Partnership Activation & Services Specialist

Mission: We are Hartford Athletic. Our mission is to provide a world class professional soccer experience and make our community the best place to live, work, and play.

Position Summary

The Partnership Activation & Services Specialist is responsible for supporting the fulfillment, execution, and administration of Hartford Athletic’s corporate partnership agreements. This role serves as the primary point of contact for partners after a sponsorship is sold, ensuring contractual obligations are fulfilled, partner experiences exceed expectations, and sponsors receive measurable value throughout the partnership lifecycle.

The position plays a critical role in supporting partner retention through exceptional service, consistent fulfillment, and effective execution of sponsorship activations, hospitality programs, and community initiatives.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, relationship-oriented, and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced sports environment. Success in this role is measured by partner satisfaction, fulfillment accuracy, activation execution, and support of partnership retention efforts.

Work Schedule & Location

Monday through Friday, with additional responsibilities for match days, community events, and other Club events as needed. This is a full-time, in-office position based at Hartford Athletic’s offices and stadium facilities.

Essential Responsibilities

• Partnership Fulfillment & Partner Success

o Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for assigned corporate partners.

o Manage fulfillment of all sponsorship agreements and ensure contractual assets are delivered accurately and on schedule.

o Maintain detailed records of partnership assets, deliverables, activation schedules, and proof-of-performance documentation.

o Conduct regular partner communications to ensure a positive experience and proactively address concerns.

o Support partner ticket fulfillment, utilization campaigns, and ticket-related inquiries in coordination with the Ticketing team.

o Support renewal efforts by ensuring partners receive exceptional service and all contractual obligations are fulfilled.

• Sponsorship Activation & Event Execution

o Coordinate and execute all sponsor activations, promotions, hospitality experiences, and recognition opportunities.

o Coordinate activation logistics with internal departments, vendors, and partners to ensure successful execution.

o Manage on-field presentations, contests, fan engagement activities, and partner events.

o Coordinate sponsor giveaways, fulfillment, and participant logistics.

o Ensure activations are executed professionally and in accordance with contractual commitments.

• Hospitality & Game Day Operations

o Coordinate VIP hospitality and suite fulfillment.

o Welcome partners, prospects, and guests on match days.

o Serve as the primary resource for partner-related questions and issue resolution during events.

o Execute assigned game-day sponsorship assets, activations, hospitality experiences, and promotional elements to ensure contractual obligations are fulfilled.

o Support game-day operations, hospitality execution, and special events as assigned.

o Ensure all sponsorship assets are properly executed and documented during home matches.

• Reporting & Administration

o Maintain SponsorCX and other partnership management systems.

o Assist with sponsorship inventory management and tracking of available partnership assets.

o Maintain fulfillment records, activation schedules, and proof-of-performance documentation.

o Collect and organize proof-of-performance content, including photos, videos, and activation results.

o Assist with the preparation of partnership proposals, presentations, recap reports, and renewal materials.

• Foundation & Business Alliance Support

o Assist with execution of Green & Blue Foundation initiatives, community events, and partner activations.

o Support Hartford Athletic Business Alliance programs and events.

o Represent Hartford Athletic, the Green & Blue Foundation, and Business Alliance programs within the community.

• Cross-Department Collaboration

o Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Ticketing, Operations, and Stadium staff to ensure seamless execution of partnership obligations.

o Assist the Partnerships team with administrative projects, inventory tracking, CRM updates, reporting, process improvements, and other departmental initiatives as assigned.

o Support other organizational priorities as assigned.

Qualifications

o Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience preferred.

o 1-3 years of experience in sponsorship activation, account management, event management, sports marketing, hospitality, customer service, or a related field preferred.

o Strong organizational and project management skills.

o Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.

o Ability to work nights, weekends, and all Hartford Athletic home matches.

o Experience with CRM and partnership management platforms preferred.

Success Measures

o 100% fulfillment of contractual partnership obligations.

o Accurate maintenance of SponsorCX, partnership records, and fulfillment documentation.

o Accurate and timely proof-of-performance reporting.

o Successful execution of activations, hospitality programs, and community initiatives.

o High partner satisfaction and engagement.

o Effective support of partnership retention efforts through exceptional partner service.

o Positive collaboration across departments.