Partnerships Manager

The Partnerships Manager at Founders Forum is responsible for identifying, securing, and onboarding new commercial partnerships. This includes generating leads, managing partner information in Salesforce, and collaborating with the events team to ensure a smooth delivery of events. The role also focuses on optimizing partnership processes, contributing to operational and commercial KPIs, and facilitating effective communication across departments.

To succeed as a Partnerships Manager at Founders Forum, applicants should possess excellent communication and organizational skills. A self-motivated attitude, ability to work under tight deadlines, and experience with financial reporting are essential. Familiarity with sales principles, MS Excel, and PowerPoint will also serve candidates well in this role as they engage with partners and contribute to the events.

The Partnerships Manager ensures successful partnerships by engaging proactively with potential partners, nurturing existing relationships, and leveraging feedback to maximize partner satisfaction. Additionally, managing partner information and streamlining processes through Salesforce plays a key role in enhancing overall partnership effectiveness, ensuring that each sponsor enjoys a meaningful and productive collaboration.

At Founders Forum, career progression is well-supported, with recent history showing rapid advancement. The previous Partnerships Coordinator rose to two promotions within just 18 months! In this Partnerships Manager role, you will be immersed in a rich network of innovators, providing opportunities for continuous learning and growth.

Founders Forum offers a generous range of benefits, including 25 days of contractual annual leave, additional days off, private healthcare, wellbeing stipends, and the flexibility of remote working options. Plus, you can enjoy lunch once a week, office snacks, team drinks, and quarterly outings to foster a vibrant work culture!

A successful Partnerships Manager should approach building relationships with new partners by first conducting thorough research to understand their business needs and values. It's important to listen actively, engage in meaningful conversations, and tailor proposals that address their specific goals. Establishing trust and maintaining open communication fosters long-term partnerships.

In describing past experiences, highlight your ability to prioritize tasks effectively under pressure. Detail how you used project management tools or Salesforce to keep track of initiatives, set regular check-ins with partners, and adaptable communication strategies to ensure everyone's expectations were met without compromising quality.

Generating new leads involves a combination of networking, utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn, and attending relevant industry events. As a Partnerships Manager, I focus on identifying organizations whose missions align with ours and reaching out with personalized value propositions that pique their interest in collaboration.

Success in partnerships can be measured through metrics like partner satisfaction surveys, revenue generated from joint initiatives, and overall impact on business objectives. I prioritize establishing clear KPIs at the onset of each partnership to ensure both parties are aligned and track progress regularly to optimize the collaboration.

Challenges in partnerships often arise from miscommunication or unmet expectations. In such situations, I have found that addressing concerns promptly with transparency and proposing actionable solutions greatly alleviates issues. Maintaining a proactive rather than reactive stance builds resilience in partnerships moving forward.

Key skills for a Partnerships Manager include excellent communication, negotiation skills, relationship-building prowess, and organizational abilities. It's essential to be adaptable and resourceful, handling various challenges while aligning team efforts towards the overarching goals of both Founders Forum and its partners.

Handling conflicts requires diplomacy, active listening, and a collaborative approach to find mutually beneficial solutions. My strategy involves facilitating open discussions to address issues and identifying common goals to redirect focus towards positive outcomes, ensuring that all parties feel heard and valued.

Technology, particularly CRM systems like Salesforce, plays a critical role in managing partnerships by helping streamline information, track engagement, and monitor the effectiveness of different initiatives. This allows the Partnerships Manager to stay organized and efficient while ensuring timely communication and follow-ups with partners.

I am drawn to the opportunity at Founders Forum because of its commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration among extraordinary minds. I see this role as a platform for facilitating impactful partnerships within a community of visionary founders, allowing me to contribute meaningfully while growing alongside the organization.

My unique combination of experience in sales and relationship management, paired with strong organizational skills and a passion for connecting with people, makes me an ideal fit for the Partnerships Manager role. I thrive in environments that encourage innovation and collaboration, much like the ethos at Founders Forum.