Job Title: Director, Partnerships

Terms of Employment: Vacant, Permanent, Full-Time

Reports To: VP, Partnerships

Location: Toronto (Hybrid)

T1 is a full-stack sponsorship and experiences agency driven by purpose, powered by community.

In a sea of sameness, where brands are fighting to be seen and struggling to be felt, we create bold, unforgettable partnerships and experiences that ignite real communities. From integrated campaigns and live experiences to sponsorship platforms, we turn big ideas into moments that move people and make an impact.

Because in a world of skips, blocks, and being ignored, we build what lasts: trust, connection, and belonging.
 

Role Overview:

As Director, Partnerships at T1, you are a strategic leader, trusted advisor, and steward of long-term relationships. You bring perspective to complexity and clarity to opportunity, guiding clients and teams through the full lifecycle of partnership strategy, valuation, negotiation, and execution.

You understand that great partnerships balance commercial rigour with cultural insight. You know how to structure value, navigate negotiations, and lead teams delivering sophisticated, multi-partner programs, without losing sight of the relationships that make them work.

In this role, you’ll sit at the intersection of strategy, client leadership, and team development, helping shape both our work and our reputation in the industry.

 Key Responsibilities:  

• Shape partnership strategy from the start: lead discovery and strategic development across sponsorship portfolios, translating client business goals into clear partnership platforms, roadmaps, and recommendations.

• Bring partnerships to life: define how strategy shows up in structure, assets, and execution, ensuring partnerships are not only commercially sound but culturally relevant and creatively inspiring.

• Value what matters: lead sponsorship valuation and pricing using impression-based, ROI, ROO, and comparative benchmarking approaches to ensure fair, defensible, and strategic investment decisions.

• Design and negotiate smart deals: structure partnership agreements that balance brand objectives, partner value, and long-term growth, and lead negotiations with confidence, clarity, and integrity.

• Build partnership frameworks: create and price sponsorship packages and asset hierarchies that make value clear, scalable, and easy to activate for brands and properties.

• Lead client relationships with perspective: serve as a senior advisor to clients, providing clear counsel, thoughtful challenge, and long-term partnership guidance that builds trust and momentum.

• Grow the work and the relationship: identify opportunities to deepen and extend partnerships across T1’s broader capabilities, contributing to organic growth and new business efforts.

• Lead and develop teams: coach and mentor high-performing teams across multiple programs, setting clear direction, supporting growth, and holding a high bar for quality and collaboration.

• Guide delivery with accountability: oversee timelines, budgets, and scope, reviewing strategic and analytical outputs to ensure work is clear, rigorous, and ready for client impact.

• Advance our practice: contribute to the evolution of internal tools, frameworks, and best practices that strengthen how T1 thinks, structures, and delivers partnership work.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• 8+ years in sports and entertainment partnerships within an agency, brand, property, or a combination of environments.

• Proven ability to lead partnership strategy end to end, from valuation and structuring through negotiation and execution, aligned to clear business objectives.

• Strong strategic, commercial, and negotiation judgement, with excellent presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Experienced in building and selling sponsorship packages and frameworks, and in leading conversations with senior clients and partners.

• Proven people leader, with experience coaching teams and guiding complex, multi-partner programs.

• We know great partnership leaders come from different paths. If you bring strong judgement, commercial rigour, and a collaborative leadership mindset, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement listed above.

You’ll Thrive Here If You:

• Bring structure and clarity to complex partnership challenges, navigating ambiguity and returning with smart, defensible paths forward.

• Think in systems, not just deals, connecting business objectives, brand strategy, and partner value to shape partnerships that actually work in the real world.

• Lead through collaboration, building trust across clients, partners, and internal teams through clear thinking, strong communication, and follow-through.

• Balance rigour with perspective, using data, experience, and judgement to make confident decisions without losing sight of people and context.

• Believe partnerships can do more than deliver exposure, and are motivated by using strategy and creativity to build community, trust, and lasting impact.

At T1, you will enjoy: 

• Base salary: $110,000–$135,000 annually, commensurate with experience, plus eligibility for a discretionary annual bonus.

• Annual salary reviews 

• Competitive, employer paid benefits package 

• Three weeks of paid vacation 

• 10 “T1” days – Hint: extra-long, long weekends 

• Having the day to yourself on your birthday 

• Flexible work from home options 

• Opportunities for your continued learning and development 

• Continuous real-time feedback on your development and progress 

What We Do Is Hard Work. So, We Take Care Of Each Other

We value the diversity of the people we hire and are committed to ensuring that our workplace is one where everyone feels represented, safe and welcome. The T1 Agency welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Our teammates are people we like to hang out with. We enjoy a collaborative environment and regular social events. We understand the importance of enjoying your birthday somewhere other than the office, heading up to the cottage early on a long weekend, bringing your dog to work, and having a cold beverage on Friday.

Join us!