Senior Esports Business Development Manager

As an Esports Business Development Manager, reporting to the Sr. Manager, Esports Business Development for Global and Americas, you will play a strategic role in contributing to the commercialization strategy behind Riot's biggest annual events and competitive ecosystems. You will act as a key subject matter expert and contributor in securing high-impact, long-term partnerships that strengthen our esports business and bring innovative, industry-defining collaborations to life. Beyond securing deals, you will help shape Riot’s LATAM sponsorship strategy in partnership with the Sr. Manager leading Global and Americas. You will leverage deep industry knowledge and relationships to identify and execute strategic opportunities that enhance the value of our esports portfolio. You will oversee the full commercialization deal funnel from sourcing, structuring and closing through campaign implementation, while working with a team of Esports Business Development professionals to collectively drive esports objectives. You understand the value proposition for sponsors while keeping your finger on the pulse of what the sports need and what excites our fans, delivering a win-win-win for our partners, our community, and Riot. This role will be based onsite it our Sao Paulo, Brazil office Responsibilities: Lead the end-to-end sponsorship sales process, from prospecting to deal closure, managing a robust pipeline of high-value partners and ensuring long-term retention. Contribute to and execute against Riot’s global esports sponsorship strategy, aligning commercial efforts with the long-term vision for Riot’s esports ecosystem. Partner with cross-functional teams (content, broadcast, product, marketing, finance, legal) to identify and structure new business opportunities, ensuring seamless partner integration into Riot’s global esports products. Create and oversee premium sponsorship offerings across Riot’s major global esports events, ensuring each partner activation enhances the fan experience and delivers meaningful value. Own key relationships at senior levels with existing and prospective partners, negotiating complex, high-value deals and ensuring strategic alignment. Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies in esports, sports, entertainment, and media to drive innovation and new revenue opportunities. Act as an industry expert within the esports business development space in LATAM, helping to shape Riot’s approach to partnerships and monetization. Regional Expansion & Global Integration: Spearhead commercial growth strategies specifically targeting the Brazil and LATAM markets, identifying high-potential regional brands and architecting pathways to transition them into global-scale partners across Riot Games’ international ecosystem. Cross-Border Partnerships: Develop and execute innovative sponsorship frameworks that allow prominent LATAM and Brazilian enterprises to gain commercial visibility and market activation across other global esports regions (e.g., NA, EMEA, APAC). Required Qualifications: 8-10+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or sponsorship sales, with a proven track record of structuring and closing high-value deals in gaming, sports, entertainment, or media. Strong understanding of global esports, sports, and entertainment landscapes, with the ability to translate trends into actionable business opportunities. Expert negotiation and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders both internally and externally. Experience leading strategic initiatives, with a deep understanding of sponsorship valuation, content monetization, and brand partnerships. Multilingual Fluency: Native or professional-level proficiency in Portuguese, English, and Spanish is highly preferred, with the ability to seamlessly negotiate complex, high-value corporate agreements across diverse linguistic and cultural business landscapes. Market Expertise & Network: Possess a deep, existing network of corporate brand relationships and a sophisticated understanding of the commercial media, sports, and entertainment landscapes within Brazil and the broader LATAM region. Desired Qualifications: Deep experience in gaming, esports, content distribution, or live entertainment partnerships. Strong storytelling, presentation, and sales collateral development capabilities. Track record of high renewal rates and long-term partner retention. Ability to work in a fast-paced, global environment while balancing multiple priorities. For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about the experiences of players, this could be the role for you! Our Perks: Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and Riot will support your retirement benefits with a company match, and double down on your donations of time and money to non-profit charitable organizations. Check out our benefits pages for more information. At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.