Partnerships manager jobs in Belfast

We are seeking a fantastic corporate partnerships manager to join our Income Generation team. This is a key role for the organisation, proactively leading on new business; delivering mid and high-value partnerships and maintaining a healthy and active pipeline of new prospects to support the long-term sustainability of our work. The successful candidate will develop compelling proposals and pitches to build new relationships and provide excellent stewardship for existing corporate partners. They will manage and deliver the Income Generation strategy, annual operational plan, and income forecasting and develop accurate annual budgets and forecasts, monitoring performance against plan and meeting KPIs and targets.
We are looking for an individual able to demonstrate a good track record of success in achieving and exceeding set income targets in corporate fundraising as well as devising, driving and delivering corporate fundraising plans. Excellent written and creative skills, with experience in developing relationships is crucial as is the ability to organise, prioritise, and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines. Strong networking skills with the ability to manage high-profile relationships professionally and tactfully are essential.

You will work to forge and sustain long-term, constructive partnerships with new and existing partners that help us grow funds and achieve our charitable goals. You will: 

· quickly learn and be able to articulate well our campaigns and victim service and their evidence base, our funding need, and the actions that corporates can and should take to prioritise safe and green use of roads, through funding us and supporting our campaigns

· find and unlock access to senior leads within companies not already working with us (e.g., public affairs, communications and corporate social relationship teams) as well as taking up the reins of stewarding relationships with some of the companies already working with us

· listen and understand corporates’ priorities, understanding their budgets, potential to fundraise within their teams and networks, and their safety, sustainability, policy and pr priorities; and articulate what Brake does and our need for help

· forge, together, actionable joint plans that generate funds for Brake from a company, directly or through their supply chain / customers. You will achieve six figure funding targets, by generating five figure funds from new and existing partners

· Work alongside team members in public affairs, PR, and public engagement to understand our programmes of work in campaigns and seek the engagement of new and existing corporate supporters in those programmes, for example through participation and sponsorship

· Be responsible for developing your own pipeline of leads and accurately forecasting income you will fundraise from this pipeline and listing partnership activities that will be delivered

· Operate within Brake’s Ethical Partnership Policy and other policies, which enables us to sustain our charity values and work alongside corporations safely.

· Be a team player and able to step up to the plate and speak up for the charity, for example giving speeches or undertaking interviews on the charity’s behalf.

Have a look at our comprehensive job description

About Spear

We launched the award-winning Spear Programme over 20 years ago, and there are now 18 Spear Centres across the country, equipping unemployed 16–24-year-olds facing barriers to employment with the skills and mindset they need to secure work and thrive in the workplace.

Spear operates a joint venture model with churches across the UK to run our Spear Centres. Some Centres operate in collaboration with independent charitable trusts, while others are run directly with the local church (both referred to below as ‘Spear Church Partners’ or ‘Church Partners’).

About the role

We’re looking for a new Church Partnerships Manager to join us for this northern based role, with travel across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in driving national growth by developing and nurturing partnerships with churches across the North of England. You will be at the forefront of developing new relationships with potential early-stage partners, inspiring churches to engage with our mission, and supporting them through the pipeline, and helping to establish a diverse and thriving network of church partnerships.

We are looking for a confident relationship-builder who can engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders, particularly church leaders, and who is comfortable working in a dynamic and evolving environment.

Key information:

• Salary: £37,000
• Location: Remote with once a month travel to London for team meetings and regular travel in the North of England
• Full-time, 12-14month Fixed Term Contract, with the possibility of extension
• Closing date: Friday 10th April, 09.00am (we interview on a rolling basis and will close the role early if we find the right candidate)

For more information please read through our Job Specification and Work with Us Pack.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• A practising Christian, passionate about personally representing the values and beliefs of Spear, and our mission to equip and support young people facing barriers to employment
• Strong leadership ability with the confidence to make effective decisions
• Outstanding people skills and emotional intelligence, capable of quickly winning trust and confidence, as well as network, influence and negotiate with church leaders and a range of audiences, internally and externally
• An understanding of the needs and workings of churches and their leaders, and the ability to innovate, build our growth strategy and generate new partnerships
• An excellent communicator (both written and verbal)
• Excellent initiative and a self-starter, with the ability to operate flexibly in a changing and dynamic environment and in response to the support needs of each partner
• Strong organisational skills including the ability to establish appropriate processes and structures and to manage multiple priorities to meet targets and deadlines
• Strong quantitative skills including ability to work with and interpret impact data, fundraising pipelines and basic financial information
• Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint competent and experience of/ability to use databases

About this role:

We are seeking a motivated and experienced professional to lead our fundraising and partnership development activities, supporting the diversification and growth of income across both established and emerging streams. While the role will place significant emphasis on corporate fundraising, it will also involve the strategic development of grants and trusts. You will develop strong relationships with funders, identify new opportunities, and support our members to build their own grassroots fundraising capabilities.

Working closely with both colleagues and members, you'll help shape our funding strategy, develop high quality proposals, and ensure we have the systems and insight needed for sustainable growth. Your contributions will enable us to expand our work to engage and empower communities across Britain. 

In addition, you will help shape the guidance we provide to members of the community rail movement, strengthening their grassroots fundraising capabilities and approaches.

