At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive brand partnerships and sponsorships across sports, tech, and lifestyle sectors.
- Company: Fast-growing automotive brand with a bold vision for electric mobility.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, vehicle staff scheme, and comprehensive benefits package.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with autonomy and opportunities for European travel.
- Why this job: Shape strategy in a high-profile role with real impact on the brand's future.
- Qualifications: Experience in brand partnerships and sports marketing, ideally in automotive or tech.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Location: London with regular European travel
Reporting to: Marketing Director, UK & Europe
Contract: Permanent, Full-Time
Scope: UK & Pan-European
Overview: We are one of the fastest-growing automotive brands in the UK and Europe, bringing a heritage that stretches back over 100 years together with a bold, electrified vision for the future. With an expanding line-up of EVs and hybrid vehicles, we are challenging the status quo democratising electric mobility for everyday drivers across the continent. We are a brand built on energy, innovation, and momentum, and our partnerships strategy reflects exactly that.
Role Overview: This is a newly created and highly visible role within the marketing function. The Brand Partnerships & Sponsorship Manager will be responsible for identifying, negotiating, and activating strategic partnerships across sport, technology, lifestyle, and culture amplifying the brand profile and accelerating commercial growth across the UK and Europe. This role demands a commercially astute, creatively driven operator who can build relationships at the highest level, manage multi-market campaigns, oversee agency partners, and ensure every partnership delivers measurable value. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in sports marketing and a strong instinct for tech and lifestyle brand alignment, with the ability to operate effectively across multiple European markets simultaneously.
Key Responsibilities
- Partnership Strategy & Development: Define and execute a pan-European brand partnerships and sponsorship strategy aligned to our commercial and brand objectives. Identify and evaluate new partnership opportunities across sport, technology, e-mobility, gaming, and lifestyle sectors. Lead end-to-end negotiations with rights holders, federations, teams, and brand partners across the UK and European markets. Build a portfolio of partnerships that reinforces our positioning as a forward-thinking, electric-first automotive brand. Manage the UK and Pan European Partnership landscape, being the go to person to advise, approve and endorse Partnerships and Sponsorships.
- Activation & Campaign Management: Own the full activation lifecycle for all partnerships from concept through delivery to post-campaign evaluation. Develop integrated activation plans that connect across digital, social, experiential, PR, and retail touchpoints. Lead the delivery of high-impact sponsorship moments including event presence, branded content, and fan/consumer experiences. Ensure all rights and assets are fully leveraged, maximising brand visibility and commercial return.
- Agency & Supplier Management: Lead and manage relationships with external agencies including creative, experiential, PR, and media partners. Set clear briefs, manage deliverables, and hold agencies accountable to brand standards and commercial KPIs. Establish robust processes for agency briefing, approval, and performance review across multiple markets.
- Budget & Performance: Own the partnerships and sponsorship budget across UK and Europe, managing six- to seven-figure investment responsibly. Establish clear measurement frameworks and KPIs for each partnership, tracking ROI and brand impact. Provide regular reporting to senior leadership on portfolio performance, opportunities, and strategic recommendations. Identify efficiencies and optimise spend allocation across the portfolio on an ongoing basis.
- Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the central point of contact for all partnership and sponsorship activity internally and externally. Collaborate closely with Digital, PR, Product, and Sales teams to ensure fully integrated campaign delivery. Work with European market leads to adapt and localise partnership activations for country-specific audiences. Represent MG Motor at key events, industry forums, and partner meetings across the UK and Europe.
Candidate Profile
- Essential Experience & Skills: Significant experience in brand partnerships, sponsorship, or sports marketing ideally within automotive, technology, or a major consumer brand. Proven track record of managing and activating partnerships at a pan-European or international scale. Deep knowledge of the sports marketing landscape including rights structures, activation mechanics, and hospitality programmes. Strong experience working with and managing external agencies across creative, experiential, and media disciplines. Demonstrated ability to manage and optimise large-scale budgets across multiple markets. Exceptional commercial acumen with the ability to evaluate partnership value and negotiate complex deals. Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to represent the brand at C-suite level.
- Desirable: Experience in the electric vehicle, mobility, or technology sector. Knowledge of the European marketing landscape and experience localising campaigns across multiple markets. Existing relationships with major rights holders in sport, entertainment, or technology. Multilingual capability is an advantage but not a requirement.
What We Offer: A high-profile, newly created role with significant scope to shape strategy and leave a lasting mark on the brand. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package including vehicle staff scheme. A fast-moving, ambitious environment with the full backing of a global automotive group. Genuine autonomy, a collaborative culture, and the opportunity to build something from the ground up. Regular travel across Europe and access to some of the most exciting partnership and sporting environments in the world.
Sponsorship Manager employer: Critical Selection Limited
As a rapidly growing automotive brand with over a century of heritage, we offer an exciting opportunity for the Brand Partnerships & Sponsorship Manager to shape our pan-European strategy in a dynamic and innovative environment. Our collaborative culture fosters genuine autonomy and encourages personal growth, while our competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including a vehicle staff scheme, ensure that our employees are well-supported. With regular travel across Europe, you will engage with some of the most thrilling partnership and sporting environments, making this role both meaningful and rewarding.
Contact Details:
Critical Selection Limited Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Sponsorship Manager
✨Show Your Creative Side
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Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like Critical Selection Limited are looking for.
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✨Attend Industry Events
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We think you need these skills to ace Sponsorship Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit Critical Selection Limited. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of Critical Selection Limited:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about Critical Selection Limited’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Critical Selection Limited
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at Critical Selection Limited will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
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✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At Critical Selection Limited, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.