Partnerships Manager

About the Role

We're looking for a Partnerships Manager to build bold, trusted relationships and high-impact collaborations across business, government, and society, advancing our mission to shape a better future through responsible leadership.

You'll be working at the heart of the Institute's mission, acting as the primary point of contact for a portfolio of stakeholders across 15-25 of our partner organisations – from FTSE 100 firms and government departments, to charities and social enterprises. 

You'll spend time understanding their context, spotting growth opportunities, and identifying ways to help them get the most from their partnership with the Forward Institute.

As a key member of our Partnerships team, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring our partners thrive within the Forward Institute movement. Your key responsibilities are to:

• Act as the trusted primary contact for 15-25 partner organisations, overseeing all day-to-day touchpoints.

• Deepen relationships with key decision-makers, identifying opportunities to expand and deepen partnerships (including securing renewals and sales).

• Maintain CRM data, insight, and reporting from across the team to inform partnership strategies and sales planning.

• Support new business conversations and proposals, building narratives that connect partner need with our purpose.

• Project manage partnership delivery, helping to coordinate leadership offsites and events with the wider FI team.

• Monitor sector and market trends, feeding insights into our offering and programmes.

• Represent the Forward Institute at events – championing our mission and community.

• Coordinate with operations and finance on contracting, procurement, compliance and reporting.

About You

You'll bring care, ownership, and initiative. You work with confidence and clarity, staying focused on the bigger picture, even when things are moving fast.

You'll thrive in this role if you:

• Are passionate about building enduring relationships  - trusted by key stakeholders, precise and thoughtful in how you build and sustain relationships.

• Have 2 - 3 years experience in partnership management, client relations or account management

• Are curious and insightful, able to spot and develop opportunities for commercial growth and impact.

• Are organised and proactive, able to juggle competing priorities, follow through on detail and keep systems running smoothly .

• Have experience with, or open to, using CRMs and AI tools to work smarter, faster, and with greater precision.

• Are an excellent communicator, able to turn complex ideas into compelling narratives and tailor these depending on the audience.

• Have a bias for action and can find creative routes through challenges.

You'll love it here if you

• Are energised by working with some of the UK's most influential organisations across business, government and civil society.
• Thrive on meaningful conversations with senior leaders and love seeing ideas turn into impact.
• Have a curious mind and value learning from others' perspectives.
• Enjoy working in a dynamic, collaborative environment where initiative is valued.
• Appreciate autonomy but also love being part of a small, ambitious team building something big together.
• Are happy to travel occasionally to partner sites, events or convenings.

About us

We believe a better future is possible, and how we get there begins with leaders. The choices they make will determine the years to come.

Responsible leadership is the courageous and creative use of power to shape a better future. It is a choice, and we help leaders choose it.

Through breakthrough leadership programmes, advisory interventions and our 1,500+ strong leader community we equip leaders with the mindsets, capabilities, insight and tools to transform their organisations.

Benefits

We know our greatest strength is our people. We want every one of us to feel supported in their health, in wellbeing, and in building a secure future. When you join, you are enrolled on Health Insurance, we have a working from home set up, generous training and development budget, an abundance of library books to borrow, our people's pension scheme and more.

Our benefits are here to reflect our values in action: to help you thrive at work, protect what matters outside it, and feel confident through the twists and turns of your personal and professional journey.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV and a covering video (max 2 minutes) answering the following:

What are you passionate about, and why are you interested in this specific role?

We want to make this process as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access needs or specific requirements, please get in touch with 

You must have the right to work in the UK.

About us

Shaping a better future through responsible leadership.

We believe a better future is possible, and how we get there begins with leaders. The choices they make will determine the years to come.

Responsible leadership is is the courageous and creative use of power to shape a better future. It is a choice, and wehelp leaders choose it.

Through breakthrough leadership programmes, advisory interventions and our 1,500+ strong leader community we equip leaders with the mindsets, capabilities, insight and tools to transform their organisations.

---