Partnership Solutions Manager

Position Summary:

Buffalo SportsProperties isseekinga proactive, relationship-driven NIL Partnership Solutions Manager to lead the day-to-day activation of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnerships on campus. This role connects brands with student-athletes through impactful campaigns while supporting traditional sponsorship activations.

In this role,you’llserve as the lead activation contact for NIL partners, coordinating integrated marketing campaigns across digital, social, in-venue, and broadcast platforms.You’llalso lead collaborations with sales and university NIL teams to develop creative NIL concepts, craft compelling partner proposals, and translate brandobjectivesinto impactful student-athlete activations. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, takes initiative to solve problems, and excels at communication, creativity, and strategic execution.You’llalso support partner renewals and mentor junior staff.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead the activation of NIL campaigns for a portfolio of partners, managing all aspects of campaign execution, compliance, and fulfillment.

• Serve as the primary liaison between brand partners, student-athletes, and university stakeholders.

• Manage all NILlogistics— including athlete coordination, content approvals, deliverable tracking, and payment processing — to ensure flawless andtimelyexecution of NIL and sponsorship activations.

• Collaborate with creative, digital, events, and university compliance teams to ensure NIL campaigns are engaging, compliant, and strategically aligned.

• Lead NIL recaps, performance reporting, and renewal discussions; contribute to strategic planning for NIL and sponsorship accounts.

• Mentor coordinators and game day staff on NIL campaign execution and industry best practices.

• Identifyprocess improvement opportunities and support adoption of NIL-specific tools, platforms, and workflows.

• Represent the property at brand partner meetings, student-athlete sessions, and university events.

• Ensure all NIL and sponsorshipactivity alignswith Learfield’s brand, contractual obligations, NCAA/state NIL legislation, and university standards.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience in sponsorship activation, NIL partnerships, influencer marketing, account management, or event marketing—preferably in sports or entertainment.

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex NIL and sponsorship projects independently.

• Strong communication, organization, and project management skills across different stakeholder groups.

• Proven success in executing athlete-driven or influencer-style campaigns.

• Experience interpreting NIL contracts and managing deliverables across digital, social, experiential, and in-venue assets.

• High attention to detail and accountability for results.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other planning or CRM tools.

• Ability to work evenings/weekends as needed for game days, NIL activations, and events.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, sports management, ora relatedfield.

• Knowledge of the multimedia rights landscape in collegiate athletics.

• Experience mentoring junior team members or overseeing activation processes.

• Understanding digital and social media best practices within NIL and influencer marketing.

• Experience developing or supporting content strategies for social media, with a clear sense of what drives engagement across different platforms. 

• Familiarity with creative production elements such as graphic design, motion graphics, photography, and social storytelling.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit or stand at a desk formajorityofday.

• Ability to use hands and fingers tooperatea computer, telephone,keyboardand mouse.

• Ability to talk,hearand communicate clearly in person and via phone/video conferencing.