Corporate Partnerships Market Development Manager

Be part of the vision; be part of RIBA.

RIBA is a global professional membership body and a cultural organisation, driving excellence in architecture.

Salary: c£50,000 plus £10,000 performance-related bonus per annum, based upon experience and location

Location: London/Hybrid working

Hours: 35 hours per week, full-time permanent contract

Why Join us?

Our Benefits:

RIBA offers an amazing employee benefits package which includes (a) a generous pension scheme with employer contributions (up to 12%), (b) life assurance, (c) annual leave of 27 days plus bank holidays and paid closure of 3 discretionary days between Christmas and New Year. For more details on our benefits please visit our website.

Corporate Partnerships

The RIBA Corporate Partnerships team has been specifically created to innovate, attract, grow and deliver long-term, sustainable corporate partnership revenue streams for RIBA, across a range of events, awards, conferences, talks, exhibitions and bespoke projects.

We are building a new future with mix of existing corporate partnerships and developing new business opportunities with sector leading brands – so this is an exciting time to join the team and help shape the future of RIBA’s corporate partnership activities

About the Role

The Corporate Partnerships Market Development Manager is responsible for driving RIBA’s new commercial market income streams and developing innovative corporate partnership strategies and opportunities that align with RIBA’s brand and strategic objectives. They will be instrumental in developing long-term corporate partnerships that drive commercial income growth, enhance brand equity and deliver mutually beneficial relationships with leading corporate entities.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Partnerships, this role focuses on cultivating, securing and growing high-value partnerships with blue-chip companies, including software providers, accountants, lawyers, banks, property firms, developers, and built environment consultants in the UK and internationally. Additionally, it plays a key role in successfully executing corporate partnership initiatives, collaborating closely with colleagues across RIBA to maximise impact on the sector, value for corporate partners and commercial revenue streams for RIBA.

This role is ideally suited to someone who enjoys building markets from the ground up and thrives on the full partnership lifecycle—from identifying prospects and initiating contact, to closing large, long-term deals and growing relationships. RIBA is particularly keen to hear from candidates with demonstrable success in landing big-ticket sponsorships, especially those involving thought leadership, awards, exhibitions, or co-branded campaigns.

You will be required to

• Drive sustainable revenue and profitability by acquiring, developing, and maintaining strong, value-aligned long-term corporate partnerships.
• Identify, initiate and lead engagement with blue-chip companies that align with RIBA’s brand, our strategic priorities and commercial objectives.
• Develop high-level, tailored partnership propositions and value-driven opportunities that resonate with potential corporate partners
• Utilise market intelligence to identify new commercial opportunities, assess trends, and shape long-term corporate partnership strategies.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activity to identify new opportunities and maintain a competitive edge.
• Design and implement strategies to grow commercial income through sponsorship, licencing, co-branded initiatives, and other innovative and creative revenue streams

What are we looking for?

Ideal candidates will have a minimum of three years’ experience in corporate partnerships within RIBA’s business sector. The successful candidate will be highly motivated, commercially driven and relish the opportunity to develop innovative, creative and strategic long-term corporate partnerships. They will have a proven track record of engaging with key blue-chip companies, including software providers, accountants, lawyers, banks, property firms, developers, and built environment consultants. We are looking for an innovative individual who has:

• High-level negotiation capabilities, including closing complex, multi-year deals and ability to manage full partnership lifecycle – from prospecting through acquisition to renewal.
• Proven ability to collaborate and lead teams to deliver initiatives and realise new ideas
• Commercial astuteness with understanding of financial management, including budget setting, ROI and pricing models
• Skilled in designing innovative commercial models (e.g. licencing, co-branding, etc) and creating and delivering sales pitches, presentations and demonstrations.
• Excellent sales, customer experience and business development skills, working with senior decision makers and stakeholders
• Experience with drafting, negotiating and interpreting commercial corporate partnership contracts.

Closing date: Tuesday, 24th June 2025

Interview date: TBC

Interested?

For a confidential conversation with FJWilson Talent (RIBA's recruitment partner) please contact their Director, Fiona Wilson, on 0203 195 3600, or email their team at [email protected]

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to everyone individually. However, if you are selected for the next step of the process — a pre-interview with FJWilson Talent Services — a member of the team will be in touch. Please note that we may also close the advert earlier than the date above if we receive a sufficient number of strong applications.

Please note that you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. We are unable to proceed with any candidates who cannot show the relevant documentation so please only apply if you meet these criteria. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

RIBA aims to be an inclusive employer, committed to building an authentic and diverse environment where all are encouraged to be themselves. We champion work/life balance and welcome requests for flexible working across our organisation. We value applications from all sections of society and appreciate divergent experience, therefore if you are excited about the role and working with us, yet your experience may not align perfectly with every single skill or competency, we encourage you to apply anyway.

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