Manager, Partnerships, New Business

MANAGER, PARTNERSHIPS, NEW BUSINESS

Permanent

Full-time 

Partnerships

TIFF is a charitable, cultural organization dedicated to presenting the best of international and Canadian cinema and creating transformational experiences for film lovers and creators of all ages and backgrounds in our home - TIFF Lightbox. Our mission: To transform the way people see the world, through film. 

TIFF is committed to embracing diversity and treating all individuals with respect, dignity and fairness by removing physical, social and economic barriers to participation.  

We encourage you to reflect on the land that you are on, who the traditional keepers of the land are, what the treaty relationship is, and if it is unceded territory. TIFF is located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, the Wendat, and the Haudenosaunee. We are grateful to work on this land.

We are currently hiring for the position of:

MANAGER, PARTNERSHIPS, NEW BUSINESS

As a member of the largest revenue-generating team of the organization, the Manager, Partnership, New Business is responsible for recruiting new partners to financially support TIFF’s programmes and activities through mutually beneficial partnerships, contributing to a collective annual revenue target of $14,000,000 +. Reporting to the Director, Partnerships, New Business, the successful candidate will drive outbound outreach to leading Canadian and international brands in support of TIFF’s partnership growth strategy. They will prospect, develop, and proactively manage a pipeline of $1,500,000+ in new partnership opportunities with a focus on medium- to semi-large-scale investments with the goal of exceeding overall Partnership revenue targets.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Shall include, but not be limited to: 

• Drive outbound sales strategies targeting leading Canadian and International brands to support TIFF’s partnership growth objectives, aiming to exceed the assigned sales target.

• Prospect, develop, and manage an ongoing pipeline of $1.5M+ in net new business opportunities. 

• Strategize and develop innovative, integrated sponsorship solutions that advance partners’ global marketing, brand, and business objectives.

• Execute effective prospect management, including setting account objectives, negotiating contract terms with new sponsors, and supporting the Accounts & Client Success team with large-scale renewals. 

• Draft a high volume of best-in-class partnership proposal decks and case studies, demonstrating expertise in sponsorship storytelling and value articulation, in support of new business development and deal execution.

• Lead partnership negotiations and close new business, maintaining a strong close rate and deal velocity. 

• Act as a strong external ambassador for TIFF within the sponsorship landscape, developing compelling, data-driven proposals, and delivering measurable sales results.

• Screen and qualify inbound partnership interest, accurately assessing brand alignment and revenue potential and developing high-impact partnership opportunities that exceed partner expectations.

• Collaborate with the New Business and Accounts teams on the ideation and development of new partnership assets with clear value propositions and scalable commercial potential.

• Leverage market intelligence to identify demand, partnership and sponsorship trends, and benchmark KPIs and pricing to deliver competitive ROI for partners.

• Build and maintain positive relationships with qualified prospects through ongoing, value-added stewardship that showcases TIFF’s year-round and Festival properties.

• Support the New Business team with sales-focused administrative tasks, including preparing partner briefs, designing sales materials, reporting, liaising with internal teams, and gathering data.

• Work closely with the Accounts & Client Success team to ensure a smooth transition of new partners, maintaining consistency of service and partner experience.

• Represent the Partnerships team at interdepartmental meetings to drive collaboration, alignment, and successful execution of Partnerships priorities and initiatives.

• Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to, online ticket servicing, venue management, production planning, and year-round and Festival stewardship.

JOB GRADE & SALARY:

• Job Grade 3

• Job Grade Salary Range/Annually or Rate of pay: $60,000 to $70,000

START DATE:

• February 23, 2026

WORK LOCATION:

• Office Location: 350 King Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 3X5

• Weekly in-office requirements: 

  • Minimum 2 days (November to May)

  • Minimum 3 days (June to October) 

• Festival Office Requirements: Full-time during Festival

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in sponsorships and partnerships, business development, agency, account management, or a related sales discipline; equivalent experience in a comparable field will be considered.

• University-level post-secondary education in Marketing, Business Administration, English, or a related field; a Graduate Degree would be considered an asset.

