Sponsorship Sales Specialist

Position Description

Title: Sponsorship Sales Specialist

Reports To: Director, Integrated Marketing

Department: Sponsorship

Location: Remote

COMPANY OVERVIEW

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading trade association for the U.S. and Canadian recreational boating industry (nmma.org), the primary advocate for the boating business community and boating consumer, and the leading producer of consumer boat shows in the United States.

Member-owned and driven, the NMMA team manages an annual budget in excess of $50M. As part of this work, NMMA runs the industry’s consumer-facing Discover Boating initiative (DiscoverBoating.com), attracting over five million potential boat buyers to DiscoverBoating.com. Additionally, Discover Boating Consumer Boat shows attracting 500K attendees to its fourteen events each year.

NMMA represents 85% of the U.S. and Canadian recreational marine manufacturing market including companies that make boats, marine engines, and accessories. NMMA members deliver an estimated $45 billion in new marine products each year to consumers around the world to enjoy the boating lifestyle. On behalf of its members, who sell products to countries around the globe, NMMA provides business intelligence and statistics; product standards and certification; regulatory and government affairs; and consumer and B2B promotion.

NMMA is a frequent and influential collaborator with the leading business trade organizations focused on advancing recreation in America including the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Recreational Boating, and Fishing Foundation, American Sportfishing Association, Center for Sportfish Policy, and many others.

NMMA Mission

Our Why: Creating Transformational Experiences
Our Vision: Recreational boating is the #1 leisure activity in America.
Our Mission: To ensure the growth and success of the recreational boating industry.
Our Core Values: Respect/Serve Others/Be Curious/Collaborate/Consumer Lens

Our Promise to Members:

• Convene, unify, and expand the North American recreational boating market.
• Foster a favorable business environment for members.
• Cultivate a best-in-class boating experience for consumers.
• Encourage continuous improvement of recreational boating products.
• Champion industry information, learning, and knowledge.
• Ensure the health and success of NMMA and Discover Boating.

COMPANY SIZE AND LOCATION

NMMA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has an office in Chicago, Illinois. Currently, most of the team is working remotely, and some are hybrid. In addition to Washington, D.C., and Chicago, members of NMMA’s team are based in regions where it produces its consumer boat shows including Boston, Atlanta. Minneapolis, and New York. NMMA offers a flexible work environment.

NMMA has an inspiring story to tell, and a growing brand focused on improving the lives of millions of people while getting them outdoors to enjoy the physical and emotional benefits of the boating lifestyle.

NMMA is one of the most financially sound trade associations in the global recreation industry. As a $45B industry sector, companies across recreational boating provide meaningful outdoor and leisure experiences for millions of Americans and Canadians.

The recreational boating market is strong. Looking ahead, as Americans continue seeking ways to spend quality time with family and friends, and experience a life well-lived on the water, we are estimating strong demand for recreational boating products in the years to come. The Discover Boating and NMMA brands play a leading role in building long-term demand and sustainability for industry.

The Sponsorship Sales Specialist serves as a critical support partner to NMMA’s consumer boat show sponsorship sales team, helping drive aggressive sponsorship revenue growth across nine consumer boat shows. This role plays a key part in achieving the department’s goal of increasing sponsorship sales by strengthening sponsorship outreach, supporting sales strategy, and ensuring flawless sponsor execution.

This position is ideal for a proactive, highly organized, and creative professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-energy environment where precision, responsiveness, and strong communication are essential. The ideal candidate is curious, action-oriented, and passionate about supporting sponsorship sales growth through compelling presentations, thoughtful research, and exceptional sponsor service.

• Support the sponsorship sales team in driving significant revenue growth across NMMA’s consumer boat shows and B2B outreach within the organization.
• Assist in building a stronger and more efficient sponsorship sales funnel through proactive outreach support, research, and presentation development.
• Create compelling sponsorship presentations and pitch materials targeted toward Fortune 500 brand managers, sales teams, and key decision-makers.
• Support the development of sponsorship opportunities focused on consumer goods and services brands.
• Assist with sponsor reporting, post-show recaps, and tracking sponsorship performance metrics.

• Design visually engaging sponsorship proposals, pitch decks, and sales presentations using PowerPoint, Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or similar design tools.
• Support the sponsorship sales team with presentation updates, formatting, and visual storytelling tailored to target categories, sponsor objectives, and event opportunities.

• Conduct research to identify prospective sponsors aligned with NMMA’s consumer boat show audiences and sponsorship objectives.
• Research industry trends, competitive sponsorship opportunities, and target consumer brands.
• Assist in building sponsorship prospect lists and supporting outreach initiatives.

• Work closely with the sponsorship sales team, show managers, operations teams, and marketing staff to execute sponsor assets accurately and on time.
• Assist in compiling sponsorship metrics, photos, and results for post-event recap reports.
• Experienced with Salesforce platform

• Collaborate with sponsorship sales leadership, show managers, marketing teams, and external partners to support sponsorship success.
• Maintain strong communication across departments to ensure alignment and timely execution.
• Able to travel for three to four weeks per year.

• Ensures Accountability
• Creativity
• Action Oriented
• Collaborates
• Communicates Effectively
• Manages Complexity
• Customer Focus

• Experience supporting sponsorship sales, events, experiential marketing, or partnerships.
• Strong PowerPoint and presentation design skills.
• Proficiency in Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or similar creative tools.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience working with sponsorship fulfillment, event coordination, or client service.