Sr. Manager, Strategic Relationships

Blackhawk Network; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading payment solutions provider in the UK is seeking a Senior Retail Partnerships Manager to drive revenue through distribution partnerships. This role involves creating marketing proposals, analyzing performance data, and collaborating with internal teams and partners. The ideal candidate has proven experience in retail marketing and commercial partnerships, excellent communication skills, and is data-driven. This position offers a range of benefits including generous annual leave and hybrid working.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Enhanced parental pay

Wellness programs

Discounts at various retailers

Qualifications

• Proven experience in retail marketing, commercial partnerships, or sales.
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of revenue growth.
• Ability to create persuasive marketing proposals and presentations.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with senior partners.
• Experience in leading cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver retail marketing revenue through Distribution Partners.
• Create compelling marketing proposals to increase partner engagement.
• Develop reporting aligned with key commercial objectives.
• Analyze data for continuous improvement in revenue targets.
• Serve as the central contact for marketing opportunities within the DP network.

Skills

Retail marketing experience

Commercial partnerships

Strong commercial acumen

Persuasive marketing proposals

Advanced Excel skills

Stakeholder management

Data-driven insights

Excellent communication

Cross-functional team leadership

Knowledge of retail landscape

Tools

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

To ensure all retail marketing activity is strategically aligned, commercially driven, and consistently executed, the following responsibilities and qualifications are outlined:

Responsibilities:

1. Own and deliver retail marketing revenue through Distribution Partners (DPs), achieving or exceeding annual revenue targets.
2. Partner with DP and CP Account Managers to drive a consistent, scalable, and effective marketing approach across all partner accounts in UK and ROI.
3. Create compelling marketing proposals and submission materials to increase partner engagement, conversion, and investment.
4. Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external card partners to secure and grow promotional budgets and marketing contributions.
5. Develop a reporting suite aligned with key commercial objectives to track and report on campaign performance and ROI.
6. Drive improvements in campaign execution, reporting, and billing workflows, and develop standard dashboards for marketing effectiveness assessment.
7. Analyze data to gain insights and enable continuous improvement in commercial models and revenue targets.
8. Leverage market insights to shape innovative retail marketing campaigns.
9. Serve as the central contact for marketing opportunities within the DP network, ensuring visibility and alignment.
10. Coordinate with finance and operations to ensure accurate invoicing and reconciliation of partner-funded activities.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in retail marketing, commercial partnerships, or sales in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of revenue growth driven by marketing.
• Expertise in creating persuasive marketing proposals and presentations.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, especially with senior partners.
• Data-driven with the ability to measure performance and derive insights.
• Results-oriented, organized, and a strong team player.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing small teams.
• Agile, decisive, and aligned with broader business objectives.
• Knowledge of retail landscape, digital and physical retail models.

Desirable Skills:

• Knowledge of invoicing, billing, or finance processes related to campaigns.
• Experience in dynamic, fast-changing environments.

Benefits:

Our benefits include generous annual leave, additional appreciation days, volunteering leave, birthday time off, enhanced parental pay, pension, insurance, wellness programs, hybrid working, and discounts at various retailers.

About Blackhawk Network:

Blackhawk Network provides a global platform for branded payment solutions, helping businesses grow revenue, increase loyalty, and engage consumers through gift cards, egifts, and other payout solutions. The network spans over 400,000 consumer touchpoints worldwide.

Overview:

The Senior Retail Partnerships Manager plays a key role in maximizing revenue growth by unlocking brand partner opportunities across our distribution network in the UK and Ireland, working closely with DPAMs, internal teams, and card partners like Google, Apple, and Roblox.