Partnership Manager

Chelsea Football Club; England; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A top-tier football club is seeking a Partnership Manager to oversee global partnerships and maintain strong relationships. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in partnership marketing and will be responsible for managing partner relationships and developing activation plans. This position offers a collaborative environment requiring flexibility for weekend work and international travel. Benefits include generous annual leave, pension contributions, and private healthcare.

Benefits

25 days annual leave (+ Bank Holidays)

Pension Contribution (5%)

Private healthcare

Free staff lunches

Discounts on club products

Qualifications

• Significant experience in managing and delivering partnership marketing activities.
• Excellent time management and workload prioritisation required.
• Fluent in English; other languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Managing end-to-end partner relationships to meet objectives.
• Developing annual activation plans for partners.
• Working cross-departmentally in a collaborative manner.

Skills

Partnership marketing experience

Strong communication skills

Time management

Knowledge of sports and entertainment

Creative thinking

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

JOB TITLE - Partnership Manager

LOCATION - Stamford Bridge

CONTRACT - Permanent, Full time

Purpose of the Role:

To take responsibility for the day‑to‑day operational fulfilment of a range of Global Partners in the Chelsea Football Club portfolio, such that the contractual rights are fully leveraged and maximised, while the long‑term individual and company relationships are created and maintained.

Closing date: 24th December

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the position may be filled before the listed closing date. To avoid missing out, please submit your application at your earliest convenience.

Role Dimensions:

• Reports to Lead, Partnerships
• Focus primarily on up to four Global Partnership accounts, supporting the partner lead however there may be a need to grow the role’s partnership portfolio moving forward
• Account support for other team members as required
• This role requires extensive weekend work in the UK and international travel and consequently flexibility in working hours will be required

You’ll Be (Main Responsibilities):

Partnership Management

• Developing a deep understanding of partner’s business strategies, objectives, products/services, target growth markets, competitors and KPI’s / metrics that resonate when evaluating success
• Managing the end‑to‑end Partner relationship with the club, ensuring that the Partners short‑ and medium‑term objectives are considered and delivered
• Working with each Partner to develop an annual 360 activation plan (strategy, activation, engagement and measurement) to ensure the partner has a clear framework for success
• Responsible along with the wider Marketing functions to bring to life and deliver Partner activation plans to ensure that the partner’s rights are maximised to achieve their objectives and KPIs
• Being pro‑active with a commercial mindset to build out new initiatives and alternate opportunities that could strengthen the value of the partnership
• Setting the benchmark for best‑in‑class client servicing across campaign and project management, fiscal control and reporting
• Managing the throughput of partner account information and actively support the development of key executive relationships between CFC and the Partner
• Being a team player, supporting the wider department where needed
• Taking the lead for own designated accounts, in developing and maintaining relationships with the global stakeholders within the partner company

Team Management

• Ability to work cross departmental and cross group collaboration
• Support in the delivery and establishment of regular partner reporting procedures internally and externally to track delivery of partner KPIs
• Develop personal credibility by behaving with humility and in a confident manner
• Build internal reputation and knowledge of the wider business
• Always operate with our core values in mind – Bravery; Leadership; Unity; Edge
• Work closely with other members of the team to deliver monthly reporting and communications to Partners
• Assist colleagues within the Partnership team with collective tasks and administration or additional duties as required

You’ll Have (Skills, Knowledge and Experience):

• Significant experience in managing and delivering partnership marketing activities, sponsorship, brand/product marketing, sales and communications campaigns
• Excellent time management and workload prioritisation required to respond to partner briefs on time and within budget
• Strong communication skills – verbal and written with an eye and attention to detail
• Knowledge of, and passion for, both sport and entertainment – especially Football
• Demonstrate a strong knowledge of core marketing and sponsorship principles
• Demonstrate an ability to understand our partners’ own business drivers and strategies
• Presentation skills (both writing and delivery), internally and to partners / suppliers
• Previous experience of campaign management, sponsorship, brand marketing, sales or product marketing experience is mandatory alongside working with and managing agency relationships and suppliers
• Good working knowledge of IT packages (e.g. MS Office suite) such that presentations can be made in context of the Sport & Entertainment landscape
• Competencies required: Strategic; Commercial: Collaborative; Creative thinking; Leadership; Organisation; Influencing others
• Fluent in English. Other languages would be an advantage

Personal Attributes:

• Results Driven: a proven winner, someone who is driven, and comes with an outstanding work ethic, holding themselves and others to the highest standards
• Responsible: leads from the front, taking responsibility for the day‑to‑day actions and delivery of workload
• Personable: as one of the initial and key faces of Chelsea into our Partners and the marketplace, must be personable, approachable, and a persuasive presenter
• Credible: considered credible and has gravitas, acting as a role model for the Chelsea values.
• Strategic: provides clear strategy, vision and direction for the partner and business
• Challenges: challenges others to strive for more, both in innovation and meeting stakeholder needs
• Leads: leads an innovative culture by empowering and developing teams
• Ownership: understands the impact of leadership behaviour on the business and demonstrates behaviours that support a high‑performance culture within and across teams.
• Change: is a champion for change by driving evolution, clearly communicating the vision and purpose for change and supporting the business to adapt.
• Collaborative: engages in partnerships, networks and alliances to support long term success and engages in partnerships for decision making to support the best interests of the business.
• Engagement: champions a culture that motivates and inspires employees to take personal responsibility and sees people management decisions as a key Manager accountability
• Role Model: is a role model and champions best practice in diversity and inclusion.

In Return (Benefits):

• 25 days annual leave (+ Bank Holidays) After three years’ service, AL days increase to 28.
• Pension Contribution (5%)
• Life Assurance (4 x base salary)
• Private healthcare through Vitality
• C2W (Cycle to Work scheme)
• Chelsea Ticket Membership Program – enables employees to purchase tickets for home games 49 days prior to the match
• Free staff lunches at Stamford Bridge (Mon‑Fri)
• Discount on club and club‑affiliated products (Megastore, Nike 25% discount, Stadium Tours, onsite bar/restaurant etc)
• Employee Assistance Program, Mental Health first aiders and a strong well‑being community

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

At Chelsea we recognise that the diversity of our people is one of our greatest strengths and we are taking positive action to ensure our existing colleagues and job applicants can fully be themselves and bring their own unique experiences and perspectives to Chelsea FC. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.

If you need reasonable adjustments made to the recruitment process, please reach out to your recruiter, who will be able to advise and support you.

Chelsea FC is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well‑being of all children, young people and adults at risk (vulnerable groups). We therefore require all successful applicants to complete a DBS Check prior to starting employment. Depending on the role, successful applicants may also be required to undergo other child protection screening where appropriate.

This Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive; the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the Club.