Senior Manager, Global Business Development Full Time NEW

The Senior Manager, Global Business Development will be responsible for driving North America revenue growth, developing marquee partnerships, and cultivating new business opportunities across the WSL ecosystem — including events, media, content, digital platforms, and sustainability programs.

Reporting to the SVP, Global Business Development, this individual will be involved in strategic prospecting, pitching, and closing of multi-dimensional partnerships that align with WSL’s brand values, audience, and long-term business strategy. The role is both highly entrepreneurial and deeply collaborative, requiring a strategic thinker and relationship builder who can translate brand needs into world-class, customized partnership solutions. This is a hybrid role, with 3 days in office based out of our Los Angeles headquarters.

Responsibilities include (but not limited to):

Partnership Development

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of WSL’s brand, products, audiences, and global positioning within the sports and entertainment ecosystem to articulate a unique and compelling commercial narrative.
• Identify, qualify, and secure new partners across our portfolio of events.
• Create customized, year-round partnership programs that leverage WSL’s media, digital, event, and community assets in authentic, value-driven ways aligned with partner objectives to generate measurable ROI.
• Incorporate data and analytics to evaluate opportunities, forecast revenue potential, and optimize performance.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospective partners, maintaining disciplined tracking, forecasting, and reporting through CRM tools (Salesforce or similar).

Collaboration and Integration

• Work cross-functionally with internal teams, including Marketing, Content, Broadcast, Digital, Athlete Relations, and Event Operations, to design innovative partnership platforms and deliver commercially sound, scalable solutions.
• Partner with internal WSL teams to ensure sales strategy aligns with WSL’s brand purpose, creative vision, and organizational priorities.
• Guarantee seamless transitions of new partners to the Marketing Partnerships team for activation and sustained success, ensuring continuity and excellent client service.

Performance and Growth

• Consistently deliver annual sales growth objectives and contribute to long-term revenue planning.
• Maintain a disciplined, transparent pipeline management process using CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce or similar) to track progress, forecast revenue, and report performance.
• Contribute to special projects and cross-department initiatives that advance WSL’s broader commercial strategy.

Qualifications & Experience:

• 3-5+ years of experience in sports, entertainment, media, or brand partnership sales, with a proven record of securing six figure deals.
• Network of decision maker relationships across brands, agencies, and categories relevant to WSL’s ecosystem.
• Experience in consultative, solution-based sales, with the ability to translate brand objectives into creative, data-driven partnership concepts.
• Deep understanding of the evolving sports and entertainment landscape, including integrated commercial models across media, content, experiential, digital, sustainability-driven marketing, and purpose-led storytelling.
• Experience working within or alongside sports properties (e.g., Collegiate Athletics, NBA, NHL, PGA, MLS) strongly preferred.
• Passion for surfing, action sports, or ocean sustainability preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.

Personal Attributes:

• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and initiative who thrives in ambiguity.
• Strategic and creative thinker who thrives in dynamic, high-growth environments.
• Collaborative communicator who inspires confidence, fosters innovation, and drives results through building influence, alignment, and trust.
• Strong storyteller with the ability to articulate WSL’s brand purpose and partnership value proposition with authenticity, clarity, and enthusiasm.
• High integrity, professionalism, and self-awareness; demonstrates passion for WSL’s mission and the broader surfing community.
• Globally minded with cultural fluency and an appreciation for diversity, inclusion, and sustainability.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary, commensurate with experience.
• Commission and performance-based incentives tied to sales goals and revenue growth.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V

Salary Range: $95,000-$110,000 based on relevant experience

Tagged as: business development, california, senior manager, USA, world surf league, wsl