Partnership Relationship Manager

Smart Group; Australia; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Smart Leave

Free lunch

Paid Parental Leave

Volunteer days

Salary packaging and novated leasing

Free flu vaccinations

Employee Share Plan

Job summary

Smartgroup is seeking a commercially minded Partnership Relationship Manager to grow and strengthen automotive and dealer partnerships across Australia. You will act as the primary contact for strategic partners, uncover opportunities, build business cases, and collaborate with internal teams to drive customer outcomes, fleet growth and commercial success.

The role emphasizes analysing opportunities, delivering initiatives, and influencing decision-makers to turn ideas into measurable results.

Qualifications

• Enjoys building relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Has experience in Business Development, Partnership Management, Account Management or Relationship Management.
• Brings automotive/dealership/fleet sector experience.
• Tracks record of developing partnerships and delivering commercial outcomes.
• Communicates effectively and can influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills; proactive and curious.
• Works across sales, marketing, supply chain and leadership teams to achieve goals.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic partnership growth plans.
• Identify and deliver new revenue, fleet and customer opportunities.
• Build trusted relationships with dealership groups and automotive partners.
• Influence and align stakeholders across Sales, Fleet, Supply Chain, Marketing, Customer and Product teams.
• Drive cross-selling, upselling and joint commercial initiatives.
• Lead partnership reviews and strategic planning sessions.
• Analyse business performance and market trends to identify growth opportunities.
• Build and manage a pipeline of partnership initiatives.
• Prepare business cases and recommendations for senior leaders.

Skills

Business Development

Partnership Management

Account Management

Relationship Management

Job description

Look forward to working with Australia’s leading and most trusted provider of Employee Management Services, making the benefits of salary packaging, novated leasing, and fleet management readily available to employers and their employees.

Working at Smartgroup offers more than a job. It is a dynamic workplace that matches the enthusiasm for the work you do and ambition for an exciting fast-paced career. We have all been hired for a purpose and a reason.

Every day you will be part of a team that helps support fellow Australians - many working in essential services, corporates, government, and not-for-profits - to take home more money in their pay packets.

Do you have what it takes to become a Partnership Relationship Manager?

At Smartgroup, we’re looking for a commercially minded Partnership Relationship Manager to help grow and strengthen some of our most strategic automotive and dealer partnerships.
This is a highly collaborative and influential role where you’ll work closely with dealership groups, automotive partners and internal teams to identify opportunities, build strong relationships and deliver initiatives that support customer outcomes, fleet growth and business success. If you enjoy connecting people, creating value through partnerships and turning ideas into meaningful results, we’d love to hear from you.

About the Role

As our Partnership Relationship Manager, you’ll be responsible for the success, growth and strategic development of key automotive partnerships.
Acting as the primary point of contact for strategic partners, you’ll work closely with internal teams to uncover opportunities, strengthen relationships and deliver initiatives that drive customer outcomes, fleet growth and commercial success. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys analysing opportunities, building business cases and influencing decision-makers to bring ideas to life.

What you’ll be doing

• Develop and execute strategic partnership growth plans.
• Identify and deliver new revenue, fleet and customer opportunities.
• Build trusted relationships with dealership groups and automotive partners.
• Influence and align stakeholders across Sales, Fleet, Supply Chain, Marketing, Customer and Product teams.
• Drive cross-selling, upselling and joint commercial initiatives.
• Lead partnership reviews and strategic planning sessions.
• Analyse business performance and market trends to identify growth opportunities.
• Build and manage a pipeline of partnership initiatives.
• Prepare business cases and recommendations for senior leaders.
• Ensure partnership performance remains aligned to commercial objectives.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Enjoys building strong relationships and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Has experience in Business Development, Partnership Management, Account Management or Relationship Management.
• Brings industry experience from automotive, dealership, OEM, automotive finance, fleet or related sectors.
• Has a track record of developing partnerships and delivering positive commercial outcomes.
• Communicates effectively and can influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Combines commercial awareness with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Is proactive, curious and enjoys identifying opportunities to improve performance and create value.
• Works well across sales, marketing, supply chain and leadership teams to achieve shared goals.

What’s in it for you?

Smart team members enjoy a range of benefits designed to support flexibility, wellbeing, reward, and growth:

• Smart Leave, an additional week of leave each year
• Free lunch every week
• Up to 20 weeks Paid Parental Leave with superannuation contributions and a Return-to-Work Bonus
• Make a Difference Days – paid days off to volunteer for the community and environment
• Salary packaging and novated leasing benefits (of course!)
• Free flu vaccinations
• Employee Share Plan

Grow with Purpose

At Smart, we’re driven by purpose and performance. We support individual and team growth via varied learning opportunities, open communication, and leaders who work to get the basics right – quality and regular one to ones, clear goals and success metrics, and growth conversations.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Everyone belongs and is welcome at Smart. We welcome people from diverse backgrounds to join our team, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, veterans, people with disability, people who identify as LGBTQ+, all gender identities, and people of any socioeconomic status, age, race, national origin or ethnicity.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion is reflected in the external recognition we’ve received, including being named:

• WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality since 2019
• DCA Inclusive Employer 2025 – 2026
• Silver Employer on the Australian Workplace Equality Index

We’re also members of the Reconciliation Action Plan network, with a RAP at Innovate level.

Please note: all successful candidates will be required to complete background checks including a police clearance prior to confirmation of employment. Candidates must have unlimited Australian work rights to be considered for this role.