Partnership Strategy Manager

Brand: Trail Blazers
Category: Commercial Partnerships
Department: Partnership Strategy
Job Type: Full-Time
Date Posted: Oct 21, 2025

Description

Become a part of the team behind the team.

As employees of the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter, we do more than basketball. We are blazing trails toward winning championships on and off the court.

We are pioneers and innovators. We look for people who push boundaries, who dream, who are committed to inclusivity – who want to contribute to Rip City!

As our Partnership Strategy Manager,you’ll shape how the Portland Trail Blazers connect with partners and fans by developing strategies that deliver measurable impact. You’ll leverage creative problem-solving, data, and cross-functional collaboration to design and implement fan-centric and revenue-driving initiatives that create value for both the organization and our commercial partners. You’ll also lead ideation, storytelling, and insight-driven initiatives that fuel new business and renewals, serving as a strategic architect and trusted internal consultant.

Our ideal candidate is a strategic and creative thinker with a strong marketing background and working knowledge of sports partnerships. We’re looking for someone who thrives on building strong relationships, collaborating across teams, and turning insights into actionable, results-driven strategies. If you’re passionate about creating impactful, measurable partnerships that combine creativity and data to drive revenue, we want to hear from you! Apply by October 31, 2025.

Note to Applicants:This role will involve developing presentations for internal and external stakeholders. To showcase your skills in this space, we encourage you to include a sample of relevant work (e.g., portfolio, pitchbook, or other projects) in your application.

DAY-TO-DAY:

• Lead partnership ideation and platform development from concept through internal review and proposal.
• Guide partnership development conversations internally, aligning partnership strategy with department and organizational goals.
• Craft compelling partnership storytelling and presentation materials that highlight data-driven impact and creative value propositions.
• Build and maintain internal resources, including a case study library showcasing best-in-class activations and measurable outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Partnership Analyst and BI team to develop and interpret partnership dashboards, ROI/ROO frameworks, and success metrics.
• Translate data and insights into actionable recommendations that inform revenue planning and enhance partner engagement.
• Develop and execute a Revenue Growth Action Plan, identifying key renewal, upselling, and new business opportunities.
• Conduct category landscape analyses to identify whitespace and market trends that inform new partner targeting.
• Lead assigned high-priority renewals, upsells, or new business pursuits, managing everything from ideation to packagingand storytelling in collaboration with Sales and Activation.
• Contribute to department-wide planning efforts, aligning partnership strategy with organizational goals.
  

WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU:

• Have proven experience in brand, sponsorship, or partnership marketing.
• Are skilled in data-driven storytelling, crafting compelling narratives that balance creative vision with measurable business outcomes.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of media, digital, and omnichannel marketing.
• Are proficient in leveraging research, analytics, and cultural insights to inform strategy.
• Are experienced in managing complex projects and solving problems creatively, with the ability to balance the priorities of both the Trail Blazers and partners.
• Have excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills, working effectively with internal teams and external stakeholders to align partnership initiatives with organizational goals.
• Are comfortable working game nights, networking events, and sales meetings as needed.

WE’D BE THRILLED IF YOU ALSO HAVE:

• Experience working in sports partnerships, with advanced knowledge of the sports industry or other brand collaboration partnerships and taking partnerships from concept to execution.
• Relationship management expertise, cultivating strong, mutually beneficial connections with partners.
• Proven success in developing and driving strategic commercial partnership plans.

Offers of employment are conditional upon the successful results of an individual background check. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories and review results on an individual basis.

The Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter embraces diversity and inclusion. We celebrate individual expression and uniqueness on our campus. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination. We are committed to hiring individuals that reflect the community we serve without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. We are an equal opportunity employer.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

PERKS:

We invest in our employees inside and outside of work. Our benefits package for full-time teammates includes:

• Salary Range: $93,000 - $100,000 annually
• Competitive Healthcare Coverage
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Maternal & Parental Leave
• Flexible Time Off (3 weeks + 11 holidays)
• Wellness Perks
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Free Parking + Discounted Mass Transit Passes
• Discounted & Complimentary Tickets
• Ongoing Learning & Development
• Daily Free Lunch