Partner Success Manager

Cult Ideas; Calgary; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Gathering in Calgary is seeking a Partner Success Manager who takes ownership from Day One through activation, growth and renewal—there is no handoff after onboarding. This role sits at the intersection of onboarding, activation and long-term commercial ownership for brand partnerships.

You’ll launch partnerships, own the relationship through activation, track satisfaction and renewal opportunities, and negotiate terms to drive sustained partner value for Canada's premier brand and business

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in account management, partner success, sponsorship, events, or professional services.
• Proven track record of owning renewals and retaining commercial relationships.
• Strong discovery, onboarding, and relationship-management skills.
• Experience developing proposals, activation scopes, and renewal terms.

Responsibilities

• Launch successful brand partnerships from Day One.
• Own activation and partner satisfaction through growth and renewal.
• Lead renewal proposals and negotiate commercial terms.
• Manage multiple partner relationships simultaneously.

Skills

Relationship management

Negotiation

Account management

Communication

Sales lifecycle

Strategic partnerships

Renewals

Job description

Job Description

The Gathering is looking for a Partner Success Manager.

We're looking for someone who takes the baton the moment a brand partnership is signed — and doesn't hand it off again.

This isn't a traditional account management role.

It's a role for someone who enjoys building relationships, creating momentum, solving commercial challenges, and making sure every brand partner gets an exceptional start with The Gathering — and stays a partner year after year.

You'll work at the intersection of onboarding, activation, and long-term commercial ownership — taking a newly signed partner from Day One all the way through activation, growth, and renewal.

If you thrive in fast-moving environments, enjoy owning outcomes end-to-end, and want to help build Canada's premier brand and business festival, we'd love to meet you.

Why This Role Exists

At The Gathering, our revenue engine has two distinct responsibilities:

New Business

Creates new brand partnership opportunities and closes the initial signed agreement.

Partner Success Manager (this role)

Takes ownership the moment a partnership is signed — and owns the entire relationship from there.

Your job isn't simply to keep a partner happy. Your job is to ensure every brand partner experiences clarity, momentum, and growing value from Day One through every renewal. You own the relationship from signature onward — there is no handoff after onboarding.

What You'll Do

(1) Launch Successful Brand Partnerships

The moment a partnership is signed, you take ownership.

You’ll:

• Manage discovery and onboarding activities.
• Align partner expectations, stakeholders, and success measures.
• Ensure internal teams are prepared to deliver a world-class activation.
• Identify and resolve risks before they impact the partnership.
• Build the relationship and operating rhythm that will carry the partner through their full lifecycle with The Gathering.

(2) Own the Relationship Through Activation

You're accountable for the partner's experience and results, not just the handoff.

You’ll:

• Oversee activation delivery and act as the partner's primary point of contact.
• Track partner satisfaction and surface issues before they become risks.
• Identify opportunities to expand the partnership over time.
• Serve as the internal advocate for the partner across Gathering teams.

(3) Lead Renewals

You own the commercial outcome at the end of every cycle.

You’ll:

• Build the renewal case throughout the year, not just at renewal time.
• Prepare renewal proposals and pricing recommendations.
• Negotiate commercial terms and drive renewal contract execution.
• Maintain momentum through the full renewal cycle.
• Ensure no partner reaches renewal without a clear, well-supported reason to stay.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role is measured across the entire partner lifecycle:

• Quality and speed of onboarding.
• Partner satisfaction throughout activation.
• Partner retention and renewal rate.
• Growth in partnership value over the relationship.
• Time from renewal conversation to signed renewal.
• Renewal proposal and contract turnaround time.

Ideal Candidate

You’ll likely have experience as a:

• Partner Success Manager
• Account Manager
• Client Success Manager
• Strategic Account Executive
• Renewals Manager
• Event or Festival Partnerships Manager

You Bring

• 5+ years of experience in account management, partner success, sponsorship, events, or professional services.
• A track record of owning renewals and retaining commercial relationships.
• Strong discovery, onboarding, and relationship-management skills.
• Experience developing proposals, activation scopes, and renewal terms.
• Confidence negotiating pricing and contracts.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills with senior brand and marketing leaders.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational abilities.
• A proactive mindset with a bias toward action.
• The ability to manage multiple partner relationships simultaneously.
• A genuine passion for helping brand partners succeed long-term.

Why The Gathering?

We're building something ambitious.

We believe great partnerships are built by great people who care deeply about their partners, their teammates, and the quality of their work.

You’ll join a team that values ownership, curiosity, creativity, humility, and execution.

If you're looking for a role where you can own a brand partnership from Day One through every renewal, we'd love to hear from you.

Compensation

Competitive salary plus performance-based incentives, commensurate with experience and overall fit.