Senior Partnership Officer

About Bipolar UK

At Bipolar UK, our mission is simple yet life‑changing: to empower everyone affected by bipolar to live well and thrive. We work to reduce stigma, improve understanding, and ensure no one faces the condition alone. Our vision is a world where every person affected by bipolar has access to the right treatment and support, an understanding community, and the tools to live well. The only national charity dedicated to supporting people affected by bipolar, Bipolar UK reaches tens of thousands of people each year through our peer support line, peer support groups, eCommunity, digital tools, workplace training, research collaborations and awareness‑raising campaigns. Our work improves understanding, reduces isolation and empowers people to stay well. We are a small, ambitious, and fast‑growing team driven by purpose, compassion and innovation. Our culture is collaborative, supportive and rooted in lived experience.

Job Summary

The Senior Partnership Officer will play a pivotal role in building, strengthening and diversifying Bipolar UK’s high‑value relationships, with a particular emphasis on corporate fundraising and identifying strategic, mutually beneficial collaborations that support the charity’s long‑term needs. Working closely with the Strategic Partnership Manager, you will manage and grow our portfolio of major donors, corporate supporters, and strategic partners. You will provide exceptional stewardship, ensuring partners feel valued, engaged, and inspired to deepen their relationship with us. A key part of the role will involve proactively identifying and cultivating new corporate prospects, developing compelling propositions, crafting funding proposals, and pitching confidently to decision‑makers at all levels. You will help implement robust cultivation plans and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation across all partnership activity. You will also work collaboratively across the wider Fundraising Team - including with the Fundraising Officer - supporting campaigns, events, and individual giving where needed. This is a home‑based position with travel required for meetings and events across the UK. Some evening or weekend work may be required.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the growth of corporate fundraising through proactive identification, research and cultivation of new corporate prospects.
• Develop innovative, mutually beneficial partnership opportunities, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Charity of the Year, sponsorships, staff fundraising, corporate challenge events, payroll giving and cause‑related marketing.
• Create compelling propositions tailored to corporate audiences.
• Lead and support pitches to secure long‑term, strategic and income‑generating partnerships.
• Collaborate with internal teams (e.g. Services, Communications) to co‑design new partnership concepts, projects or services that align with charity priorities.
• Support the development of partnership agreements and ensure expectations, deliverables and benefits are clearly defined.
• Work to a mutually agreed financial target and use the CRM to track and record relevant data to grow our donor pipeline.
• Deliver excellent relationship management to major donors, corporate partners and strategic allies.
• Provide regular updates on impact and organisational achievements to deepen engagement.
• Organise meetings, briefings, events and engagement opportunities to showcase our work.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of all interactions on Salesforce.
• Create tailored materials, proposals and events to support ongoing partnership activity.
• Represent Bipolar UK through presentations at corporate and partner events.
• Track performance and impact of partnerships, supporting continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with the Fundraising Officer, SPM and wider team to maximise fundraising opportunities across all income streams.
• Provide hands‑on support for individual giving campaigns, events and community fundraising when needed.
• Contribute to team planning, cross‑team projects, and organisational initiatives.

Strengths

• You are an exceptional relationship‑builder with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders and corporate leaders.
• You bring creativity, energy and ambition to developing powerful partnership ideas.
• You are an excellent communicator - skilled in writing compelling copy and delivering persuasive pitches.
• You are a proficient user of professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn to support your work.
• You are an engaging public speaker, confident at events, in meetings and online.
• You are methodical, analytical and data‑driven, with strong record‑keeping and reporting discipline.
• You are adaptable, organised and calm under pressure - thriving in a small, fast‑paced organisation.
• You enjoy autonomy, value professional development, and proactively shape your own work.
• You are reliable, detail‑focused, deadline‑driven and comfortable working remotely with minimal supervision.
• You have a keen understanding of the charitable sector in the UK.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in major donor fundraising, corporate fundraising or partnership development.
• Proven track record of generating new business at 5 and 6 figure levels - from prospecting through to securing partnerships.
• Experience working to, and achieving, income targets.
• Strong understanding of the corporate sector, CSR and corporate fundraising mechanisms.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience delivering pitches and proposals.
• Excellent project and time‑management skills.
• Understanding of ethical fundraising and GDPR compliance.
• Experience using Salesforce or a similar CRM.
• Confident user of Microsoft Office and quick to adopt new technologies.
• Experience within a mental health or health‑related charity.
• Understanding of bipolar gained through lived experience or supporting a friend or family member.

Other Information

The main tasks may be amended from time to time to reflect evolving organisational needs. Changes will be made in consultation with the post holder. The post holder must comply with Data Protection, Health & Safety, and Equality & Diversity legislation, and follow all organisational policies and best practice.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your application by 5pm 20th February through Charity Job including your CV and a covering letter. If we receive a high volume of applications we may close applications early. Your covering letter (max two A4 pages) should outline:

• how your experience matches the person specification
• what you would bring to the role
• why you want to work for Bipolar UK

Interviews will be held w/c 2nd March, either online or in person. Please note the final appointment is subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check. Good luck and thank you for your interest in supporting Bipolar UK’s vital work.