Business Development Manager - Festival / Venue Partnerships

About the job

📍 London (3-4 days in office, Fridays WFH)

🎪 On‑site at festivals is required during summer season

🕒 Full‑time

💰£40,000-£45,000 + Commission Structure

We're looking for a commercially driven Senior Partnerships Manager / Business Development Manager to join our clients Partnerships team. If you're energised by building relationships, closing deals, and shaping standout brand partnerships across live entertainment, festivals and venues, this role puts you right at the heart of it.

🌟 About the Role

This is a revenue‑driving role focused on new business acquisition, with additional involvement in account management depending on team workload. You'll work closely with the Head of Partnerships and Senior Account Manager to bring in new partners, craft compelling proposals, and help deliver best‑in‑class brand collaborations.

🔑 Key Responsibilities

New Business & Sales

• Drive new commercial partnerships with brands and agencies
• Lead on prospecting and outreach of potential partners.
• Build long‑term relationships with senior decision‑makers.

Pipeline & Process Management

• Manage the full sales cycle from first contact to contract signature.
• Maintain accurate pipeline tracking and reporting across all sales activity.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure smooth contracting and onboarding.

Client Acquisition & Growth

• Expand partner base and contribute directly to revenue targets.
• Identify new categories, sectors, and brands with strong strategic alignment.

Account Management

• Support the Senior Account Manager with general partner servicing.
• Take ownership of selected accounts depending on team capacity.

💼 Who We're Looking For

Someone who thrives in a fast‑paced, creative, commercially focused environment. You'll be confident in the room, strong at building rapport, and relentless in pursuing new opportunities. Experience in partnerships, sponsorship sales, media, entertainment, or brand collaborations is highly valuable.

🧩 Desired Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in partnerships, sponsorship sales, business development, or commercial roles-ideally within entertainment, media, events, or agencies. Experience across venues and electronic music events will be highly advantageous.
• Strong ability to prospect, qualify, and convert leads into long‑term partnerships.
• Confident communicator with excellent presentation and pitching skills.
• Skilled negotiator with a track record of closing high‑value deals.
• Ability to build rapport quickly and maintain strong senior‑level relationships.
• Creative thinker who can develop innovative partnership ideas and activation concepts. Highly organised with strong pipeline management and attention to detail.
• Comfortable working at pace, juggling multiple opportunities, and adapting to shifting priorities.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work cross‑functionally.
• Passion for live events, culture, and brand experiences.

🎤 Why Join?

You'll be part of a team shaping partnerships across some of the UK's most exciting live events and festivals. If you love entertainment, thrive on building relationships, and want a role where your impact is directly measurable, this is a role where you will flourish.

Handle actively welcomes applicants from under-represented backgrounds - we pride ourselves on attracting the best talent for every opportunity through a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.