Director of Business Development

The award-winning Memphis Sports and Events Center (MSEC) is a state-of-the-art venue designed for both sports tourism and local programming. The facility features 16 basketball/32 volleyball courts (adaptable to a wide range of other sports and events) along with courtside cafes, VIP suites, spectator seating for thousands and more. The facility is operated by Virginia-based Eastern Sports Management (ESM) and sits within Liberty Park, a mixed-use development of entertainment venues, dining, retail and hotels.

Memphis Sports and Events Center is currently accepting applications for Director of Business Development. The Director of Business Development is responsible for generating revenue via tournament and event bookings as well as other sponsorship and marketing functions. The position reports to the General Manager.

ESSENTIALS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Tournament and Event Bookings

– Solicit and attract national, regional and local tournament and event operators to MSEC by leveraging the facility’s many amenities.
– Build, manage and maintain a pipeline of prospective customers across all sports (i.e., basketball, volleyball, wrestling, cheer, gymnastics, etc.) and event types (i.e., conferences, conventions, trade shows, meetings, graduations, etc.) to maximize facility utilization and revenue.
– Assist in the management of the booking calendar with a multiyear outlook, ensuring a proper balance between third-party and in-house event dates while assessing the profitability of each and avoiding scheduling conflicts.
– Collaborate with coworkers to ensure contracted events are activated per agreed-upon terms.
Mine for opportunities to upsell (i.e., suite rentals, catering, etc.) and cross-sell (i.e., vendor camps, bulk rentals, etc.).
– Communicate with Memphis Tourism, Memphis Sports Council and like parties regarding prospective booking opportunities.
– Serve as Manager On Duty during assigned shifts, with particular focus on events sold.

Sponsorship and Marketing

– Forward sponsorship leads, as unearthed, to ESM National Director of Business Development.
– Assist in the identification of sellable sponsorship inventory and with deliverables once sold.
– Work with ESM Marketing Department to manage internal marketing efforts (i.e., digital signage, A-frames, etc.), ensuring all messaging is current, relevant and on brand.
– Network with key influencers, strategic partners and other stakeholders by attending community events, conducting tours, etc.

REQUIREMENTS

– 2+ years of sales experience in sports tourism, event booking, sponsorship, ticket sales and/or similar industries.
– Excellent communication skills, including verbal, written and face-to-face.
– Utmost attention to detail, with abilities to prioritize and multitask.
– Strong time management skills.
– Unwavering commitment to customer service and guest experience.
– Professional in appearance, demeanor and communication.
– Proficiency in Google Workspace (i.e., Docs, Sheets, Slides).
– Familiarity with budgets and other business tools and metrics.

SALARY RANGE

$50,000 – $60,000