About the role
Director, Commercial Sponsorship
Sales Marketing and Communications
About Us
We were born from an eclectic troop of performers. Come live the experience of being yourself every day to create the extraordinary.
Our Mission
Since 1984, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group has been focusing on ever more creative and magical work in order to constantly push the limits of the imagination and surprise spectators! Innovation and creativity are at the heart of our shows and will continue to transcend our upcoming productions around the world.
The Opportunity
As Director, Commercial Sponsorship, you will serve as the strategic business development engine for Cirque du Soleil's touring shows, responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and executing commercial partnerships that generate incremental revenue, reduce operating costs, and elevate the guest experience. Working closely with Show General Managers, the VP, Commercial, and the VP, Sponsorship, you will act as both a local market catalyst and an enterprise connector, converting regional opportunities into tangible business value while ensuring alignment with Cirque du Soleil's broader commercial and partnership strategy. This role is for a commercially driven, relationship-first leader who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and knows how to turn connections into contracts.
What You'll Do
- Secure and execute partnership agreements — cash, value-in-kind, and hybrid arrangements, that generate incremental revenue, reduce operating costs, and create operational, promotional, and guest experience benefits for the show
- Negotiate commercial agreements and oversee partner activation on the ground, collaborating with show teams, F&B, and other stakeholders to ensure permitting, site approvals, load in/out, and build-out are executed smoothly
- Serve as a strategic business development partner to the General Manager and VP, Commercial — building and maintaining strong relationships with local businesses, tourism organizations, hospitality partners, media outlets, destination marketing organizations, venue partners, and community stakeholders
- Proactively source, develop, and convert local partnership opportunities that support show business objectives; maintain a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities and provide regular forecasting and performance reporting
- Act as on-the-ground point of contact for partners and partner agencies, collaborating with global account teams when relevant, and continuously identify new sources of commercial and business value
- Ensure all partnership opportunities align with Cirque du Soleil's enterprise sponsorship strategy, category management principles, and brand partnership guidelines; maintain consistency in contracting, activation standards, partner experience, and governance requirements
- Collaborate closely with the VP, Partnerships to identify opportunities with broader strategic or enterprise-wide value, share market intelligence and partner insights, and maintain strong working relationships with sponsorship sales and activation teams
You'll be measured on: Incremental revenue and value-in-kind generated, commercial value created, number and quality of agreements executed, partnership renewal and retention rates, qualified pipeline growth and forecast accuracy, cost savings enabled through partnerships, and overall contribution to show profitability, audience growth, and market visibility.
What You Bring
Must-Haves
- Proven experience in business development, partnership sales, sponsorship sales, advertising sales, or related commercial disciplines, with a commercially driven, relentlessly results-focused approach
- Demonstrated success generating incremental revenue through partnerships, business development initiatives, or strategic commercial relationships
- Experience structuring and negotiating cash, value-in-kind, and hybrid partnership agreements
- Experience in a client-facing role and in project management or partner activation in a global, multi-stakeholder environment
- Strong prospecting, networking, and relationship-building capabilities, constantly scanning the market for new opportunities and converting ideas into business outcomes
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to build credibility and trust with partners, community leaders, and internal stakeholders
- Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to act with urgency, thrive in ambiguity, and manage multiple opportunities simultaneously while maintaining disciplined execution
- Strong business acumen, uses market intelligence, performance data, and business insights to prioritize efforts, and balances show-level needs with Cirque du Soleil's broader enterprise commercial and partnership objectives
What We Offer
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Complimentary show tickets (4/year) and premiere access
- A high-visibility commercial leadership role with access to senior commercial leadership and real influence over touring show revenue performance and partnership strategy
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible and inclusive workplace. Proud ambassador of equality in employment, we are committed to eliminating discrimination based on age, skin color, origins, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation and any other characteristic. Neutral and inclusive writing is now preferred for all new job postings. Accommodations are available for those with disabilities upon request throughout the recruitment process.