Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager

Position at Portland Trail Blazers

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 Business Development Manager, you'll help create and secure new commercial partnerships by connecting the objectives of prospective partners with the power of the Trail Blazers brand, our fans and our platforms.

You'll research prospective partners, uncover their business and marketing priorities, and translate those insights into compelling partnership ideas and integrated platforms. Rather than simply selling assets, you'll work collaboratively to develop solutions grounded in brand strategy, audience insight, storytelling and measurable outcomes.

We're interested in candidates from a range of backgrounds. You may already have experience in sales, or you may be a marketer, brand-side professional or partnership strategist looking to apply your skills in a more commercially focused role. You could also come from partnership activation or delivery and be ready to make the move into new business development.

Whatever your path, you'll be curious about brands and their challenges, confident in building relationships, and motivated by the opportunity to turn strong marketing ideas into new revenue.

If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear more about your story! We encourage you to submit a resume along with a brief letter of interest explaining how your experience and career goals align with this opportunity.

DAY-TO-DAY:

• Build and nurture relationships with brand marketers and agencies through regular outreach, networking events and Trail Blazers games.
• Develop and manage a pipeline of prospective partners across assigned business categories, from early research through proposal development, negotiation and contract execution.
• Lead discovery conversations with prospective partners to understand their business objectives, target audiences and marketing priorities, uncovering where a Trail Blazers partnership can create meaningful value.
• Partner with Commercial Strategy, Partnership Marketing and other internal teams to develop insight-led partnership concepts and platforms.
• Create customized presentations and proposals that bring ideas to life through strong strategy, storytelling and creative thinking.
• Present strategies and platforms to senior decision makers, framing Trail Blazers assets around the brand's objectives.
• Collaborate across the organization, including Marketing, Community, Ticketing, Premium, Events, Digital, Content, Finance and Technology, to build credible and deliverable partnership programs.
• Track prospecting activity and pipeline status in KORE CRM, and share regular updates on progress and support needs.
• Stay informed about marketing trends, consumer behavior, emerging platforms, and developments across sports, entertainment and culture to shape partnership ideas.

WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU:

• Experience in business development, marketing, brand strategy, partnership marketing and activation, agency account management or another relevant field.
• A strong understanding of marketing fundamentals, including brand strategy, audience identification, storytelling, campaign development and measurement.
• The ability to understand a marketer's objectives and translate them into compelling partnership ideas.
• Strong written, verbal and visual communication skills, with the ability to develop clear and persuasive presentations.
• Confidence in building relationships and communicating with clients, agencies and internal stakeholders.
• Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in learning about different companies, industries and business challenges.
• A commercial mindset and motivation to develop the prospecting, negotiation and closing skills required to succeed in business development.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple prospects, projects and deadlines.
• The ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across different teams and disciplines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn and consistently use CRM systems.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and travel when required.

WE'D BE THRILLED IF YOU ALSO HAVE:

• An understanding of how brands develop strategies, allocate budgets and evaluate partnership opportunities.
• Experience in sports, entertainment, media, partnerships or experiential marketing.
• Experience developing or delivering integrated partnerships across digital, social, content, media, events, community and hospitality.
• Experience working directly with brand marketers or agency teams.
• Exposure to prospecting, pitching, negotiation or revenue-generating responsibilities.
• An understanding of how partnership performance can be measured against marketing and business objectives.
• A strong interest in developing a career in partnerships and business development.

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:

• Starting Salary: $100,000.00 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