Strategic Partnerships Team Lead

Location: Zagreb office (on site)

ABOUT SOFASCORE

Sofascore is a sports-tech company created with one goal in mind – giving sports enthusiasts a deeper understanding of the game. 

Our platform is the leading provider of advanced sports insights. From the biggest derbies to amateur matches, every game counts - that’s why we have the largest data coverage with 20,000+ tournaments across 25 sports. This comes easily with Torneo, our very own tournament management software for lower leagues.

The global recognition of the Sofascore Rating, along with the Player of the Season award for the highest-rated players, positioned us as the authority in evaluating player performance.

The Sofascore team counts more than 300 experts in 20 teams, primarily playing at our home court in Croatia, but we also have talents showing their skills worldwide.

More about the company /// More about the platform

ABOUT THE ROLE

Lead the Strategic Partnerships team globally. Define partner acquisition strategy and drive overall growth performance. This high-ownership role involves building and scaling relationships with sports leagues, federations, clubs, and data partners to secure official partnerships, enhancing data coverage, product depth, and Sofascore’s market position.

Your Responsibilities

Partnerships Strategy & Growth

• Define and execute the global strategic partnerships roadmap
• Identify and prioritize target leagues, federations, and competitions across key markets
• Drive expansion of official partnerships to strengthen data ownership and exclusivity
• Continuously assess market landscape, rights structures, and competitive positioning

Deal Making & Relationship Management

• Lead end-to-end partnership lifecycle: sourcing, outreach, negotiation, and execution
• Structure and negotiate agreements around official data, content rights, and branding
• Build long-term relationships with stakeholders across leagues, clubs, and governing bodies
• Secure partnerships with top-tier and emerging competitions (e.g. NHL, MLS, MLB, as well as lower-tier ecosystems)

Pipeline, CRM & Reporting

• Own HubSpot structure, hygiene, and reporting
• Track and report on:
  • Prospecting volume and quality
  • Pipeline value and conversion rates
  • Closed deals and ROI
  • Market and vertical performance
• Turn data into clear insights and action plans

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing on pitch decks, presentations, and go-to-market materials.
• Collaborate with Product on feature needs and improvements, Performance and measurement challenges, regularly report competitive insights, new features, and ideas from the market to the Product team, among other things.
• Align with Legal and Operations on contract execution and partnership delivery

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and scale a team of partnership managers across regions
• Set clear objectives, KPIs, and performance standards
• Support the team in high-impact negotiations and strategic deals

Performance & Reporting

• Track partnership impact on data quality, coverage, and product features
• Measure success through adoption, engagement, and strategic value (not just revenue)
• Translate insights into actionable partnership and product strategies

What you bring to the team

Experience

• 5+ years of sports experience, including 2+ years in a team lead/leadership role.
• Proven B2B client track record.
• Negotiation & Relationship Building
• Global Market Expansion
• Cross-Functional Leadership (Product, Data, Marketing)

Skills

• Proven ability to lead and grow teams
• Strong analytical and reporting skills
• Skilled in competitor analysis to drive commercial and product strategies
• Hands-on experience with CRM systems (HubSpot preferred)
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Comfortable working in a remote, international environment
• English – C1 level or higher (mandatory)

What we offer 

• A leadership role with real ownership and accountability
• Direct impact on the growth of a global sports platform
• Collaboration with top-tier international brands
• Collaboration on global scale
• Freedom to organize your workday and schedule in a flexible way
• A generous education budget and opportunities to attend international conferences and workshops
• Top-notch equipment (laptop, smartphone budget, ergonomic office chairs, and height-adjustable desks)
• Annual paid general medical check-up
• Family benefits package
• Sofascore Canteen (lunch options) 
• Sofascore Bar (coffee and drinks on us)

Sounds good? It gets even better!

Send us your CV and cover letter in English. Applications in other languages will not be considered. 

Looking forward to hearing from you. Let’s get the ball rolling! 🔥