New Business Manager - Corporate Partnerships

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded fundraiser to join our Corporate Partnerships team as our New Business Manager. Working alongside colleagues across the team who also contribute to partnership development and strategic partnership activity, you will provide dedicated focus on identifying, developing and securing new corporate partnerships. You will help drive new business activity, building a strong prospect pipeline and progressing opportunities from initial engagement through to partnership agreement.

Your primary focus will be to build and progress a strong pipeline of prospective partners, develop relationships with key decision-makers and convert opportunities into high-value partnerships. You will help connect organisations with opportunities that align with their environmental, social and business objectives, while delivering meaningful outcomes for Forestry England.

These partnerships may involve:

• Investing in priority programmes for wildlife, climate and people.
• Co-creating solutions that combine our land-based expertise with partner innovation, technology and skills.
• Supporting new ways to evidence and accelerate nature recovery through data and digital tools.
• Engaging new audiences and inspiring wider support for nature.

While partnership development is a shared responsibility across the team, this role has a particular focus on new business acquisition. Success in this role will be measured through the growth of a high quality prospect pipeline, the progression and conversion of opportunities, and the value and strategic impact of new partnerships secured.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys spotting opportunities, opening doors and building relationships from the ground up. You'll combine strong relationship-building skills with commercial awareness and curiosity, working collaboratively across Forestry England to develop partnership opportunities that are both ambitious and achievable.

Job description

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

• Proactively identify, develop and secure new corporate partnerships, with a focus on high value opportunities that align with Forestry England's strategic priorities
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospective partners, from initial research and qualification through to proposal development, negotiation and conversion
• Undertake prospect research and market mapping to identify organisations, sectors and decision-makers aligned with Forestry England's objectives
• Lead partner engagement, pitches and negotiations, developing compelling and tailored propositions that meet both partner and Forestry England’s organisational objectives
• Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to shape partnership opportunities that are ambitious, deliverable and aligned with organisational capacity
• Lead opportunities from first engagement through to partnership agreement, ensuring appropriate internal approvals, contracting and stakeholder engagement
• Support the transition of newly secured partnerships into delivery, working closely with account management and delivery colleagues to ensure an effective handover and positive partner experience
• Monitor and report on pipeline performance, partnership income and business development activity against agreed targets
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of partnership acquisition processes, sharing market insight, best practice and learning across the team.
• Collaborate with marketing, engagement, fundraising, membership and district teams to identify new partnership opportunities and strengthen prospect engagement.

And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person specification

Skills, knowledge & experience

Essential professional and technical experience

• Demonstrable experience of identifying, developing and securing new business opportunities, including building and managing a pipeline from prospecting through to conversion
• Track record of meeting or exceeding income generation, fundraising or business development targets
• Experience of developing compelling partnership propositions, pitches, proposals or business cases for external partners
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders both externally and internally
• Experience of managing complex opportunities involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities
• Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to align partner objectives with organisational priorities and create mutually beneficial outcomes
• Excellent communication, presentation, influencing and negotiation skills
• Ability to work independently, proactively and collaboratively within a team environment

Desirable professional and technical experience

• Knowledge of the environmental, sustainability or nature-based sectors
• Awareness of emerging trends in ESG, social impact and corporate partnerships
• Confidence working within large or complex organisations, navigating multiple stakeholders and competing demands
• Ability to support long-term partnership growth, including renewal and account development
• Full UK driving licence.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience in business development, fundraising or partnership development.

Desirable

• Fundraising Qualifications
• Chartered Institute of Fundraising membership
• Business Development / Commercial Qualifications
• CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing)
• Business Development or Account Management certifications
• Sustainability / ESG Qualifications
• PRINCE2 Foundation

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,388, Forestry Commission contributes £11,700 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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