Specialist, Sport Development & Sport Partnerships

Organizational Summary

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org. 

Position Summary

Special Olympics International is seeking a dynamic and motivated individual for the position of Specialist, Sport Development & Sport Partnerships. This position reports to the Senior Manager, Sport Development & Sport Partnerships, and will work in close collaboration with the Manager, Sport Development and the wider Sport & Competition department. The candidate will play a key role in the development of priority sports, and the increased collaboration among Special Olympics’ network of sport partners.

Responsibilities

• Support the Manager, Sport Development in the execution and administration of the TopGolf partnership
• Support sport development grant processes, including proposal review, distribution, and tracking of program impact
• Support the development of impact reports, success stories, and documentation required for internal and external reporting
• Support the registration, development and execution of the annual Topgolf Invitational Tournament & Unified Fore Joy ProAm

Sport Development

• Assist in the advancement and implementation of strategic initiatives to develop priority sports, both summer and winter, across the global Special Olympics Movement.
• Collaborate with the Sport Development team to contribute to the planning, execution, and monitoring of sport-specific development goals
• Contribute to the creation of sport-specific stories, informational materials, and operational documents
• Ensure sport development and partnership resources are accessible via appropriate web platforms and communication channels
• Lead the development and annual update of sport one-pagers, capturing the global status & key metrics for each sport
• Support the coordination and contribution to biennial Sport Reports, sharing with the wider movement the status of Special Olympics’ sport

Sport Partnerships

• Assist in cultivating, coordinating, and managing relationships with International Sport Federations (IFs), Multi-Sport Organizations, and other key sport partners
• Contribute to the execution of partnership strategies, event involvement, and long-term collaboration planning
• Support the annual Sport Partnership Survey, including data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Help manage content updates for the Sport Partnerships webpage and Sport Partnership Toolkit
• Assist in planning and coordination efforts for hosting sport partners at global events, including the Special Olympics World Games

Project and Administrative Support

• Assist in developing and maintaining detailed project plans to monitor progress across sport development and sport partnership initiatives
• Coordinate meetings and communications with internal teams and external partners, as needed.

Skills and Experience 

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience plus around Two years of relevant work experience. Experience and/or coursework in the area of business administration, sport management or related field is a plus.

• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong writing, editing, and attention to detail
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team
• Experience managing external partnerships and stakeholder relationships
• Background working with individuals with intellectual and/or other disabilities
• Familiarity with Special Olympics or similar organizations
• Strong interest and passion for sport, sport development and providing opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities through sport
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally, as required

This is a 2-year position with opportunity for extension.

While we value relevant experience and skills, we also recognize the potential for growth and the transferability of talents. We encourage candidates to apply even if they don't meet every single criterion listed. Your unique perspective and abilities might just be the perfect fit for our team!