EY Foundation- High Value Partnerships Manager - Permanent - London, Birmingham,Manchester, Glasgow

The EY Foundation is a charity established in 2014 to help young people from a low‑income background to develop the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Founded by EY, the professional services firm, EYF is a wholly independent charity whose primary goal is to give every young person eligible for Free School Meals a fair chance to achieve employment and earnings potential comparable to other young people in the UK. The Foundation delivers employability skills programmes, scalable digital interventions and shapes policy through partnership‑based initiatives across the United Kingdom. EYF operates from four hubs in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham and follows a hybrid working model that requires staff to be in the office at least one day per week.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

EYF is an Equal Opportunities Employer that believes in the transformative power of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We foster an environment that celebrates differences and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, identities and experiences.

Your Role as High Value Partnerships Manager

The High Value Partnerships Manager is a newly created role within the Income and Partnerships function. The position focuses on three key areas of high‑value income growth: Trusts and Foundations, High‑Net‑Worth/major donor giving (including legacy income) and corporate relationships and foundations. The role builds relationships with senior stakeholders, networks across EY and external partners, identifies new income opportunities, designs proposals and manages a robust pipeline in a target‑driven environment.

• Lead the grant‑making process with Trusts and Foundations, design and negotiate multi‑figure grant proposals, secure 5‑, 6‑ and 7‑figure grants and report on deliverables.
• Develop a major donor programme that segments the audience, delivers an annual communications plan, makes regular asks and builds legacy giving.
• Identify and secure high‑value corporate funding opportunities, especially through corporate foundations, and develop proposals in collaboration with corporate‑partnership colleagues.
• Maintain and grow existing relationships with high‑net‑worth individuals, corporate partners and grant funders, ensuring timely renewals and increased giving.
• Produce compelling pitches, grant proposals, impact reports and other engaging content to support fundraising and partnership objectives.
• Manage a target‑driven framework, maintain performance dashboards and report pipelines to senior leadership.
• Provide support to existing fundraising and corporate partnership teams through event planning and partnership integration.

Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Qualification

• Technical Skills
• Excellent communication, producing high‑quality, data‑driven pitches, proposals and long‑term communication plans.
• Data analysis and insight generation to inform forecasting, decision‑making and impact measurement.
• Proficiency with digital tools and systems (e.g. SharePoint, CRM) to improve collaboration and efficiency.
• Stakeholder engagement, stewarding relationships with HNWIs, hosting events and creating stewardship opportunities.
• Business Skills
• Strategic thinking, translating EYF strategy into clear objectives and priorities.
• Leadership Skills
• Collaboration, building strong cross‑team and external relationships and acting as an ambassador for EYF.
• Risk Management
• Identify, manage and mitigate operational, reputational and financial risks; manage dependencies and escalations.
• Compliance with safeguarding, data protection, independence, HR and mandatory training requirements.
• Knowledge
• Understanding of the social mobility context and the business case for investment in young people.
• Knowledge of GDPR, relevant fundraising legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Experience
• Minimum two of the following: securing income from grant makers, major donors or business development.
• Track record of successful business development / income generation in a target‑driven environment.
• Desirable CRM experience, especially Microsoft Dynamics, for fundraising success.
• Experience in a small to medium‑sized organisation in a cross‑team role.
• Experience building donor networks, leveraging giving circles.
• Experience securing six‑figure partnerships.

Recruitment Process

• Competency‑Based interview questions assessing technical and professional competencies.
• Motivational interview questions to understand drive, passion and alignment with EYF’s values.
• Scenario‑Based questions demonstrating problem‑solving and decision‑making.
• Presentation development: candidate presents a topic related to the role, showcasing communication and presentation skills.
• Understanding of EYF’s mission, values and sector context.

Key Dates

• First‑round interviews: 24 July and 27 July
• Second‑round interviews: 29 July and 30 July

Our organisation is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know.