Canadian Football League
Director, Global Partnerships
Canadian Football LeagueCanada21 hours ago
Full-timeRemote FriendlyBusiness Development, Sales
Summary

Position Title: Director, Global Partnerships

Department: Global Partnerships

Status: Full-time/ Permanent

Reports to: Associate Vice President, Global Partnerships

Location: Toronto, ON

Application Deadline: October 24, 2025

Company Descripton

The Canadian Football League is Canada's home for professional football. With over a century of rich history and nine member teams across the nation, the CFL provides world-class entertainment and excitement to a passionate and dedicated fan base. A season-long journey of unforgettable moments and must-see-TV broadcasts culminates in Canada’s largest single-day sporting event – the Grey Cup, where the newly crowned champions earn the right to hoist the iconic emblem of Canadian football.

The CFL leads a global movement to grow and modernize the game. The league is committed to a global vision as it connects with fans around the world. It is transforming into a digital-first sports league through an innovative, first-of-its-kind partnership with Genius Sports to maximize fan engagement through data analytics, technological advances, and sports betting.

Just as important as its industry-leading operations, the CFL proudly champions the values on which Canada was built – unity, diversity, inclusion, strength, and service to the community. The league is supportive of all peoples, cultures, and backgrounds, offering a respectful and inclusive working and playing environment, centered on acceptance and understanding. The CFL's successes are measured not only on the field and within its ranks, but also in its unparalleled impact in affecting positive change and bettering Canadian communities and lives.

Position Summary

The CFL is seeking an experienced and results-driven sponsorship sales professional to join our Partnerships team. As Director, Global Partnerships, you will be responsible for developing and selling integrated, IP-based partnership programs and media solutions that align with client brand goals and business objectives.

As a key representative of the League and its nine member clubs, you will cultivate relationships with national brands and agencies, identify new business opportunities, and build long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships. The ideal candidate brings a strategic, solutions-oriented mindset, a collaborative approach to negotiation, and a proven ability to generate and convert a robust pipeline of qualified prospects.

Responsibilities

New Business Development

  • Work with the Partnerships, Events, Digital and Marketing teams at the League office, and the nine member Clubs, to generate integrated national sponsorship and digital media agreements.
  • Share best practices and develop strategies that maximize corporate partnership revenue potential and integrated digital media solutions for the League and CFL Ventures. – the commercial arm of the CFL.
  • Create and develop new partnership opportunities within the parameters established by the AVP, Global Partnerships.
  • Research, prospect and establish partnership leads, before engaging in introductory needs analysis, discovery, and consultation meetings to understand brand objectives to identify creative opportunities to deliver against them.
  • Develop deep, meaningful relationships with decision makers at national brands and agencies across Canada.
  • Negotiate sponsorship and digital media deals with support and guidance from the AVP, Global Partnerships, and in collaboration with colleagues within the Global Partnerships department.
  • Maintain a robust new business pipeline of partnership prospects throughout the year, generated through research, prospecting and strategic outreach.
  • Manage reports and prospect development through sales tracking software (CRM).
  • Support the AVP, Global Partnerships, as required to achieve revenue goals.

Best Practices, Research and Resource Management

  • Identify strategies for improving the League’s approach to driving partnership and digital media revenue for the League office and member clubs. This includes the identification of best-in-class selling tools and processes that drive success.
  • Understand the League’s dynamic and in-house capabilities to uncover integrated opportunities that also benefits other departments and League priorities.
  • Maintain information and research on target-specific categories across the CFL member clubs, to avoid corporate partnership conflicts.
  • Work closely with the Global Partnerships, Digital and Marketing teams, to coordinate and create presentation materials consistent with the premium and progressive nature of the League and its member clubs, by sourcing photos, videos, research (League and Team data), case studies, and more to support the CFL Partnership group and to establish the League’s overall value proposition.

Qualifications & Skills

  • Bachelor's degree in business/commerce/marketing or equivalent.
  • Minimum 8+ years in a direct sports and entertainment corporate partnerships business development role.
  • Demonstrated track record to business development and sales, generating strategic partnerships.
  • Established relationships and experience within the sports and media industry in Canada is a definite asset.
  • Strong understanding of Canadian football is a definite asset.
  • Strong working knowledge of digital media & sponsorship marketing with a specific focus on best practices and principles related to the sale and implementation of corporate partnerships and creative digital & experiential activations, including:
  • Intellectual Property Rights
  • Digital and social media platforms
  • Brand activation and promotion across all key touchpoints (events, retail, multimedia) and key stakeholders (consumer, employee, trade)
  • Working knowledge of other key marketing concepts and functions including Media (TV, Radio, Print, Digital, Mobile); brand strategy and positioning; marketing metrics (broadcast ratings, research in brand and promotion tracking)
  • A strategic and creative thinker, with exceptional interpersonal skills.
  • A compelling communicator and presenter with strong written and verbal skills.
  • Highly organized with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple tasks concurrently.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Suite. Advanced understanding of MC PowerPoint and other creative presentation software is preferred.

Key Relationships & Contacts

  • Chief Revenue Officer
  • AVP Global Partnerships
  • Global Partnerships Team
  • External stakeholders

Other Considerations

  • Hybrid Model: The incumbent will be required to attend the office in accordance to the CFL Hybrid Work Policy. In addition, you are required to attend meetings and other business events at the office or other venues as business needs dictate.
  • Work Schedule: Due to the nature of the business, the incumbent must be available and willing to work evenings, weekends and holidays as required. Must work game days or other special events to entertain new and existing partners and prospects as required.
  • Travel: Must be able to travel, as required. Must have a valid driver’s license.

Contact

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit your cover letter and application.

The Canadian Football League is an equal opportunity employer, and we are working to create a more diverse and inclusive work environment. We welcome applications from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people living with disabilities and people identifying as LGBTQ2S+.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. For additional information on the Canadian Football League, please visit our website at www.cfl.ca.

Key Skills

Ranked by relevance
Apply