Business Development Manager

CONTEXT Every day, millions of kilograms of plastic end up in nature. Plastics do not decompose and stay around forever, causing harm to people, animals and the environment. Our vision is to create a world in which rivers are free of plastics. OUR STORY River Cleanup started in 2017 with a 10-minute cleanup and was founded in Antwerp in 2019 as a nonprofit organization. To date, we have activated +370.000 volunteers via +7.600 events in 102 countries, removed 3,9 million kilograms of river waste from nature and developed the Clean River Model as an open-source theory of change for plastic-free rivers. Through strategic and early interventions in the plastic lifecycle, we turn off the tap on new plastic pollution and permanently remove legacy waste on land and in rivers. The Clean River Model consists of 3 pillars (Empower people, Prevent pollution and Accelerate change) and 3 enablers (Assessment, Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation). Together, they encompass the entire lifecycle of river plastics. We are validating the Clean River Model in three action zones in 2025/2026 and will scale-up the implementation to 100 rivers by 2030. YOUR ROLE As our Business Development Manager, you play a crucial part in securing the resources required to achieve our mission. You are responsible for identifying, developing and closing new corporate partnerships while expanding revenue opportunities with existing partners. You actively build and manage a pipeline of prospects, while growing relationships and opportunities with existing partners, and contribute directly to River Cleanup’s growth ambitions. Corporate partnerships are our main source of revenue. We aim to significantly increase both the number and value of our corporate partnerships. You will play a leading role in managing existing corporate accounts, identifying new opportunities, engaging decision-makers, developing partnership propositions and converting prospects into long-term strategic partners. Everything we do in our fundraising aims to provide our partners with the best possible experience at every interaction. As River Cleanup, we are well-positioned to provide added value for our corporate partners in relation to a wide variety of corporate goals, ranging from CSR, ESG, sales, marketing, PR, brand, people, HR, and innovation. You will: Lead the identification, qualification and cultivation of new corporate partnership opportunities internationally. Build and manage a robust pipeline of prospective corporate partners while taking ownership of selected strategic accounts. Proactively generate new business opportunities through networking, outreach, referrals, events and strategic relationship building. Identify and engage senior decision-makers in CSR, ESG, Sustainability, Marketing, HR, Communications and Executive Leadership functions. Lead partnership meetings, presentations and negotiations to secure new commitments and increase partner investment. Develop compelling partnership proposals and business cases that align River Cleanup's impact objectives with corporate priorities. Support the negotiation and closing of partnership agreements. Manage and develop existing corporate accounts Work cross-functionally with communications, operations and program teams to develop partnership opportunities and deliver high-impact corporate engagement experiences. (Co-) develop and maintain tools and processes for corporate partners. Contribute to the corporate fundraising strategy for 2026-2030. Maintain accurate pipeline, opportunity and account data in Salesforce (CRM) to support forecasting and revenue growth.