Senior Partnerships Manager

Rapha launched in 2004 to redefine cycling apparel. Today, progressive design and storytelling has built a global movement. We want to make cycling the most important sport in the world, by transforming the lives of millions, and we’re on a mission to create the world’s greatest club through the Rapha Cycling Club (RCC).

The Senior Partnerships Manager is a leadership role engineered to contribute to this mission by defining and delivering a globally coherent partnership strategy that strengthens Rapha’s position in cycling and drives measurable brand heat and commercial growth.

THE ROLE

This is a senior, commercially accountable leadership role for someone who can build and manage partnerships that both grow the business and elevate the brand. You will own a portfolio that spans athlete representation, brand collaborations, and commercial partnerships, with full responsibility for channel leadership, contract negotiation and financial delivery. You’ll be joining at a pivotal moment for Rapha, with real scope to shape how we approach partnerships strategically. This isn't a relationship management role, it's a business and brand building one.

KEY AREAS OF OWNERSHIP

• End-to-end athlete relationships, from recruitment through to contract and activation
• Brand Collaborations: Culturally resonant co-creation with tech, fashion, art, design, and lifestyle partners
• Commercial Growth: P&L ownership, deal structuring, and financial delivery across the portfolio

WHAT YOU'LL DELIVER

• Lead the end-to-end athlete partnership programme – from identification and recruitment through contract execution, relationship management, and renewal.
• Build deep, long-term ambassador relationships: understanding what athletes need, what they stand for, and how to unlock authentic content and advocacy.
• Negotiate athlete contracts, usage rights, exclusivity clauses, and performance incentives, working closely with legal and finance.
• Collaborate with Creative and Social teams to develop athlete content that serves both brand and commercial objectives.
• Establish clear KPIs for the athlete roster and hold the programme accountable to performance, engagement, and ROI.

Brand Collaborations

• Identify, pitch, and develop brand collaboration opportunities across tech, fashion, art, design, lifestyle, and culture – with a bias towards unexpected, creatively substantive Partnerships that draw in new customers.
• Manage collaborations from initial concept through contract, creative development, production, launch, and post-campaign evaluation.
• Work with the Creative leadership to ensure co-branded output meets brand standards and tells a coherent story across both partners.
• Cultivate an active pipeline of collaboration prospects, maintaining relationships well before a project is on the table.
• Track and report on collaboration performance – media value, audience reach, sales uplift, and brand perception impact.
• Own the commercial partnerships P&L: setting revenue targets, managing budgets, and delivering measurable financial growth through the portfolio.
• Structure and negotiate partnership deals with commercial rigour – licensing agreements, co-marketing arrangements, exclusivity windows, tiered fee structures, and performance-linked terms.
• Identify upsell and extension opportunities within the existing partner base, maximising long-term commercial value from established relationships.
• Build the business case for new partnership investments, presenting clearly to senior leadership with financial modelling and strategic rationale.
• Work cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, and Commercial teams to ensure deals are structured, contracted, and delivered to plan.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work collaboratively across stakeholder and contributing teams to get the best results and drive clear owner accountability.
• Comfortable operating hands‑on within a lean team structure.
• Set the standard for how the teams work together: pace, rigour, relationship quality, and creative ambition.
• Build team capability within Brand Marketing in commercial negotiation, relationship management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Represent the partnerships function at senior leadership level, contributing to broader brand and commercial strategy.

HOW YOU’LL BE MEASURED

• Brand impact of partnerships (awareness, earned media quality, cultural relevance).
• Commercial performance of partnership-led initiatives (traffic, revenue, sell‑through, partner contribution).
• Activation excellence (on‑time, on‑budget delivery across XF teams).
• Strength and quality of forward partnership pipeline (12–36 month horizon).

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• 8+ years of experience in partnerships, commercial development, or brand roles – ideally spanning both sport/athlete and brand collaboration contexts.
• A demonstrable track record of negotiating and closing complex commercial agreements, with evidence of financial delivery against targets.
• Experience managing athlete or talent relationships, with a deep understanding of the sensitivities and opportunities involved.
• Strong commercial acumen: you can build a business case, read a deal structure, assess risk, and negotiate confidently from a position of knowledge.
• Experience leading and developing a partnerships team, with a coaching mindset and high expectations of yourself and others.
• An existing network across sport, fashion, creative, and media – you know the right people and they know you.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to represent the brand externally with authority and warmth.
• Genuine passion for the brand's world – sport, craft, culture, and the communities where they intersect.

Working at Rapha

We are continuously looking into ways to invest in our employees and build a better working culture and environment. Here are just some of the internal benefits we offer:

• Support for ad-hoc remote working during the week - minimum 4 days in office
• 25 days annual leave
• 2 additional days paid time off to participate in a sportive or similar related cycling event
• A flexible riding benefit to allow you to go out riding on a Wednesday morning with colleagues or learn to cycle through our Getting Started Scheme
• An annual clothing allowance of £1,200 for testing and promotional purpose
• A company bonus scheme
• A health cash plan provided by Healthshield worth up to £1405 per year
• Mental health support with MyndUp
• Free barista coffee and social drinks in the office
• Monthly department social events and quarterly office social away days
• Bike racing expenses up to £35 per race entry
• A 50% staff discount and a discount for family and friends
• Industry discounts on brands such as Patagonia, Osprey, Finisterre, Wahoo
• Free membership to the Rapha Cycling Club