Sports & Entertainment Partnerships Manager

Role Summary and Impact

EssenceMediacom, part of WPP, is a new breed of media agency. Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world’s best brands. We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers. We are designed for the new communications economy — built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

WPP Media Sport & Entertainment is WPP Media’s cultural marketing powerhouse and specialist partner for sponsorship, entertainment-led partnerships, and cultural engagement across the WPP network. We operate at the epicentre of Australian passion points – sport, music, fashion, gaming, and entertainment – delivering partnerships that cut through and create cultural moments that matter.

As the Sport & Entertainment Partnerships Manager, you will be instrumental in the planning, delivery, and optimisation of partnership activity across sport, entertainment, live experiences, and cultural platforms. You'll combine cultural awareness, strong organisation, and operational excellence to ensure partnerships are delivered on time, on budget, and to a high standard. You are a trusted day-to-day operator for internal teams, rights holders, and clients, ensuring smooth workflows, clear communication, and strong delivery, directly contributing to partnerships that achieve measurable outcomes and cultural impact.

Core Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day client communications for assigned projects, translating briefs into clear deliverables, timelines, and next steps.
• Support the development of responses to briefs and renewal materials, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and stakeholder expectations.
• Coordinate and track partnership assets, rights usage, and deliverables, managing timelines, run-sheets, and production requirements.
• Support content shoots, creator involvement, and on-ground activations (including occasional travel).
• Ensure all approvals, clearances, compliance checks, and documentation are completed and maintained.
• Assist with budget tracking, invoicing, forecasting, and reconciliation, supporting value tracking and negotiations with rights holders.
• Coordinate with procurement, legal, and suppliers on contracts and compliance, identifying and escalating risks proactively.
• Collaborate effectively with creative, strategy, influence, and production teams across the WPP Media Content Ecosystem.
• Contribute to a proactive, high-quality delivery culture, sharing learnings, best practices, and process improvements.

Skills and Experience

What Makes You Great

• 2–4+ years of experience in partnerships, sponsorship, branded content, or project management (agency, brand, rights holder, or media owner).
• Strong project management capabilities, including managing timelines, workflows, approvals, and documentation.
• Understanding of commercial processes: budgets, value tracking, and invoicing.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams concurrently while maintaining high attention to detail.
• Calm, organised, and solutions-focused, able to operate effectively under pressure.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

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