Head of Partnerships

Head of Partnerships

Location: Bristol or Hybrid with a requirement to be in Bristol one day a week (Tuesday) and London Office 2 days per week.

Reports to: COO

We are seeking a highly accomplished and visionary Head of Partnerships to lead and significantly expand our strategic collaborations within the UK market. This is a pivotal player-coach role where you will not only set the strategic direction for our partnerships but also directly manage our most critical and high-value partners. You will be instrumental in driving substantial growth, fostering innovation, and exploring new revenue streams and expansion areas with our partners.

You will lead a talented team of Partner Managers fostering a high-performance culture and ensuring operational excellence across all partnership activities. Your ability to think strategically, influence at all levels, solve complex challenges, and deliver tangible results will be key to your success in this dynamic environment.

What You'll Do:

As the Head of Partnerships, you will be the architect of our existing partnership strategy, responsible for unlocking significant value and driving growth from current partners. Your responsibilities will encompass strategic leadership, hands-on direct management, team development, and operational oversight.

Strategic Leadership & New Opportunity Expansion:

• Define and execute the overarching partnership strategy for Bunch, aligning it with company-wide objectives and market opportunities within the UK proptech landscape.
• Pursue strategic partnership opportunities, including pioneering the expansion into B2B bills inclusive offerings with existing and new partners.
• Conduct in-depth market analysis to identify emerging trends, competitive landscapes, and untapped potential within the partnership ecosystem.
• Manage existing agreements and help negotiate or re-negotiate and close high-impact, complex partnership agreements that drive significant revenue and market share for Bunch.
• Represent Bunch as a senior leader at industry events, conferences, and with key stakeholders to build brand awareness and foster new relationships.
• Develop and lead joint innovation initiatives with partners, exploring new product bundles and service offerings that create mutual value.

Partner Management & Growth (Player-Coach):

• Personally manage and cultivate relationships with Bunch's largest and most valuable strategic partners, acting as their primary point of contact and ensuring their long-term success.
• Architect and own the growth strategy for these strategic accounts, setting monthly, and quarterly targets for sales, conversion, and bundled product adoption.
• Proactively embed yourself within these partner organisations, gaining a deep understanding of their business to identify synergies, anticipate needs, and co-create impactful initiatives that drive year-on-year growth.
• Analyse complex partner performance data to identify trends, opportunities for optimisation, and potential risks, translating insights into actionable strategies.
• Develop and lead joint events that bring teams together and foster deeper relationships and teamwork.
• Conduct formal Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with partners, presenting comprehensive performance analyses, setting future targets, and outlining major strategic initiatives.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead and mentor Partner Managers and new Partner Coordinator role, fostering a culture of high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Provide strategic guidance and hands-on coaching to your team, supporting them in managing their portfolios, developing their skills, and achieving their individual and team targets.
• Oversee the allocation of resources within the partnerships team to maximise efficiency and impact.
• Develop and implement best practices for partnership management, sales enablement, and reporting across the team.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and professional development planning for your direct reports.

Operational Excellence & Reporting:

• Oversee and ensure the accurate and timely processing of commissions and spiff payments, resolving any discrepancies in close collaboration with our finance teams.
• Maintain comprehensive records of all key partner data, including meeting notes, strategic plans, and contract cycles, ensuring compliance and proactive renewal management.
• Align closely with internal Bunch operations and marketing teams to optimise the end-to-end sales process, resolve blockers, and ensure seamless delivery.
• Provide insightful and concise performance reports to internal stakeholders daily and weekly, highlighting key successes, challenges, and strategic recommendations, including executive-level summaries.

What You Bring:

You are a seasoned partnerships or account leader with a demonstrable track record of success in building, growing, and scaling strategic alliances within the UK market. You are a natural leader, a strategic thinker, and an exceptional relationship builder who thrives in a fast-paced and results-driven environment.

• Extensive experience in a senior partnerships or business development role within a B2B2C or B2C company, ideally within the UK market.
• Proven success in managing and growing a portfolio of high-value, strategic accounts, with a strong understanding of complex sales cycles and partnership structures.
• Demonstrable experience in leading and developing a team of partnership professionals, fostering a high-performance and collaborative culture.
• Strategic Acumen: Exceptional ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities, assess risks, and develop comprehensive strategies that drive sustained growth and market expansion.
• Analytical Prowess: Superior aptitude for interpreting complex data, extracting meaningful insights, and translating them into actionable plans and executive-level recommendations.
• Exceptional Relationship Builder & Influencer: Natural ability to network effectively, build rapport, and foster deep trust with senior stakeholders (C-suite and Director level) both internally and externally. You can manage relationships effectively up, down, and across organisations.
• Proactive Problem Solver: A creative and decisive thinker who anticipates challenges and actively rallies resources to overcome obstacles and drive key initiatives.
• Influential Coach & Trainer: Experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing sales and partnership capabilities within internal and partner teams, with a focus on driving significant performance improvements.
• High Accountability: Highly responsive, sets clear expectations, and demonstrates unwavering follow-up and follow-through, ensuring the successful execution of strategic initiatives.
• Concise & Executive Communicator: Ability to articulate complex information clearly and concisely, both verbally and in compelling written reports and presentations, delivering insights that inform critical decision-making at all levels.
• Commercial Mindset: Deep understanding of sales processes, market trends, and the ability to drive significant revenue growth through innovative and strategic partnerships.

What we offer:

• Enjoy 25 days of holiday plus all UK bank holidays.
• You get an extra day off for your birthday!
• Supported onboarding and training to fully engage you with your new team.
• Celebrate our collective success with quarterly social events that foster team unity.
• Access the Vitality Health package to prioritise your well-being.
• Enjoy exclusive Vitality rewards, including free weekly coffees, discounted gym memberships, and a wide range of other great discounts!
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption, and Paternity Pay - we understand the importance of family, and we're committed to supporting you.
• Enhanced sick pay with two weeks paid leave.
• 5 discretionary compassionate leave days (which would also cover e.g. a parent having to take a day off to care for a sick child).
• Cycle to Work Scheme - enjoy the perks of a healthier commute and save on your journey.
• 3 hours ‘breakout block’ available to take each month to catch up on life's admin.
• A great culture.

If you require reasonable adjustments for any part of the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms, etc.), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.