Corporate Partnerships Manager vacancy

Salary: up to £45,000 depending upon experience

Hours: Full time (35 hours per week). Part time working may be possible.

Contract: Permanent

Line Manager: Deputy CEO

Location: Hybrid working with significant travel across Cambridgeshire

We are the charity for Cambridgeshire, working towards a better quality of life for people across the county. We identify the most critical needs of local communities, raise funds and award grants to non-profit organisations that make a big impact in addressing those needs.

We work with individuals and organisations who wish to support local community causes across Cambridgeshire. We offer a range of giving options, the most common being setting up an endowment or flow-through fund with a targeted grant-making focus.

This role leads our corporate partnerships work to achieve income targets, grow the opportunity pipeline and develop successful corporate partnerships. Corporate donor partnerships and income are a key part of the Foundation’s success and our future strategy. Some of our corporate partners are listed here.

We have ambitious plans to grow grant making through our current strategic cycle 2025-28. Fundamental to this is growing corporate income by building a strong donor pipeline at target levels. We also aim to strengthen relationships with existing corporate donors to increase retention and grow long term giving.

As Corporate Partnerships Manager, you will shape and update the corporate donor development strategy and corporate funds plan, working with the Head of Operations and Development, Marketing and Communications Manager and CEO. You will manage key corporate partnerships, engage current and potential corporate supporters, and ensure excellent stewardship throughout. A key focus is to foster a culture of new business development by mobilising whole team support.

The successful candidate will have proven experience securing five- and six-figure corporate partnerships, consistently exceeding ambitious targets. Excellent communication skills are essential, with the ability to engage a diverse range of stakeholders and produce high-quality content to attract new corporate donors and to demonstrate impact of corporate partnerships. You will need to identify and convert new opportunities while effectively  managing long-term relationships. The role also requires strong organisational, analytical, creative, and budgeting skills, along with the ability to prioritise competing demands to drive income growth and maximise opportunities.

About the role

As Corporate Partnerships Manager, you will:

Corporate donor development

• Identify, research, secure, and manage new corporate donor partnerships
• Build and maintain a corporate new business pipeline to build income, targeting a range of partnerships (including dedicated corporate funds, collaborative funds, corporate grants and strategic relationships)
• Carry out prospect cultivation, due diligence, develop tailored high-quality proposals, applications and pitches, and manage corporate partner relationships to secure income from initial contact to formal partnership
• Have the ability to negotiate clear, mutually understood and appropriate agreements with new corporate partners
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of key resources and content for fundraising activities and ensure communications are in line with the Fundraising Regulator’s guidelines
• Represent the Foundation at events to deepen supporter engagement and support with planning and delivering key corporate events, such as golf days, fundraising events, corporate network events, etc.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders such as senior leadership team, marketing and grants, Trustees, Ambassadors and other volunteers to leverage Foundation networks for introductions and referrals

Corporate partnership management

• Lead the stewardship and growth of existing corporate partnerships in collaboration with internal teams, using creative and strategic methods to strengthen relationships and maximise opportunities for growth and longevity
• Create and deliver comprehensive, bespoke plans for each partnership, considering all financial and nonfinancial opportunities to generate support and mutual value, including fund income growth, corporate volunteering, pro-bono contributions and corporate fundraising
• Hold regular meetings with corporate partners to ensure partnership objectives are on track
• Analyse and use data and insights to create compelling marketing content, media releases, events and reports for partners that demonstrate their impact and support renewals

Managing systems

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records on the Foundation’s CRM (Salesforce), tracking all corporate donor development and partnerships activity
• Deliver regular monitoring and reporting on corporate donor development, pipeline and existing partnerships
• Ensure all corporate donor development pipeline data and income is accurately recorded, allocated and reconciled with agreed finance processes and forecasts
• Contribute to income planning and forecasting

General responsibilities

• Work in accordance with the values, policies, and procedures of the Foundation.
• Work within the Foundation’s performance management approach, including setting and reviewing progress against objectives, training and other personal development, as required.
• Promote equal opportunities (in terms of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and other forms of discrimination) throughout all aspects of the Foundation’s work.
• The post will require travel across Cambridgeshire and occasionally other UK locations.

About you

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about the Foundation’s work and excited to make a meaningful impact. This is a dynamic and varied role that offers scope for creativity, strategy, and hands-on relationship management. You’ll collaborate closely with internal teams to bring partner activity to life, demonstrate impact, and align our work with shared goals.

You are self-motivated, organised and creative. You can adapt your approach to suit different audiences and achieve deadlines. You will have good emotional intelligence and be resilient.

Your skills and experience will include:

• Strong corporate fundraising or account management background, with experience managing corporate partnerships in the £10k–£100k+ range
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to confidently deliver engaging pitches, presentations, create compelling marketing collateral and capitalise on AI for compelling content
• Strategic thinker with a flair for finding new growth opportunities and for building existing partnerships
• Exceptional relationship-building skills to ensure long-term corporate partnerships
• Excellent organiser who can juggle competing priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain attention to detail
• Financial acumen, with ability to interpret budgets and funding data
• Proficiency in using CRM databases to monitor fundraising performance
• Willingness to work out-of-hours at events including attending some evening events and more sporadic weekend events (approx. 2-3 pa)
• Dynamic, creative, and solutions-focused, with a collaborative mindset and passion for the Foundation’s mission and values
• A full UK driving license and access to a car.

Other terms and conditions

Flexible working: We offer flexible working hours: staff may request to work their contracted hours in a preferred working pattern.

Leave: 27 days a year plus public holidays. Option of trading up to 5 days of available holiday allowance each year.

Pension: All staff are auto-enrolled into the Foundation’s pensions scheme provided by NEST with a 7% employer contribution

Probation: The post is subject to a 3-month probationary period.

Equality: We are inclusive and happy to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. Contact Viv – viv@cambscf.org.uk

Interviews: Interviews will be held as suitable candidates apply

Data notice: For information about how the Fundation uses data please visit our policies page.

Please note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Due to the volume of responses we receive, we are not able to give feedback to individuals. If you have not heard back within 7 days from the application deadline, please assume that you have not been successful for the role you have applied for.