Client Partnerships Manager

Role: Client Partnerships Manager (Maternity cover)

Contract: 12-Months Fixed Term Contract

Closing Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025, 09:00 GMT 

Salary: £42,000 (Manager, Point 1)

Location: London, hybrid

Interview: Tuesday 25 November 2025

Job Purpose

The Client Partnerships Manager will lead on developing and managing the British Ecological Society's relationships with

businesses and consultancy clients. This is a client-facing role, combining business development, account management and project delivery.

This includes building and delivering creative partnerships, managing client accounts, overseeing sponsorship and advertising, and identifying new opportunities for growth.

The postholder will develop winning pitches, nurture strong client relationships, and ensure all partnerships and consultancy projects are impactful, commercially successful, and aligned with the BES mission.

Key responsibilities

Business development and sales:

Proactively identify and develop new consultancy and partnership clients, building a strong pipeline of prospects and opportunities.

Create and deliver persuasive, tailored pitches and proposals that translate ecological science into compelling, goal-orientated client stories.

Manage and grow the Society's sponsorship and advertising income streams, developing creative packages linked to events, print and digital platforms.

Negotiate and agree consultancy and partnership contracts, ensuring deliverables and expectations are clear, achievable and measurable.

Work responsively with senior colleagues to shape and implement a commercial strategy that maximises BES's expertise and impact.

Partnership and client management:

Act as account manager for consultancy clients and corporate partners, building strong, long-term client relationships.

Be the first point of contact for clients, ensuring excellent service, regular communication and high-quality delivery.

Project management and delivery:

Lead the delivery of consultancy and corporate partnership projects, coordinating input from across BES teams.

Manage the financial and legal administration of client work, including drafting and overseeing contracts, setting and monitoring budgets, and managing invoices and payments.

Negotiate clear deliverables and terms with clients and partners, ensuring all agreements are fair, transparent and aligned with BES policies.

Ensure consultancy projects and partnerships deliver on time, on budget and to a high standard.

Translate technical ecological information into engaging client-facing outputs such as reports, presentations and proposals.

Monitor and evaluate project success, sharing learnings and applying them to future client work.

Cross-Society collaboration:

Support the Director of Policy in developing the Society's wider commercial strategy.

Contribute to the overall visibility and reputation of the BES as a trusted partner for ecological expertise.

Work with colleagues across policy, events, publishing, grants, membership and communications to maximise opportunities for corporate engagement and income.

This list is not exhaustive, and employees may be asked to carry out other duties appropriate to their role and level, in line with business needs.

It is the practice of the British Ecological Society to examine job descriptions from time to time and to update them to ensure they relate to the job as then being performed, or to incorporate changes in organisational need suitable to the role and level. This will be conducted in consultation with you. It is the organisation's aim to reach agreement on changes, but if agreement is not possible, the organisation reserves the right to insist on changes to your job description, after consultation with you.

Essential

Proven track record in business development and sales, with demonstrable success in securing new clients, generating income, and meeting or exceeding commercial targets.

Strong presentation and pitching skills, with demonstrable experience of creating and delivering winning proposals that convert prospects into clients.

Demonstrable experience building and maintaining a robust pipeline of prospects, using insight and creativity to identify new opportunities.

Demonstrable evidence of excellent client relationship management skills, including nurturing accounts and growing long-term value once relationships are established.

Commercial awareness, with demonstrable experience in negotiating contracts, managing budgets and ensuring financial sustainability.

Demonstrable experience in project management, including coordinating multiple stakeholders, overseeing delivery, and ensuring projects are completed on time, on budget and to a high standard.

Demonstrable experience in distilling complex or technical information into clear, impactful stories that resonate with business audiences.

Confident communicator, both written and verbal, with demonstrable experience in influencing and engaging senior decision-makers.

Desirable

Experience in an agency, consultancy, or client-facing commercial environment.

Familiarity with consultancy or commercial delivery models.

An interest in ecology, science and the environment

To apply for this vacancy, please click 'Apply for this job' via our recruitment portal to submit:

1. Your CV - no more than 2x A4 sides detailing your education, training and work history, as well as any relevant key skills
2. A covering letter - no more than 1x A4 side explaining why you wish to undertake this role at the BES
3. Your Equality and Diversity information - this voluntary information helps us to assess the diversity of our recruitment and further improve recruitment processes in future. It has no bearing on the success of your application and is not considering as part of the shortlisting process