How do you become a director of sports partnerships? This is a typical question asked by individuals who are researching the various administrative careers within the field of sports. They want to know the educational requirements for this position as well as learn about the specific responsibilities of the job. Take a look at some helpful answers for individuals interested in becoming a director of sports partnerships.
Required Education and Skills
The main qualification of a director of sports partnerships is the ability to communicate with the representatives of a sports organization. Also, the person must know how to develop and maintain relationships with these representatives. Consequently, a Bachelor of Science degree in communication or a marketing degree would both be helpful to someone in this profession, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This professional also needs to be familiar with computer programs such as Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint. These programs are used by a director of sports partnerships. A person in this line of work must have excellent organizational skills and be able to handle several projects at one time. In many cases, this individual is in charge of a team of employees. Consequently, it’s important to know how to delegate responsibilities and keep everyone up-to-date on projects. Of course, a person who is a director of sports partnerships should be knowledgeable about different sports teams, players and the management of various teams.
Garnering Experience as an Intern
Someone who wants to become a director of sports partnerships benefits from working as an intern. For instance, a person may want to intern at a non-profit organization that is partnering with a basketball team to raise funds for a particular charity. Or, someone may intern at a credit card company who is partnering with a national football team for mutual benefit. Most interns work for free or for very little money. Working as an intern for a director of sports partnerships allows the person to learn about the ins and outs of the work. Most people who are hired as a director of sports partnerships for a company have at least a few years of experience under their belt.
What Does a Director of Sports Partnerships Do?
A director of sports partnerships forms a relationship with the representatives of a sports team. He or she devises a plan for a partnership that benefits both the director’s company and the sports team. This professional also helps with the marketing for the partnership deal. For example, say a director of sports partnerships works for a non-profit agency that supports cancer research. The director would work on how a sports team could create awareness for this cause. Members of the sports team may wear a certain color on their uniform that communicates their support of more cancer research. Or, the sports team may ask fans to donate money at a particular game during the season to support cancer research. A director of sports partnerships has to come up with a lot of good ideas and then convince a sports team of the effectiveness of these ideas.
Related Resource: Sports Law Analytics
Finally, a person who is successful in this profession has a strong dedication to a particular cause. Someone who loves sports and has a talent for negotiation and communication would be an ideal candidate to become a director of sports partnerships.
