Join us and help create opportunities that change young lives.

Career Ready is a UK-wide social mobility charity, working to empower young people with the skills, confidence, and networks they need to succeed. We’re looking for a proactive and strategic Corporate New Business Development Lead to drive growth in our corporate and partnerships income, unlocking innovative collaborations that deliver real impact.

In this pivotal role, you’ll identify and secure high-value corporate partnerships, craft compelling proposals, and lead pitches to senior decision-makers. You’ll work closely with colleagues across Communications, Programmes, and Operations to create multi-year partnerships that combine funding, programme support, and brand alignment – helping us reach more young people than ever before. The role is home-based, but you’ll have opportunities to travel across the UK (primarily London, Manchester, and Edinburgh) for meetings, events, and networking opportunities (expenses covered), giving you variety and the chance to build relationships face-to-face.

We’re seeking someone with a proven track record of winning significant corporate partnerships (five-figure or ideally six-figure), excellent communication and influencing skills, and a strong understanding of CSR/ESG trends. If you’re entrepreneurial, creative, and thrive on building relationships from scratch, we’d love to hear from you.

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

• Proven track record of securing significant (five-figure or ideally six-figure) corporate partnerships
• Demonstrable experience cultivating and managing relationships with senior corporate stakeholders.
• Strong experience in both new business acquisition and account management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, influencing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to develop compelling, bespoke partnership proposals and pitches.
• Strong understanding of corporate partnerships, CSR/ESG trends, and employee engagement.
• Experience managing pipelines and using CRM systems for reporting and forecasting.
• Ability to work independently, taking initiative to develop new ideas, products, and approaches.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise a varied workload in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations, GDPR, and compliance requirements.

Desirable Experience & Skills

• Experience of developing Charity of the Year, brand, or multi-year strategic partnerships.
• Understanding of social mobility, youth sector, or challenges faced by young people in the UK.
• Experience crafting co-branded campaigns in partnership with marketing/comms teams.
• Experience using data and impact insight to shape partnership propositions.

Personal Attributes

• Entrepreneurial and proactive, with a growth mindset.
• Creative, solutions-oriented, and comfortable navigating complexity.
• Confident networker who enjoys opening new doors and building relationships from scratch.
• Collaborative team player with a willingness to support colleagues and shared goals.
• Empathy with Career Ready’s mission to improve social mobility for young people.

Download our job pack to find out more about the role.

How to apply