You will lead on securing major, multi‑year commercial partnerships that align brands with extraordinary artistic experiences, groundbreaking digital work, and a landmark cultural destination in the heart of Manchester. Working closely with senior leaders, you will bring to life partnership propositions that are creative, strategic and values‑driven—showcasing the power of arts and culture to inspire, challenge and connect.

We are looking for a commercially confident, creatively minded senior partnerships professional who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and brings both strategic rigour and inventive thinking. If you are motivated by building long‑term relationships, creating compelling stories that resonate with brands, and securing transformative support for a world‑leading cultural organisation, we would love to hear from you.

The key responsibilities for the Senior Global Brand Partnership Manager include;

ESSENTIAL

Sales and Pipeline Development

• Ensure delivery of revenue and new business targets, with a specific focus on large partnerships aligned with the Brand Partnerships and Sponsorship five-year strategy.

• Develop and manage a strong pipeline of prospective partners, identifying opportunities through research, networking, introductions, PR opportunities and digital platforms.

• Drive new business outreach and partnership acquisition to secure new commercial partnerships.

Partnership Development

• Develop outreach materials to build relationships and grow partnership opportunities with agencies, brands and businesses.

• Create compelling sales decks and partnership proposals that communicate the value of Factory International’s programmes, audiences and platforms.

• Present partnership opportunities to senior decision-makers within brands and agencies.

• Apply creative thinking to develop innovative partnership opportunities that inspire partners and drive revenue growth.

Commercial Negotiation

• Negotiate complex, multi-year partnership agreements in collaboration with the Partnerships & Sponsorship Director, with final sign off from the Chief Commercial Officer.

• Support other members of the sales team in developing and negotiating partnership opportunities where appropriate.

Market Insight and Collaboration

• Maintain strong awareness of the partnerships landscape across arts, culture, venues, music, festivals and media in the UK and internationally.

• Collaborate with internal teams to identify programmes, initiatives and projects that can be taken to market as partnership opportunities.

• Work closely with internal teams to align partnership activity with wider organisational priorities.

Systems and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of outreach activity and partnership development through CRM systems and commercial reporting tools.

• Administrate sales processes to a high standard through CRM systems and other software.

• Assist in reporting where necessary.

Strategic Contribution

• Collaborate in planning prospecting opportunities alongside stewardship planning.

• Contribute to enabling Senior Account Managers and Account Managers to renew and develop partners at Senior Supporter level and below.

• Assist in yearly organisational deep dives to uncover partnership potential and support knowledge sharing across the organisation.

• Major partnerships retain a senior commercial owner within the Sales team while delivery is led by the Account Management team.

Key Success Measures (KPIs)

• Deliver annual revenue target for BPCS

• Naming rights Partner Secured for a minimum of 2 spaces during the 5-year plan: Applicable spaces include but are not exclusive to The Warehouse, The Public Realm, The Lab.

• Revenue base of multi-year partnerships - Year 1 – 40%, Year 2 – 50%, Year 3 – 55%, Year 4- 60%, Year 5- 65%.

• Develop partnership initiatives that increase opportunity for underrepresented groups.

• Delivery of circa 300k new business target.

The person specification for the Senior Global Brand Partnership Manager are;

Experience & Track Record

• Proven track record of delivering five six and seven figure brand partnerships, renewals, and new business within a commercial, cultural, media, or agency setting.

• Demonstrable experience in prospecting, pipeline development, and closing complex partnership deals.

• Experience negotiating complex, multiyear contracts with senior stakeholders.

• Experience creating and presenting high quality sales decks to C suite or senior-level brand and agency leaders.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong sales and business development skills, with the ability to drive revenue, reduce churn, and identify strategic opportunities.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to articulate value propositions and tell compelling stories through data.

• Skilled in using CRM systems and managing pipelines and administrative processes to a high standard.

• High level of proficiency in PowerPoint and the creation of visually compelling pitch materials.

• Strong research skills, with the ability to source and leverage data, social insights, and audience understanding to inform pitches.

Knowledge

• Understanding of the brand partnership landscape (UK and international), including trends across culture, arts, music, festivals, venues, and media.

• Knowledge of the mechanics and value of partnership activation, sponsorship models, and brand alignment.

Personal Attributes

• Creative thinker who can turn organisational assets into compelling partner propositions.

• Curious, proactive, and commercially ambitious with strong strategic thinking.

• Confident in networking, relationship building, and representing the organisation externally.

• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders and cross functional teams.

DESIRABLE

Experience & Exposure

• Experience working within an arts, cultural, or charitable organisation, or selling partnerships in the creative industries.

• Experience managing or mentoring junior sales or partnerships colleagues.

• Previous experience with working on global brands.

Skills & Knowledge

• Understanding of charity funding models, philanthropic income, and the role of partnerships in organisational sustainability.

• Ability to use advanced analytic tools, audience platforms, or social listening tools to generate insights.

• Ability to develop or contribute to long-term partnerships strategies or revenue-generating plans.

Attributes

• Interest in cultural programming, creativity, design, and/or contemporary arts.

• Ability to thrive in a fast paced, evolving environment with multiple priorities.

• Strong visual storytelling skills, with the ability to elevate narrative and design in presentations

When applying please do not rely solely on ChatGPT/AI software for your answers as it may not fully reflect your skills and experience and how they align with this role and we may decide to discount your answer if we believe it is solely generated by AI.

• Department
• Development & Commercial
• Locations
• Aviva Studios
• Yearly salary
• £45,000

Our Mission

Through art, music and culture, in digital and physical space, our mission is to create the meeting points between imagined futures and real lives.

Throughout all our areas of work we will embody our values: Open, Inventive, Equitable, International, and Determined.