The company.

Volleyball World is the commercial entity driving growth, innovation and investment in volleyball around the globe. Volleyball is the fourth most popular sport globally, with more than 800 million fans and high participation across the world.

Backed by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners since 2021, Volleyball World benefits from CVC's extensive experience in sports commercialization, having invested in numerous sporting properties including Formula 1, rugby's Six Nations, and other global federations.

Key Figures :

• $2.2 billion current valuation, with potential of $4 billion during championship cycles

• 2.2 million followers across social media platforms

• 52 employees representing 19 nationalities

• International presence with key markets including USA, China, Turkey, Thailand, and Japan

• Commercial partnership with FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball)

Company Culture.

Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, Volleyball World offers an open, dynamic, and challenging environment where volleyball takes center stage. The lakeside office is evolving into a vibrant international hub, bringing together a talented team dedicated to creating exceptional experiences for volleyball fans worldwide.

Values currently being defined, with focus on:

• Trust and collaboration

• Entrepreneurial spirit: freedom to create and innovate, acceptance of the right to make mistakes

• Multiculturalism: ability to work in an international environment

• Excellence: demanding environment with ambitious goals

Volleyball World fosters an active and collaborative atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to strive for excellence and reach their full potential. The organization is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to fairness and inclusiveness that ensures recruitment, development, and retention decisions are free of discrimination.

Missions.

This role sits at the intersection of creativity, storytelling and commercial strategy, helping translate Volleyball World’s unique assets, including world-class athletes, global events, digital platforms and fan communities, into compelling brand partnership opportunities.

Working closely with the Partnerships teams, the Creative Solutions Manager will play a key role in supporting the sales process by developing strategic partnership concepts, persuasive sales narratives and high-impact pitch presentations.

1. Strategic Sales Execution & Prospecting

• Lead Sponsorship Development: Proactively identify and engage potential global sponsors across various categories and regions to drive commercial success.

• Evangelize the Sport: Educate and "evangelize" leading brands on the untapped potential of volleyball, securing meetings with high-level decision-makers.

• Negotiation & Closing: Execute competitive sales processes and successfully negotiate high-value sponsorship agreements.

• Deal Handover: Maintain autonomy throughout the sales cycle, hosting meetings and managing the process until the deal is signed and ready for operational handover.

1. Creative Partnership Development

• Innovative Concepts: Develop brand partnership concepts that leverage our flagship assets, such as the Volleyball Nations League and the Indoor World Championships.

• Value Proposition: Support sales strategies by contributing market insights and identifying new business opportunities across priority markets like the USA and China.

• Tailored Storytelling: Build relevant, compelling pitches and sales narratives tailored to each specific brand opportunity

1. Stakeholder Management & Collaboration

• Internal Synergy: Work collaboratively across Creative Solutions, BI, Content, Events, and Marketing departments to ensure partnership feasibility.

• External Networking: Build and maintain a global network of senior executives and industry contacts to ensure long-term commercial growth.

• Internal Sparring: Act as a "sparring partner" within the team, possessing the courage and vision to defend commercial positions and challenge leadership when necessary.

Skills & Experience.

Sales & Commercial Acumen:

• Proven Track Record: Minimum 6 years of experience in business development or sales; while direct sponsorship sales experience is not required, it is highly valued.

• Influence & Persuasion: Strong ability to influence decision-makers at the highest levels and align brand needs with Volleyball World’s opportunities.

• Negotiation Excellence: Advanced communication and negotiation skills to manage complex, high-stakes commercial deals.

International Mindset:

• Multicultural Collaboration: Experience working across multiple countries and time zones; our team represents 19 different nationalities.

• Language Proficiency: Mandatory fluency in English (written and verbal); additional languages are a significant advantage.

• Market Knowledge: A strong understanding of the international sports ecosystem and experience in the US market is considered a plus.

Operational Excellence:

• Autonomy: Demonstrated ability to manage projects and sales cycles independently.

• Project Management: Highly organized and rigorous approach to managing a global sales pipeline.

Profil.

• Entrepreneurial Spirit: You thrive in a "start-up to scale-up" environment where you have the freedom to innovate and the right to make mistakes.

• Visionary & Passionate: You are passionate about sports and possess the "visionary" personality needed to represent Volleyball World at global events.

• Results-Driven: You are motivated by ambitious goals and excel in a demanding, high-performance environment.

• Legal Requirements: You must hold EU citizenship or a valid Swiss work permit.

Location & Logistics.

• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland (Relocation is mandatory for candidates outside Switzerland).

• Travel: Expected travel for client meetings approximately once per month (20-30% of time).

• Start Date: As soon as possible.

• Contract: Permanent contract (CDI equivalent)