Partnership Manager

This important role will represent FareShare Sussex & Surrey engaging with corporate partners and key stakeholders such as council leaders, politicians and dignitaries across the region. 

Using your experience in engagement and relationship management you will work to consolidate existing partnerships and seek new opportunities across Sussex & Surrey, working to build strong relationships locally and encourage partnership, donations, sponsorships and corporate volunteering. The development team has an ambitious target of £1 million to raise, through various streams including corporate partnerships, individual giving, trust applications and other fundraising activities each year. The role will manage the corporate income stream and requires collaboration with all income generation to ensure effective management and stewardship of all partners.

You will develop an exciting donor journey which engages and encourages support from businesses and key stakeholders. Working with high-value supporters to maintain a good relationship with the organisation and fostering new partnerships. 

You will also work alongside our food Supply Manager to help provide a holistic partnership with our suppliers, encouraging them to support our work across the ESG / CSR spectrum.

You will be part of an upbeat, skilled, supportive team within an ambitious, values-led organisation that has a fantastic leadership team and is focused on the wellbeing of its staff. You’ll make a strong contribution to our culture of togetherness, inclusivity, respect, and passion in our mission to see no good food going to waste in Sussex and Surrey.

Duties and responsibilities  

Business Development and Relationship Management 

• Act as main point of contact for existing corporate partners and stakeholders

• Build strong relationships through a stewardship programme to engage with partners in a variety of ways on a regular basis

• To provide the highest quality supporter care, working in partnership with the business to engage with its staff, maximising fundraising and retain support for the long term

• Support with engaging FareShare national partners where required

• Capture feedback from businesses to adapt our propositions

• Engage with with external stakeholders to develop effective activity plans, with clear objectives and outcomes to engage with new and existing corporate partners and other stakeholders

New Business

• Work closely with the Development Team to identify new business opportunities (including charity of the year partnerships) and to develop new relationships with stakeholders across Sussex and Surrey

• To research and approach companies to maximise fundraising opportunities,Develop and promote sponsorship opportunities and corporate partnership offerings

• Create engaging proposition presentations to approach new businesses engaging with them and s other such stakeholders regularly, hosting visits and attending meetings where necessary

Reporting and Monitoring

• Provide regular reporting for trustees and the Development Team

• To monitor and evaluate all aspects of the partnership, reporting on income and engagement. 

• Regular indepth bespoke reporting for our funding partner

• Work with the Head of Development on creating forecasts and budgets

• Ensuring records are maintained through our CRM system, Donorfy

• Adhere to data protection regulation and have an understanding of the Fundraising Regulator guidelines

Person Specification 

As an employer committed to Equal Opportunities, we will assess applications in line with these criteria that we consider either as being essential or desirable for this post. Please explain in your Covering Letter why you meet the points in the Person Specification.

Qualifications and/or Experience- Essential Criteria

• A level education or equivalent

• Experience of Managing accounts or customers

• Experience of working in sales

• Experience of successfully building long term, mutually beneficial relationships with a variety of organisations.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of managing dignitaries or high-value individuals

• Experience of working in  a fundraising or partnerships role

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge- Essential Criteria

• Proven ability to build cross functional relationships with a customer service focus

• Ability to plan, multi-task and manage your time effectively  

• Confident networking and public speaking 

• Excellent attention to detail, comfortable using your own initiative, managing priorities and workload

• Problem solving and decision making skills, solution focussed with the ability to support decisions using data and analysis

• Proactive, resilient, and able to work under pressure

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to confidently present to stakeholders in person or online  

• IT literacy including use of Google applications

Desirable Criteria

• Track record of using selling and negotiation skills with professionalism and integrity to achieve desired outcomes and targets.

• IT literacy in using Canva or other design applications

Relationships  (internal and external) values and behaviours-  Essential Criteria

• Brilliant people skills

• Desire to work for the region's largest surplus food rescue charity, to subscribe to the culture, vision and mission of our charity  

• Comfortable with cold calling new accounts and the judgement to be able to balance persistence with empathy  and understanding.

• Ability to create and maintain successful working partnerships with multiple stakeholders 

• Able to use own initiative and work independently

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities, inclusivity and diversity

Circumstances:  Essential Criteria

• Willing and available to work outside normal working hours occasionally if required

• Be flexible about your working arrangements as the role will involve travel around the region.

• Proof of the Right to work in the UK

• Satisfactory DBS check.

Desirable Criteria

• Have a valid driver’s licence for the UK, access to your own car and undertake extensive travel across your region