• Demonstrated success building and managing $1M+ new business pipelines, with a proven track record of closing five- and six-figure partnership deals.

• Experience in brand marketing, revenue generation, and sponsorship-led partnerships preferred.

• Exceptional Communication

  • Communicate clearly, confidently, and persuasively across written, verbal, and presentation formats.

  • Write effectively and succinctly, producing polished, persuasive content tailored to diverse internal and external stakeholders.

  • Lead negotiations with confidence and professionalism, engaging internal and external stakeholders in support of Partnerships objectives.

  • Demonstrate exceptional presentation skills, with proficiency in crafting, delivering, and refining a high volume of presentations on an ongoing basis.

  • Act as a credible and vocal Partnerships representative in internal meetings, contributing to the development of new programs, concepts, and asset ideation.

• Customer focus 

  • Demonstrate strong business acumen with a solutions-oriented approach, anticipating partner needs and delivering effective outcomes.

  • Serve as a trusted advocate for partners, representing their voice within the organization.

  • Calmly and effectively troubleshoot concerns from internal teams, partners, members, or the public, maintaining professionalism in all interactions.

  • Collaborate with partners and prospects to define realistic, sustainable objectives during partnership negotiations.

  • Actively listen to prospect feedback throughout the negotiation process and leverage insights to successfully close sales and strengthen long-term relationships.

• Problem-solving 

  • Effectively prioritize competing internal and external demands while meeting tight deadlines.

  • Develop creative, collaborative solutions to complex prospect requests and partnership goals.

  • Think strategically and respond quickly throughout the sales cycle to meet prospect needs, pipeline targets, and deal deadlines.

  • Apply critical and analytical thinking to anticipate challenges and opportunities, proactively proposing solutions and ideas to address them.

• Job-specific skills 

  • Exceptional business writing skills with strong attention to detail, including the development of partnership proposals, contracts, and supporting sales materials.

  • Proven experience leading complex negotiations, consistently closing deals and exceeding sales targets.

• Leadership 

  • Drive a culture of respect, collaboration, and high performance by modeling TIFF’s values and leading with a servant-leader mindset.

• Innovation 

  • Conduct market research to identify prospective categories and partners for all relevant sponsorship activities, maintaining a strong understanding of TIFF’s partnership business practices.

  • Leverage insights on macro trends, industry developments, and emerging opportunities to design innovative, client-focused sponsorship solutions.

• Organization/project responsibility 

  • Manage priorities, deadlines, and deliverables across a defined portfolio of sales categories and organizational initiatives.

  • Adapt effectively to a dynamic sales environment, efficiently prioritizing tasks, opportunities, and pipeline activities to drive results.

• Interpersonal skills

  • Demonstrate professionalism, a positive attitude, and exceptional verbal, nonverbal, and active listening skills to build and maintain strong relationships with partners and internal stakeholders.

• Job-specific knowledge

  • Deep understanding of the partnerships and sponsorship landscape, including experiential marketing trends, performance measurement, and strategies to demonstrate ROI.

  • Skilled in the creative development of activation ideas and marketing concepts, with the ability to approach solutions with an agency mindset. 

HOW TO SUBMIT & APPLICATION DEADLINE:

• All applications (Resume and Cover Letter) must be submitted online through TIFF’s Career Centre.

• Please upload your cover letter and resumé as PDF(s), before the deadline of  SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20th, 2026.

CLOSING:

We thank everyone who applies for their interest, but only candidates selected for an interview are contacted. 

Candidates must be legally able to work in Canada at this time. TIFF regrets that it is unable to sponsor employment Visas; however, TIFF considers and welcomes individuals on time-limited Visa status for this position. For consideration of those on time-limited Visa status, your Visa must allow you to complete the full contract.

Please send any questions via e-mail only to [email protected].

TIFF is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment where employees feel valued and respected, and where every employee has the opportunity to realize their potential. As such, we welcome and encourage applicants who identify as racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons across the spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identities.

If you are a person with a disability and require accommodation and/or assistance during the application process, please contact us in advance at [email protected]. We strive to provide reasonable accommodations whenever requested.