Brightside

The Senior Partnerships Manager is responsible for developing, securing and stewarding our partnerships, with a particular focus on the corporate and higher education spaces. Reporting to and working closely with the CEO, the postholder will lead on relationship driven partnership development and account management, ensuring partners experience a professional, values aligned and impactful relationship with Brightside. The postholder will steward these partnerships from initial engagement through to renewal, working closely with the Partnerships Lead to support renewals and identify opportunities for deeper partner engagement. The role will involve researching potential partnerships, securing meetings through outreach and networking, generating proposals, and delivering high quality ongoing stewardship to partners. In addition to corporate and higher education partners, the postholder will also steward relationships across government and the third sector. Please note - this role will require extensive travel to London for partnership meetings, events and networking. Our ideal candidate would therefore be based in London or within commuting distance. Please review the job description attachment at the end of the advert for full roles and responsibilities, application instructions, the essential criteria and further information on salary and benefits. Responsible for Pipeline development Researching potential prospects across the corporate and higher education sectors, including analysis of corporate ESG strategies and university access and participation plans Maintaining and enhancing our prospects database on our CRM Building and nurturing relationships with prospective partners Delivering pitch presentations to prospective partners Regular attendance at in-person prospect meetings or networking events to build strong relationships that develop into new partnerships Generating proposals that align partner priorities to Brightside s aims Maintaining regular contact with prospects to stay on their radar and keep them up to date with Brightside activity Attending regular networking events and relevant contacts to build contacts across sectors Partnership management and stewardship Acting as the consistent relationship manager across the partnership lifecycle Stewarding partnerships beyond programme activity, maintaining relationships that reflect partners wider goals, values and organisational priorities Holding regular partnership check-ins focused on relationship health, strategic alignment and future opportunities Ensuring partners feel informed, valued and connected to Brightside s broader mission and impact Working closely with the partnerships delivery team to stay up to date on delivery progress and partner milestones Identifying opportunities to deepen or broaden relationships, including multi-year partnerships or expanded engagement Delivering a consistent, high-quality partnership experience that strengthens long-term retention Attending partner events and conferences where relevant, becoming embedded within their communities Working with the Partnerships Lead to prepare for and initiate renewals conversations, including renewals proposals and monitoring Application instructions Submit your CV and one-page cover letter via CharityJob Your cover letter should be no more than 1-2 pages and must explain how you meet the essential criteria (listed in the job description) for the role with clear examples, specifically the items tested at application You must answer the screening questions Applications without a cover letter or screening questions answered will not be considered Applications due: 23:30, Wednesday 27 May 2026 First interviews (online): 4/5 June 2026 Second interviews (in person, London): 11/12 June 2026