Business Development Consultant
Athletes for Hope (AFH) is seeking an experienced Business Development Consultant with a strong background in the sports industry to lead the identification and advancement of strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and earned-revenue opportunities that extend AFH’s impact and long-term sustainability. This role is designed for a senior-level professional who understands how the sports ecosystem operates—including leagues, teams, governing bodies, athletes, brands, and media—and can translate those relationships into mission-aligned growth. The consultant will focus on institutional partnerships, market expansion, and scalable revenue models, working closely with AFH’s development and program leadership to ensure that business development efforts are integrated, strategic, and additive to AFH’s athlete-centered mission. About Athletes for Hope: AFH is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2006 by Muhammad Ali, Mia Hamm, Andre Agassi, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Alonzo Mourning, Jeff Gordon, Warrick Dunn and 5 other legendary athletes. AFH educates, encourages, and empowers professional, Olympic, Paralympic, and college athletes to find their philanthropic passions and volunteer with community organizations and schools across the U.S. AFH is now led by the next generation of athlete leaders, including Stephen Curry, Katie Ledecky, Gabby Thomas, Nathan Chen, and Elena Delle Donne, and has become the largest athlete-led sports non-profit in the world with thousands of athlete members. Our core programs focus on underserved youth physical activity, leadership, mental health, positively impacting more than 300,000 underserved students every month. Key Responsibilities Strategic Partnerships & Market Expansion Identify, cultivate, and advance partnerships with brands, leagues, teams, universities, and institutions aligned with AFH’s mission Explore opportunities to embed AFH programs, curriculum, or services into larger systems (e.g., athletic departments, leagues, school districts, corporate CSR platforms) Support expansion in priority markets, such as Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, through relationship-building and opportunity assessment Lead the development of corporate sponsorship and fee-for-service models, including program sponsorships, event partnerships, and content or education-based offerings Collaborate with the Development team on corporate support opportunities where sponsorship and philanthropy intersect, ensuring clear ownership and coordination Assist in pricing, packaging, and positioning AFH offerings for institutional partners Build and manage a business development pipeline, tracking prospects, conversations, and next steps Provide regular updates on opportunities, projected revenue, and partnership progress Coordinate internally to ensure alignment between business development efforts and AFH’s programmatic and strategic priorities Qualifications 15 years of experience in business development, partnerships, sponsorships, or sales within the sports industry or sports-adjacent sectors Demonstrated success building and advancing institutional partnerships with leagues, teams, conferences, universities, governing bodies, or major sports brands Proven experience developing and monetizing corporate sponsorships, strategic partnerships, or earned-revenue models (beyond traditional nonprofit fundraising) Strong professional network within the sports ecosystem, with access to senior-level decision-makers Deep understanding of how partnerships and sponsorships operate across professional, collegiate, Olympic, and/or Paralympic sports Strong strategic thinking, negotiation, and relationship management skills Ability to independently source, structure, and advance opportunities in a consultative, entrepreneurial environment Comfort operating in a flexible, part-time consulting role with outcome-driven expectations Passion for youth development, mental health, athletics, and community impact This position is based remotely and will consist of a 10-20 hour per week commitment. Compensation is competitive and variable based on experience. Performance-based incentives may be available. How to Apply Interested candidates should submit a resume and brief statement of interest outlining relevant experience and interest in AFH’s mission to Diana Venezia at [email protected] by March 15, 2026. J-18808-Ljbffr
