Posted: 6 September 2021
Link to Apply: https://www.cricketireland.ie/images/uploads/news_images/commercial_partnerships_executive_-_job_description_0609.pdf
BACKGROUND
Cricket Ireland is the governing body for the men’s and women’s game throughout Ireland, with ultimate responsibility for its national and international aspects. The future of Irish cricket is very bright given the growth of the sport driven by significant success on the international stage in the last decade leading to an unprecedented visibility for Irish cricket at home and abroad.
Our emergence as a sport of national significance is growing following the elevation of Cricket Ireland to ICC Full Membership and Test Status, along with entry into the sport’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) that now sees Ireland playing all three formats of the game at the highest level for the foreseeable future.
At the beginning of 2021, the Board of Cricket Ireland issued its new Strategic Plan 2021-2023. This strategy is part of a two-stage approach designed to synchronise with the ICC funding cycle to ensure that resources will be available for a more expansive strategy from 2024 onwards – with the entire span of the period 2021-2031 shaped to deliver the overall vision to ‘Make Cricket Mainstream’ in Ireland.
ROLE AND PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The new strategic plan outlines the need to invest further in our foundations to ensure we have a stronger, more sustainable platform to realise our longer-term vision and objectives. The generation of significant and sustainable commercial income will be one of the primary means of building this platform, albeit that the Board is equally cognisant of the importance of the visibility and reach of the game domestically to help achieve the overall vision to ‘Make Cricket Mainstream’ in Ireland.
Over the years, Cricket Ireland has developed a very strong portfolio of commercial partnerships and sponsorships, across all levels of the game from the grassroots all the way to the international arena. We greatly value our commercial partners and pride ourselves in ensuring their association with Irish cricket is harmonious and mutually beneficial, at a professional and personal level.
To this end we are recruiting for an executive to work closely with our commercial partners to ensure that we not only deliver contractual obligations, but also that we deliver added value wherever possible. The successful candidate in this role will understand that servicing these relationships is a key component of ensuring happy partners benefitting from their association with Irish cricket, and keen to renew their relationship with us.
REPORTING TO
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Senior Management Team
Events team
Media & Communications Manager
Marketing Manager
Participation Team
CI Sponsors & Corporate Members
Provincial Union General Managers and Chairpersons
Agencies
Media
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Day to day operational point of contact with commercial partners
Manage internal relationships with all CI functions (including MarComms, Events, Finance, Participation, High Performance, and support departments) to ensure that
contractual obligations are delivered to commercial partners and to also enable the Commercial Dept to add value where possible
Work in collaboration with all sponsors to put in place an annual activation plan (including social media) for each one and deliver on implementation and on all sponsor entitlements
Work with CCO on preparation and management of Budgets, Forecasting and Reporting
Create and manage PO’s for all activity undertaken by the Commercial Department
Support Finance department on collection of any monies due from sponsors
Liaise with Finance to ensure all taxation elements are considered and understood on all new sponsorship contracts
Support the CCO by identifying targets and being part of the sales process to attract
new sponsors and corporate members on an ongoing basis
Organise Stakeholder Workshops along with sponsor presentations with key sponsors
Work with Events and Marcoms departments for the delivery and co-ordination of sponsor match-day entitlements to include matchday requirements (e.g. signage, programmes, big screen advertising, stands, branding of gifts and prizes)
Design, delivery, sale, and execution of Cricket Ireland Corporate Membership Packages
Implement and deliver sponsor online engagement plans (ensuring sponsor is acknowledged/recognised over CI social media within the agreed number of exposures per month/year etc.)
Record and update sponsor and customer data on CRM systems
Maintain Corporate section on Cricket Ireland website
Manage relationship with Cricket Ireland Corporate Members
Liaise with the CCO to develop corporate database
Actively seek new sponsorship opportunities to grow sponsorship revenue and to raise profile of Cricket Ireland
Support the Events Department with on-site support for all International and Domestic events
Provide to hospitality manager list of invitees for corporate events
Liaise with sponsors to ensure attendance at corporate events
Assist with co-ordination of hospitality for sponsor events
Support the Events team with the delivery of the Annual Awards and to co-ordinate sponsor involvement/representation
Other sponsorship or commercial requirements as directed by CCO
In close liaison with the Marketing Manager work on the delivery and implementation of marketing strategies including:
o Regular comms of all sponsors on all relevant CI communication platforms/outlets
o Promotional development and distribution
o Social media support
o Liaise with suppliers/benefactors
o General admin of the above
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Background in Sponsorship contract management
Understanding of managing relationships with business stakeholders
Account management experience Sales and Lead Generation experience
Excellent administrative skills
Exceptionally organised, be able to work under pressure, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously
Attention to detail with excellent written and communication skills
Ability to prioritise, work on own initiative and as part of a team
Experience of working on CRM systems
Expert knowledge of the MS office – Office, Word, Excel & PowerPoint
Ability to work under pressure including unsocial hours, evenings, weekends, public holidays as the sport requires, in particular during the months of April – September
Ability to travel, with own transport, nationally
This role is evolutionary and the postholder may be required to undertake duties not specifically outlined in this Job Description.
REMUNERATION
The package will include a competitive salary range commensurate with qualifications, skills and experience and will include mobile phone and laptop for business use.
The position is full time and 2-year fixed term.
PROCESS
The closing date for applications will be Friday 17 September 2021, 5 pm BST. Applicants will need to be eligible to work within the EU & UK.
A detailed letter of application and full CV should be sent by email to recruitment@cricketireland.ie with the subject ‘Commercial Partnerships Executive’. Your application will be retained as confidential. Please advise where you saw the vacancy.
Interviews will be conducted on or around 23/24 September with an expected start date of around 18 October 2021.
Name of Author: Cricket Ireland
Cricket Ireland, officially known as The Irish Cricket Union Company Limited by Guarantee, is the governing body for cricket on the island of Ireland. It oversees the national men’s and women’s teams and organizes the Inter-Provincial Series, Super 3s, and All-Ireland club competitions. Ireland achieved Test status for women in 2000 and for men in 2017 when it became a Full Member of the ICC.
