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Partnership Marketing Manager
Manchester City
City Football Group (CFG) is the holding company established to oversee the creation and administration of a network of linked clubs and other footballing operations under the aegis of Manchester City.
Job Posted- 11 Dec 2025
Status- Full Time
Location- United Arab Emirates, UAE
Closing date- 11 Jan 2026
Based in Abu Dhabi and working closely with the Senior Partnership Marketing Manager – MENA, the Partnership Marketing Manager will be responsible for managing a portfolio of CFG’s global & regional commercial partners, with a focus on the Middle East. Responsibility and remit for these partnerships will be end to end, including all associated partnership planning and activation programmes.
The Partnership Marketing Manager will be required to work closely and effectively with the Partnership Marketing and Operations teams, as well as other club departments, to deliver outstanding quality of service. As a core member of the Partnership Marketing Team (EMEA) this role will be expected to contribute across all core pillars of the department.
Please be aware, this is a fixed-term contract and will end on 31st December 2026.
This is Your City
As part of our team, you will be entitled to 26 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday, private healthcare and a Simply Health cash plan, an annual discretionary bonus, plus a range of partnership and lifestyle discounts.
Your Impact
- Leads on the consistent framework that enables Partners to develop compelling, competitive partnership strategies and activation plans. Fuels this process with insight and expertise and involves other Club departments as appropriate.
- Immerses in the world of the partner, building a rich appreciation of their environment and a detailed understanding of objectives, opportunities and challenges. Explores areas where the respective outlooks (Club and Partner) share a commonality. Assesses opportunities to collaborate and maximise the return for both businesses.
- Works in tandem with the Partnerships Operations team to ensure all Partnership rights are delivered with maximum effectiveness and efficiency. Continually looks for opportunities to refine and maximise ways of working.
- Supports the Club’s regional objectives for the MENA region working closely with other departments including marketing and FRM.
- Adopts an ‘objectives and measurement-focused’ mindset, enabling the department to build a full and true picture around the impact of the Partnerships. Engages Partners and works with them to co-create rich stories that demonstrate the power of association, with clear thread throughout (linking objectives to tangible results).
- Takes the lead role in creating full end of season reports for Partners and explores innovative ways to present/tell the stories both internally and externally. Explores opportunities for awards submissions and other recognition/accreditation.
- When workloads allow, the Partnership Marketing Manager will be expected to work collaboratively with Partnership Sales Manager and the Partnership Planning team to help shape compelling proposals. Attends meetings and pitches as required, to offer insight and expertise in relevant fields such as Digital and Media
- Supports the Senior Partnership Marketing Manager in developing renewal strategies each season, providing Partner and category insight wherever relevant.
What we are looking for
Essential
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent
- Familiar with sport sponsorship contracts and rights packages
- Skilled in partner/client service
- Knowledge of the Middle East landscape & culture
- Strong digital literacy
- Skilled digital management/consultancy
- Strong team ethic and collaborative nature – confident managing multiple stakeholders
- Flexible working attitude and approachable to respond to immediate business needs
- Solid commercial experience and acumen, with an inherent interest in this area
- Availability to travel for business needs
- Experienced/capable across all aspects of marketing and sponsorship, including:
- Strategy & Planning
- Activation & Rights Delivery
- Integrated communications
- Results Analysis & recommendations
- Negotiations & renewals
Desirable
- Competence in additional language (Arabic)
- Exposed to a rights-holder/club environment
- Exposed to overseas markets/business cultures
- Exposed to brands in the Middle East
- Post-graduate digital qualifications/courses
- Further marketing/sports-related credentials (Masters/Diploma).
How to Apply
Please click “Apply Now” to begin your application.