Senior Lead - Sponsorships (For independent contractors)

Overview and role summary

The Sponsorship team sits within Booking.com’s Marketing function and is responsible for delivering the company’s global sponsorship portfolio, spanning flagship partnerships as well as more targeted regional opportunities. The Senior Lead - Sponsorships plays a key role in shaping and delivering some of the most important programmes in that portfolio, including high-profile partnerships such as MLB and UEFA. Reporting to the Senior Manager - Sponsorships, this role leads complex, cross-functional workstreams from strategy through execution, translating brand and business priorities into impactful, on-brand sponsorship programmes. The role requires strong commercial judgement, stakeholder management, and the ability to bring structure to complex projects while creating compelling activations that deliver measurable value for Booking.com.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and end-to-end delivery of priority sponsorship programmes, from planning and workback schedules through to execution and evaluation.

  
  

• Own key sponsorship workstreams across major partnerships, including programmes connected to MLB and UEFA.

  
  

• Translate brand and business objectives into clear sponsorship plans, KPIs, budgets and activation approaches that deliver measurable impact.

  
  

• Partner closely with internal stakeholders across brand, creative, design, strategy, media, growth and broader marketing teams to drive joined-up execution.

  
  

• Build and manage strong relationships with external partners, including rightsholders, agencies and vendors, to ensure aligned and effective delivery.

  
  

• Lead cross-functional teams on large-scale, global sponsorship projects, creating clear roles, responsibilities, communication and decision-making across all contributors.

  
  

• Navigate ambiguous, agile, and high-pressure environments by proactively identifying challenges, developing strategic solutions, and establishing clear roles and responsibilities in complex setups.

  
  

• Support high-quality event and activation delivery, contributing hands-on where needed to ensure successful execution.

  
  

• Track performance, measure effectiveness and turn insights into recommendations that improve future sponsorship strategy and delivery.

Requirements: Specialist skill, knowledge & experience

• 7+ years of experience delivering large-scale, complex sponsorship programs for global brands, ideally within large corporate enterprise organizations.

  
  

• 7+ years of experience partnering with international sports rights holders (experience with US rights holders is highly preferred).

  
  

• Proven ability to manage agency partners and external suppliers delivering complex, multi-stakeholder projects.

  
  

• Commercially minded, organised and comfortable operating in fast-moving, high-pressure environments with multiple priorities.

  
  

• Strong project management skills, with a track record of leading complex programmes from concept through execution.

  
  

• Experience developing and delivering sponsorship activations with strong social and content components.

  
  

• Experience working in or with large enterprise organisations, ideally in sponsorship or brand marketing functions. Performance marketing experience is advantageous.

  
  

• Highly organised and resilient, with the ability to work effectively under high pressure

  
  

• Strong written and verbal English communication skills, with the presence and influencing ability to manage senior stakeholders effectively.

  
  

• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends when required for activations or events.

• Bachelor’s degree required