Summary
Are you a relationship-builder who thrives on creating meaningful partnerships that drive real-world impact? Join Climate Group and play a pivotal role in accelerating climate action by developing strategic sponsorship partnerships with some of the world’s most influential organisations. This is an opportunity to combine commercial thinking with purpose, helping organisations turn climate ambition into action while contributing directly to our mission of achieving a net zero future.
As our Senior Business Development Manager, you’ll lead high-value global partnerships, shape how we engage with sponsors and key accounts, and help evolve our partnership offering across an internationally recognised climate organisation. If you’re motivated by influencing change, building long-term relationships, and working alongside passionate colleagues across the globe, we’d love to hear from you.
About the role
The Senior Business Development Manager is a key role within our Partner Services team, reporting to the Head of Partner Services and managing the Senior Sponsorship Officer. You’ll work across our international portfolio, developing sponsorship opportunities that support Climate Group’s flagship events, programmes and campaigns while delivering exceptional value to our partners.
Sitting at the intersection of business development, sponsorship, strategic account management and organisational growth, you’ll be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with major global organisations, securing multi-event partnerships, and ensuring our sponsors receive an outstanding experience. You’ll work closely with colleagues across Events, Communications, Programme, and Legal teams to create partnerships that deliver both commercial success and climate impact. You’ll also play an important role in shaping the future of our Partner Services function by bringing partner insights, improving processes and contributing to strategic planning.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Leading a portfolio of international partners, building strong relationships that generate sponsorship income and long-term value for Climate Group.
- Developing and managing a high-quality pipeline of sponsorship opportunities aligned to organisational priorities and growth ambitions.
- Negotiating and securing complex, high-value sponsorship agreements with leading global brands.
- Creating innovative multi-event partnerships that deepen engagement and maximise impact for partners and Climate Group alike.
- Leading sponsorship delivery for flagship events, ensuring sponsors receive an exceptional experience and all commitments are delivered successfully.
- Acting as a trusted advisor and senior point of contact for strategic key accounts, identifying opportunities for renewals, growth and multi-year partnerships.
- Using partner feedback and market insight to continuously improve our products, services and partnership offering.
- Collaborating with colleagues across communications, legal, finance, systems and programme teams to enhance partner experiences and streamline delivery.
- Contributing to the development of Partner Services strategy, KPIs and long-term growth plans.
- Coaching and supporting the Senior Sponsorship Officer, helping build capability, confidence and high-quality delivery across the team.
As a mission-driven organisation, we may ask colleagues to take on temporary assignments or secondments in a different team to support organisational priorities. We see these as opportunities for development and internal mobility, managed transparently and with appropriate support.
You’ll work in a highly collaborative, international environment, where a diversity of perspectives and experiences is valued and encouraged.
About you
You’ll be an experienced business development or sponsorship professional with a track record of building strategic partnerships and managing complex stakeholder relationships. You’ll be comfortable balancing commercial objectives with organisational values and motivated by the opportunity to contribute to meaningful climate action.
We value strengths and a passion for learning – if you meet most of the criteria below, we encourage you to apply.
Essential
- Significant experience securing and managing high-value sponsorships, partnerships or business development opportunities.
- Proven success in developing and growing strategic relationships with senior stakeholders in global organisations.
- Experience leading complex commercial negotiations and delivering mutually beneficial partnership agreements.
- Strong account management skills, with a track record of securing renewals, upselling services and growing long-term partnerships.
- Experience managing pipelines and forecasting income using CRM systems, ideally HubSpot/Click Up or similar.
- Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to represent an organisation externally.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders to deliver successful outcomes.
- Experience using data, partner feedback and market insight to inform decisions and improve products, services or processes.
- Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary and international teams.
- Experience coaching, supporting or line managing colleagues to achieve high performance.
Desirable
- Experience working within the sustainability, climate, environmental or non-profit sectors.
- Knowledge of sponsorship-based fundraising models and corporate engagement strategies.
- Experience managing sponsorship delivery for major conferences, events or global programmes.
- Familiarity with due diligence processes and partnership risk assessment.
- Understanding of climate action, sustainability trends and the role organisations can play in driving change.
About Climate Group
Climate Group drives climate action. Fast. Our goal is a world of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with greater prosperity for all.
We focus on systems with the highest emissions and where our networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. We do this by building large and influential networks and holding organisations accountable, turning their commitments into action.
We share what we achieve together to show more organisations what they could do. We are an international non-profit organisation, founded in 2004, with offices in London, Amsterdam, Beijing, New Delhi and New York.
Climate Group is an international organisation, and we want to reflect that in our staff. People who work for us, and people who apply, need to feel heard, safe, and included. That is why we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion throughout our application process and in our offices. We encourage applications from people of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, and ethnicities, as we value a wide range of experiences and perspectives.
Where you’ll work
Based in our London office, near the iconic Tower Bridge, you’ll enjoy a flexible hybrid working arrangement of five days in the office over the fortnight.
Our office is designed to support both collaborative work and focused individual time. It includes accessible facilities, a well-equipped gym, secure bike storage, and showers. Plus, we’re easy to reach by bike and public transport.
The role will require occasional international travel.
What we offer
At Climate Group, our people are at the heart of what we do. You’ll join a global community of bold, ambitious doers committed to driving climate action fast.
This is a permanent position. The salary offered is £50,000 to £55,000 per annum, based on experience.
Many of our people work flexibly in different ways, including part-time. Please talk to us at interview about your preferred ways of working and if it works for the role and the team, we’ll do our best to accommodate.
To enable sustainable high performance in support of our mission, while prioritising the health and wellbeing of our people, we offer a 9-day fortnight. This is a way of working that encourages smarter planning and effective prioritisation, where each fortnight includes either a scheduled non-working day or a bank holiday. It is a flexible, non-contractual benefit that may adapt around business needs and periods of higher workload.
Beyond working alongside friendly, motivated colleagues who will support and challenge you, we offer a fantastic benefits package:
- Generous holiday allowance: 25 days annually, plus public holidays and 3 extra days for our Christmas to New Year closure
- 10% employer pension contribution: Non-contributory scheme available after three months’ service
- Long-service reward: An additional day’s holiday after three and six years with us
- Flexible and hybrid working: Supporting your work-life balance
- Comprehensive health benefits: Cash plan and private medical insurance after completing probation
- Family-first policies: Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave, plus support for fertility treatments
- Wellbeing perks: Monthly wellbeing allowance and Headspace membership
- Additional leave options: Paid leave for volunteering, moving house, and getting married
- Peace of mind: Life assurance from your first day
- Cycling support: E-bike and bike loan scheme up to £1,000
- Travel made easier: Season ticket and e-bike membership loan scheme
- Investing in you: Learning and development opportunities to help you thrive in a global, purpose-driven organisation
Apply now
Ready to make an impact? Apply now with your CV and a one-page cover letter that highlights how your experience and values align with our mission.
If you need further information, would like the job advert in an accessible format, or require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out to Jen O’Beirne, Head of Partner Services, at [email protected].
The closing date for applications is midnight BST on Sunday 19th July 2026. We’ll be holding interviews on a rolling basis, and may close the advert early dependent on response, so we encourage early applications.
To be eligible for this position, you must already have the right to work in the UK. Climate Group is unable to sponsor work visas or cover any related costs, including cases where candidates are willing to cover the costs themselves.
We will not be working with recruitment agencies for this role.