Main responsibilities

• Manage and grow corporate relationships for the benefit of Community Rail Network and its members, nurturing effective, lasting relationships that help community rail to deliver on its aims around community development, sustainable travel, and inclusion.
• Conduct prospect research to identify new corporate supporters and relevant grant opportunities, taking a proactive approach to cultivating new leads, building networks and flagging upcoming opportunities well in advance to ensure sufficient preparation time.
• Engage, listen and pitch to funders, understanding shared priorities, articulating the value of partnering with us, and securing continued or increased support. 
• Work cross-team to create strong proposals, using member and partner insights to identify funding needs and opportunities, and develop compelling cases for support and budgets.
• Develop joint grant applications by collaborating with colleagues, members and external partners to create bids aligned with our strategic aims and which recognise our current strengths, resources and prioritie
• Support strategic funding development, working closely with the senior leadership team to shape our approach and deliver against funding objectives and ensure it is understood by colleagues.
• Champion a positive fundraising culture and ethos, providing expertise and contributing member support, training, and events across the community rail movement.
• Contribute to wider organisational activity, including using major events and campaigns, such as the Community Rail Awards, to advance fundraising efforts.
• Develop and maintain effective fundraising systems, including funder reporting, review processes, and tracking KPIs to monitor progress and impact.

Skills, competencies and experience

1. Proven skills and experience in third sector fundraising, including corporate fundraising, grant management and funder reporting, with a broad understanding of the full fundraising mix and ability to spot new opportunities.
2. A demonstrable proactive approach to relationship building, with experience engaging and stewarding funders to create long-term mutually beneficial partnerships.
3. Strong proposal/grant application and report writing skills, able to tailor communication for different audiences and stakeholders to maximise clarity, relevance and impact.
4. Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to gather insight and inspire engagement both internally and externally.
5. Strong organisational and time management skills, able to balance multiple and competing  priorities and meet deadlines effectively. 
6. Experience of, or demonstrable understanding of, membership organisations, including the ability to balance member needs with our organisational objectives.
7. Appreciation of and commitment to community development, empowerment and sustainability, and the value of community engagement in relation to transport.
8. Solid understanding of KPIs, targets, budgeting, and risk management, with the ability to plan, track and evaluate performance effectively.
9. A proactive, positive and self-motivated mindset, able to work independently, collaborate well, and inspire confidence in others.
10. IT literate, with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, TEAMs, the internet and social media.

Other information

This post is home-based, but with travel (including occasional overnight stays) for team meetings, events, member engagement, and external meetings. This is a permanent position and includes a probationary period of three months from the date of appointment. Successful applicants will need to provide proof that they have the right to work in the UK and provide two references.

Benefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising up to 30 days, plus Bank Holidays, in line with long service); pension with employer contribution of 3%; flexi-time working (core hours 10am-3pm); access to Employee Assistance Programme. 

We are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer.

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.

Role outline and purpose

The Partnerships Manager is responsible for managing and growing sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships.  Developing high-value strategic partnerships to deliver income and additional support, in line with our overarching objectives and ambitious income targets.

This role is part of the Together with Trussell programme, the goal of which is to build stronger connections with our supporters, partners and donors in order to increase funding, campaigning, and other forms of support for our work.  As a member of an enabling programme, this role is focused on the successful delivery of the Together with Trussell programme outcomes, which underpin and enable the outcomes of our 5 external programmes – together contributing to the fulfilment of our long term vision of a UK without the need for food banks.

Role responsibilities

· Provide day to day relationship management for a portfolio of partnerships ensuring that all activities comply with applicable law and the Code of Fundraising Practice.  Aligning closely to ensure Trussell’s obligations to partners are met.

· Assess and create growth opportunities for partnerships, maximising income and delivering on our overall charitable strategy and objectives.

· Work with colleagues across directorates to ensure that partnerships deliver tangible impact and that partners have the resources to enable them to communicate benefits to employees, customers and other stakeholders.

· Participate in regular 1:1s and annual reviews, contributing to the identification of objectives and targets, and monitoring of progress towards them.

· Actively contribute to a culture of innovation, resourcefulness and best practice to make the best use of time and skills in the team.

· Lead on team projects that support our team goals, helping to contribute to the development of team resources in support of our aim of delivering bigger, better partnerships.

Person Specification

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

· Experience and knowledge of Corporate and Trust Fundraising or applicable background

· Use of Salesforce or similar cloud-based software tool

· Funding awareness and knowledge of various corporate sectors, trusts and foundations

· Knowledge of what a successful partnerships campaigns entail

· The ability to create and deliver compelling proposals

· The ability to communicate effectively and to motivate commercial partners, trusts and foundations

· Excellent relationship management skills, working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and different teams

Behaviours and competencies:

· Demonstrates a commitment to the values of Trussell

· Demonstrates empathy for people from disadvantaged, marginalised or socially-excluded backgrounds

· Role models inclusive behaviours and values

· Demonstrates resilience, resourcefulness, flexibility and perseverance

· Analyses and communicates complex information effectively to different stakeholders

· Works with others as one team, actively listening and collaborating to achieve a shared vision.  Building strong internal relationships, sharing information and expertise

Key Stakeholders

· Partnership Development team

· Together with Trussell programme team

· Foodbank Resilience programme team

· Finance team

· Impact Measurement team

· Making Social Security Work programme team

· Corporate Partners, Trusts and Foundations

The role

We’re looking for a dynamic and commercially minded Corporate Partnerships Manager to play a role in growing Cruse’s corporate partnerships portfolio. Working within the Income Generation and Communications Department — and embedded in our Partnerships Team — you will lead the development, management and growth of impactful, long-term corporate relationships that help Cruse support more bereaved people every year.

In this role, you will spearhead the recruitment of new corporate partners while maximising the value and reach of existing partnerships. You’ll create compelling partnership propositions, negotiate mutually beneficial agreements, and provide exceptional stewardship that ensures every partner feels valued, inspired and fully connected to our mission.

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and covering letter, which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages. 

Please note that your application may not be considered if you do not submit a CV and supporting statement.

The closing date for applications is 6th April 2026 with interviews taking place on a rolling basis.

We reserve the right to close the advert early, as interviews will be held as suitable candidates apply.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 10th April 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online: 

· Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice

· Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders' Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email.

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.