Sports Manager
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is the state's lead economic and community development agency. MDA recruits new companies to Mississippi, helps existing companies expand and provides support to foster growth and new opportunities in a variety of areas, including energy, small and minority business, trade, film, retiree recruitment and more. Additionally, MDA attracts millions of visitors to the state each year through Visit Mississippi, the tourism division of the agency. MDA also supports pass-through funding and provides support for a variety of grant programs and non-profits, such as Innovate Mississippi and Mississippi Main Street Association.
The Economic Development Specialist II will serve as the Sports Manager for the Office of Sports & Outdoor Adventure within Visit Mississippi. This role focuses on proactive sales efforts, relationship building, and strategic marketing to position Mississippi as a premier destination for sporting events of all sizes. This position requires a dynamic leader with a deep understanding of sales and a passion for recruiting sporting events aimed at increasing tourism to Mississippi. This is a state-service position.
Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Manage the sports program within the Office of Sports and Outdoor Adventure.
- Solicit, recruit, and book sporting events that utilize Mississippi’s public and private sports venues, universities, arenas, convention centers, fields, complexes, and hotels.
- Develop and implement sales strategies, plans, and activities to achieve annual goals for sports tourism growth.
- Build and maintain professional relationships with local sports clubs, organizations, venues, and event producers.
- Create and manage a client base of prospects in the sports market; contact prospects regularly via email, social media, and personal outreach to promote Mississippi as a sports destination.
- Represent Visit Mississippi at sports trade shows, industry events, and meetings to attract new sporting events and maintain a visible presence in the sports tourism sector.
- Coordinate and conduct site tours and sporting sales activities such as sales missions, email outreach, tradeshows, etc. to secure new business.
- Collaborate with the marketing department to develop promotional materials and campaigns targeting sports event organizers.
- Maintain accurate records of sales, marketing, and coordination activities; produce regular sales reports, performance metrics, and market insights for leadership and stakeholders.
- Stay current on industry best practices, trends, and opportunities in sports marketing and sales.
- Work collaboratively with internal teams, including marketing, visitor services, and communications, to align efforts and maximize impact.
- Travel as required for client meetings, industry events, and site visits.
Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of experience.
- Proven track record of successful sales and event recruitment in a tourism or sports-related environment.
- Strong knowledge of Mississippi’s sports venues, tourism assets, and hospitality industry.
- Excellent written, oral, and digital communication skills; strong public speaking and presentation abilities.
- Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders at all levels.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Proficiency with CRM software, Microsoft Office Suite, and web conferencing tools.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as collaboratively within a team.
- Willingness to travel as needed (up to 25%.)
- Deep understanding of sports tourism and event recruitment strategies.
- Experience working with hotels, sports facilities, and rights-holders.
- Creative problem-solving skills and passion for promoting Mississippi as a leading sports destination.
- Demonstrated ability to drive economic impact through successful event recruitment and execution.
