Senior Manager - Business Development in London

Location: London

Type: Full time

Posted on: Today

We don’t just talk, we do. Lead the change with us. At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, we work with political leaders around the world to drive change. We help governments turn bold ideas into reality so they can deliver for their people. We do it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three. And by sharing what we learn on the ground, so everyone can benefit. We do it to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere. We are a global team of over 800 changemakers, operating in more than 40 countries, across five continents. We are political strategists, policy experts, delivery practitioners, technology specialists and more. We speak more than 45 languages. We are working on over 100 projects, tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’re all here at TBI to make a difference. In a world of ever more complex challenges, we believe diversity of background and perspective is a strength. We pride ourselves on a culture that values and nurtures difference. We are dedicated to unlocking potential, not only for the countries we work in but also for each of our team members. No matter where you’re from or who you are, if you’re passionate about the transformative power of progressive politics, we invite you to build a better future with us.

Role Summary

The Senior Manager, Business Development, is a pivotal role focused on delivering new predictable, sustainable income from business globally, to support TBI’s work. Reporting to the Director, Private Sector Engagement, this individual will work toward their goals either directly with senior business leaders or through and with colleagues across the Institute. Either way, they will play a leading role in identifying, prospecting, and securing new members and financial supporters for TBI’s work. This role is part of the Business Engagement Team that sits within Global Affairs.

Key Responsibilities

• Prospecting & Relationship Development: Research, identify, and cultivate a robust pipeline of potential high‑value (multi‑million / multi‑year) corporate members of the GNC. Proactively engage new prospects through coherent and strategic outreach, networking, and relationship‑building efforts either directly or by utilising and deploying others across TBI. Support senior TBI colleagues to prospect, position and deliver prospects into the pipeline.
• Proposal Development: Develop high‑quality, customized proposals aligned with TBI’s priorities and donor guidelines. Deploy a strategic approach, managing guardrails efficiently and delivering under pressure to deadlines. Present compelling business cases that articulate the value of the Global Network for Change and additional TBI engagement opportunities. Deliver co‑creation workshops and other creative partnership development modalities with senior external counterparts.
• Securing New Business Partners: Lead efforts to secure new multi‑year partners and GNC members with multi‑million funding commitments, managing the end‑to‑end business development cycle from initial contact through adept negotiation and contracting and adherence to TBI processes. Ensure that individual partnership agreements are deliverable, working with agility and strong collaboration with teams across the Institute. Work closely and efficiently to onboard new members and ensure alignment with TBI’s goals and processes. Ensure individual partnerships correspond to agreed commercial or rate‑card parameters.
• Income Strategy: Contribute to the ongoing development and implementation of a global strategy for the GNC, in collaboration with the Director. Set and monitor metrics to measure success against income and membership targets.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Represent TBI and the GNC at high‑profile events, conferences, and stakeholder meetings to build awareness and attract new prospects. Ensure engagement leads to material discussions. Build and maintain strong relationships with executive‑level stakeholders and decision‑makers across sectors. Build strategic engagement plans to cultivate high‑value prospects.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure detailed and accurate records of all engagement activities in TBI’s CRM system. Monitor compliance with organisational policies and processes, including safeguarding, security, and legal considerations.

Person Specification

Experience & Expertise: Proven track record of identifying, cultivating, and securing new agreements with businesses either in a partnership model or an advisory model to meet ambitious income targets. Experience working with corporate stakeholders in sectors such as technology, climate, trade, investment, or finance is desirable. Intellectual curiosity and a strong, demonstrable interest in the issues TBI works on.

Skills & Competencies: Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to craft and deliver compelling pitches to diverse audiences. Strong entrepreneurial mindset and ability to independently drive initiatives from concept to execution. Excellent interpersonal skills, with experience working across teams and engaging senior executives. Strong organisational and analytical skills, with an ability to prioritise and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment. Proven ability to build and manage relationships effectively, both internally across teams and externally with key stakeholders. Creative thinker with excellent problem‑solving skills, able to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges. Strong negotiation skills.

Knowledge & Attributes: Deep understanding of corporate funding models and global challenges in areas such as sustainability, climate, and inclusive growth. Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to build organisational capacity and work through others. Passionate about TBI’s mission and values, with a commitment to driving impactful change.

Closing Date: