Partnerships Manager

City of London E1 8QS and we are a hybrid working organisation

This role is offered on a hybrid contract giving you the opportunity to also work from home three days a week.

Purpose of job:

The Partnerships Manager will take responsibility for managing relationships with global corporate partners, throughout the year and for Comic Relief campaigns. They will lead the creative development of Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day merchandise range in collaboration with one of our strategic retail partners.

Key responsibilities:

• Proactively develop multi-dimensional, long-term UK and global partnerships that delivers both Comic Relief and the partners’ goals, thinking holistically about impact.


• Take personal responsibility for delivering a fixed income target from specific partnerships with clear definition of restricted and core income.


• Project manage the creative development and production of the Comic Relief merchandise range, maximising opportunities and income both within the Red Nose Day and wider Comic Relief campaigns.


• Work alongside the Legal, Finance and Funding teams to ensure that the commitments that frame the partnerships can be delivered and are in the best interest of Comic Relief.


• Account manage a portfolio of UK and global based corporate partners which could include strategic multi-year partnerships (in and out of campaign), campaign specific partnerships and corporate products or projects.


• Develop shared plans and objectives for each partnership or project, to achieve partners objectives (regarding their own brand, impact, reach, CSR and internal engagement) as well as maximising fundraising and impact for Comic Relief. To ensure that these plans and objectives are met to partners’ satisfaction and to aid retention.


• Work with colleagues across the organisation ensuring that contributions from partners constructively support Comic Reliefs social change agenda, whether in the form of financial contributions, employee fundraising and volunteering, retail offerings or advocacy.


• Provide high quality relationship and account management of all Comic Relief’s major commercial partners, while being the first point of contact and internal resource to key partners.

People management

• Should a Partnerships Manager have line management responsibilities:


• Proactively undertake business planning, prioritise activities and set clear and realistic objectives based on capacity, expertise and aspirations.


• Provide balanced, constructive feedback, undertake effective performance management to embed accountability and proactively support the professional development and growth of staff.


• Maintain regular two-way communication and dialogue with staff, ensuring information is cascaded and escalated as needed.


• Model an enabling, inclusive and empowering leadership style that builds a values-based culture throughout the charity

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Experience of working in partnership with major UK or global consumer facing brands and companies with a good reputation.


• Proven experience of developing products in partnership with a retailer or consumer brand.


• Exceptional networking, negotiating, influencing and persuading skills.


• Effective communication skills, written and oral – including strong presentation skills.


• Building and sustaining effective working relationships both internally and externally.

Desirable criteria 

• Strong Networking, negotiating, influencing, and persuading abilities to build and sustain effective working relationships both internally and externally


• Experience in proactively developing multi-dimensional, long-term partnerships that align with both the organization's and partners' goals.

Perks and benefits:

• Flexible working hours


• Work from home option


• Wellness programs


• Employee Assistance Programme


• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave


• Paid emergency leave


• Sabbatical Opportunities


• Professional development


• Mentoring/coaching


• Paid volunteer days


• Payroll giving


• Team social events


• Extracurricular clubs


• Cycle to work scheme


• Free fruit

To apply please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Closing: 11:59pm, 21st Jul 2024 BST

Interviews are expected to take place on the 29th of July

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Comic Relief we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Why work at Comic Relief

There are lots of good reasons to join us at Comic Relief. You can read more about our employee benefits, such as our commitment to flexible and hybrid working. We ask staff to come to the office twice a week, normally on agreed team days, so that we can do all those things that are difficult to do online. Our office is based in Whitechapel, London,

There are lots of opportunities to develop your skills and experience at Comic Relief, including opportunities to become a Mental Health First Aider or to participate in our Employee Network Groups that focus on making Comic Relief a more inclusive place to work.

Disability Confident Employer

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we take positive action by providing first-round interviews to candidates who have a registered disability, provided they meet the minimum criteria for the role, as demonstrated on their CV and application questions.