At Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Partnership (MLSE), we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that is representative of our community and where all employees feel they belong and can reach their full potential. We are Canada’s preeminent leader in delivering top quality sport and entertainment experiences and one of North America’s leading providers of exceptional fan experiences. We are the parent company of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts and development teams with the Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League), Raptors 905 (NBA G League), Toronto FC II (MLS NEXT Pro League) and Raptors Uprising Gaming Club, the Toronto Raptors Esports franchise in the NBA 2K League.

MLSE owns and/or operates all the venues our teams play and train in, including Scotiabank Arena, BMO Field, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Ford Performance Centre, BMO Training Ground, and OVO Athletic Centre. We also provide fans in Toronto with incredible live music and entertainment events, as well as exceptional culinary experiences through our restaurants (e11even and RS) and clubs (Hot Stove Club, ScotiaClub and Platinum Club). Through MLSE Foundation, we have invested more than $45 million into Ontario communities since 2009 and with MLSE LaunchPad, we provide a place where youth facing barriers use sport to recognize and reach their potential.

We achieve all of this through our Common Purpose - to unite and empower our employees to create extraordinary moments for our fans and each other. Come be a part of the team.

Global partnerships – Who We Are

We are the voice of cheering and of changing. We are the heart, soul, and hustle of hard work. We are the fans, we are the families, we are Global Partnerships.

We work together, we learn together, we rise together. Our successes and our failures have equally set the foundation for every deck, decision, pitch, and partner we make moving forward.

Our teams, our fans, and our stories create award winning, internationally recognized, best in class partnerships that set, raise, and exceed expectation. We aim to be recognized as leaders through our people, properties, and partners.

We celebrate the diversity, individuality, and personality of our peers, striving to be the best in class, in every class. We believe in Respect, Resilience, Commitment, and Ambition. We work for, with, and around the people that inspire us to try, persist, and achieve more.

Our work transcends games, seasons, trophies, and tours. Our success is measured by more than a scoreboard. Our team is stronger when we stand united. We create, we celebrate, we build, and we become better.

What we choose to do next, means everything. It defines greatness, builds character, makes history, and brings the world to its feet.

So, Are You In?

MLSE is looking for an experienced partnership sales professional to help lead the growth and development of new partnership businesses for the organization. The Director of Partnership Development should be an experienced negotiator, with the proven ability to continuously prospect, develop, and sell impactful and innovative partnerships. They should be passionate about being part of a team. Reporting to the Senior Director, Global Partnerships, this role will focus on the development of new partnerships for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, and Argonauts.

The ideal candidate will be a creative, energetic, and organized thought leader with a strong competence for business development. You must be skilled at identifying and engaging contacts at brands and in new categories, generating strong prospect volume, and creating new partnerships that drive MLSE’s revenue targets including net new 7-figure partnerships. You are a dynamic and driven individual who exudes positivity and brings an uplifting energy to every task. Thriving in a fast-paced environment where each day presents new challenges, you embrace change with enthusiasm and adaptability. Your commitment to growth is evident in your eagerness to both receive and provide constructive feedback, constantly seeking opportunities to learn and step outside your comfort zone. With outstanding client communication and presentation skills, you confidently lead conversations and foster strong relationships. Highly responsible and accountable, you consistently deliver on promises, take initiative, and remain solutions-focused. Your ability to think strategically while executing tasks with precision allows you to envision the big picture and drive impactful results.

• Continually reimagine the status quo and build breakthrough marketing partnerships for prospective new partners.
• Lead the partnership development process from the initial touchpoint through contract execution.
• Initiate discussions with potential new partners (client direct & agencies) to understand objectives and budget; able to build strong and trusted relationships with senior clients up to and including C-level.
• Provide thought leadership during the ideation phase; develop customized, integrated, and creative partnership proposals that demonstrate insight and knowledge of clients’ business, and MLSE’s unique value proposition.
• Lead presentations and negotiate partnerships through conclusion of contract phase.
• Mobilizing internal cross-functional experts, lead an internal working team through the development and sales process, both within the MLSE Global Partnerships team and more broadly across the company, creating advocates for new partnerships and unlocking new opportunities.
• Utilize data, research tools to prospect and identify prospects in new categories, to demonstrate how MLSE’s values and properties align with a prospect’s target markets and corporate values.
• Develop a deep and thorough understanding of the partner or prospect’s business and competitive environment, building partnerships that deliver against business objectives for the partner and drive affinity for MLSE’s teams in the marketplace.
• Proactively identify and manage critical issues; demonstrate resilience and adapt to evolving plans and strategies; where conflicting issues on partnerships arise, able to find solutions along with the internal team.
• Stay current with all facets of the dynamic marketing mix, including digital, social media, experiential, print, and broadcast; equipped with creativity and innovative ideas.
• Help lead long-term department initiatives and projects.
• Achieve revenue targets, and provide regular status reports.
• Lead with inclusive behavior; you seek to understand how others view and experience the world.
• Build, develop, and maintain excellent relationships, up to the executive level – both internally and externally.

Note: Before reviewing the qualifications listed below, we want you to know that we understand you may not meet all the qualifications described and have other relevant expertise and experience.  We invite you to please share this with us in the "Message to the Hiring Manager" section of our online application. 

• Post-secondary degree or diploma, preferably in a business-related discipline.
• 8-10+ years of partnership development and sales or related and meaningful experience.
• Preferred proficiency in brand marketing and integrated partnerships.
• Proven prospector with a track record of securing meetings.
• Self-motivated to set and chase ambitious goals, works well with minimal supervision.
• A positive, winning approach, incorporating integrity, confidentiality, and discretion.
• Deep understanding of new media and a desire to stay current on emerging digital platforms.
• Ability to build and maintain professional relationships both internally and externally.
• Thrives in a dynamic team environment, with the ability to productively handle multiple priorities.
• Shown to perform well under pressure; handle multiple priorities at the same time.
• Ability to build and develop professional relationships both inside and outside of the organization with ease.
• Available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays at MLSE’s various venues as required/when applicable – this is the sports and entertainment business, after all.

Apply by: April 3rd, 2024

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

At MLSE, we are committed to building an equitable, diverse and inclusive organization.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability. MLSE will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in the job application process. If you have difficulty using our online application system and you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email [email protected]. Please note this email is only for accommodation requests. Resumes sent to this email address will not be considered.