Partnerships Marketing Manager

Overview

The Adelaide Lightning is one of the most iconic franchises in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL), with a proud history of success, an engaged supporter base, and a commitment to empowering women in sport. Backed by the NBL Group and Wollemi Capital Group, and supported by the South Australian Government, the Lightning is entering an exciting new era – on the court, in the community, and with our commercial partners.

Role Purpose

The Manager of Partnerships Marketing is responsible for developing, delivering, and optimising commercial and marketing initiatives that drive revenue, brand growth, and partner value for the Adelaide Lightning.

This role blends strategic commercial thinking with hands-on marketing and PR execution, ensuring our partners receive best-in-class activation, and that the Lightning brand is visible, vibrant, and commercially viable year-round.

Key Responsibilities

Partnership Management & Activation

• Manage the end-to-end delivery of all sponsorship agreements, ensuring contractual obligations are met and exceeded.
• Develop creative, engaging activations that deliver measurable ROI for partners and enhance the fan experience.
• Build strong, long-term relationships with existing partners to drive retention and potential upsell opportunities.
• Prepare and present partnership performance reports, including data-driven insights on activation success and audience engagement.

Commercial Development

• Support the CEO in identifying and securing new sponsorship and partnership opportunities.
• Assist with the creation of tailored partnership proposals, presentations, and pitches.
• Monitor industry trends, competitor activity, and best practice in sports marketing to ensure Lightning remains a market leader.

Marketing, Brand & PR

• Activate and manage all commercial partnerships, ensuring strong delivery and ROI.
• Develop and execute integrated marketing campaigns with partners across digital, media, and community channels.
• Oversee partner activations on game days and at events.
• Coordinate PR opportunities to showcase partnership stories and community initiatives.
• Draft media releases, support player/partner media appearances, and align messaging with the Adelaide Lightning brand.
• Monitor media coverage and provide reporting on partnership and PR outcomes.

Events & Game Day

• Oversee partner activations at home games, community events, and corporate functions.
• Ensure sponsor visibility is maximised across signage, digital platforms, and broadcast integration.
• Collaborate with operations to ensure smooth delivery of in-venue experiences.

Key Skills & Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years' experience in commercial partnerships, sponsorship, marketing or communication (sports or events industry experience desirable).
• Proven track record of managing partner relationships and delivering successful activations.
• Strong understanding of brand marketing, sponsorship leverage, and fan engagement strategies.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Creative thinker with a commercial mindset and the ability to translate ideas into execution.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for women's sport and community engagement.
• Results-driven, proactive, and solutions-focused.
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a dynamic environment.
• Willingness to work outside standard business hours during the season (including game days and events).

What We Offer

• The opportunity to be part of an exciting new chapter for one of Australia's most iconic women's sporting teams.
• A collaborative, high-energy team culture.
• The ability to work closely with elite athletes, major brands, and passionate community stakeholders.
• Career development opportunities within the NBL Group network.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Marketing and Sales

Industries

• Sports Teams and Clubs

#J-18808-Ljbffr

---