Global Partnerships Manager, Tennis Events

About Mari Group

The Role and What You’ll Do

Sponsorship Sales & Revenue Generation

• Lead partnership sales for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and support with other MARI Tennis events when needed
• Identify, develop, and close high-value sponsorship opportunities across priority categories.
• Maximise sponsorship revenue by developing new relationships and identifying opportunities across priority sectors.
• Identify new categories, brands, and partnership models to drive incremental revenue.
• Contribute to commercial strategy, pricing frameworks, and go-to-market approach across events.
• Stay ahead of market trends to continuously evolve the sponsorship offering and maintain competitive positioning.
• Develop and present bespoke commercial propositions aligned to client objectives and event positioning.
• Lead negotiations through to contract signature, ensuring all commercial terms are delivered.

Business Development

• Proactively identify and approach target brands, agencies, and partners to drive new business.
• Develop strong industry networks and maintain high levels of outbound sales activity.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and sector opportunities to inform sales strategy.
• Contribute to the development of commercial strategy, pricing, and partnership frameworks.
• Identify and commercialise new revenue streams (digital, content, experiential, etc.).

Client Management & Account Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients at senior levels, ensuring high levels of service and retention.
• Manage and grow existing accounts through renewals, upselling, and long-term partnership development.
• Support delivery of partnership rights, working closely with internal teams to ensure excellent execution.
• Act as the senior point of contact for key sponsors, ensuring exceptional client service and delivery.

Pipeline, Reporting & CRM Management

• Maintain accurate CRM records, sales pipeline, and client database.
• Track and report on sales activity, forecasts, and performance against targets.
• Monitor available inventory and ensure optimal yield across all assets.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to senior management.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Event, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Legal teams to deliver integrated partnership solutions.
• Align sponsorship opportunities with event content, audience strategy, and delivery plans.
• Ensure all processes, timelines, and internal workflows are adhered to with strong attention to detail.

Event & Operational Support

• Support on-site delivery of sponsorship and hospitality programmes during events.
• Assist in ensuring partnership rights are executed to a high standard.
• Contribute to post-event reporting and partner feedback processes.

You Have These

• 6+ years’ experience in sponsorship sales, event sales, or commercial partnerships.
• Experience in the UAE and/or Middle East markets (essential).
• Proven track record of delivering high-value sponsorship deals and achieving revenue targets.
• Strong understanding of the end-to-end sales process, from lead generation through to negotiation and contract closure.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage senior client relationships.
• Solid knowledge of the brand and sponsorship landscape, including how brands evaluate and invest in partnerships.
• Experience working across multiple events or properties, ideally within sports or live events.
• Strong capabilities in client presentations, proposal development, and face-to-face sales.
• Existing network of brand and/or agency contacts is highly advantageous.
• Knowledge of tennis or sports sponsorship is a plus.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.

We’d Love If You Also Have These

• Ability to network and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Confident individual with ability to have a positive impact on the culture of the company
• Team player with ability to understand all elements of the event portfolio.
• Ability to handle pressure, remain professional and stay calm when dealing with difficult situations.
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.
• Strong record of accomplishment in a sales role.
• Ability to fit into an existing organisational structure and culture and act as a role model
• Ability to plan and execute a yearly sales cycle for multiple Events.
• Confident individual with ability to have a positive impact on future direction of the series and demonstrable experience in turning leads into contracted revenue.

Travel

• UAE based travel for meetings and networking events
• International travel from time to time to other MARI Events and company meetings

Working Conditions

Working hours are: 9am to 6pm

Benefits

• Here are some of the Benefits and Perks offered at MARI Group:
• Hybrid work environment (blend of in-office and at-home days)
• Pension match and access to a bespoke pension scheme

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Enhanced gyms, wellness and financial wellbeing apps access via Wellhub

• Flexible Paid Time Off