Experience working for a high-profile global organization.
• This should involve delivering integrated programs that include media, print, interactive and event-based assets.
• Entrepreneurial approach with a strong understanding of business fundamentals.
• A track record of securing sponsorship contracts for rights holders in sports.
• Knowledge of TV and digital sales, merchandising and communications.

Experience Needed:

• Minimum of 8 years of sales and/or business development experience.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to work well within a matrixed organization.
• Corporate Banking experience is an advantage.
• A passion for sports is preferred.
• Strategic thinker - able to shape, develop and execute the strategy for the NBA Strong persuading and negotiation skills.
• A credible communicator, adept at operating at the board level.
• Commercially minded and results-driven.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply