Partnerships Lead

Contract: Fixed term contract

Location: London / hybrid (office based 2 days per week)

Salary: £37,406 - £45,384 (plus £3000 London allowance)

Lead Strategic Partnerships That Change Lives

At Rethink Mental Illness, we're working towards a world where everyone severely affected by mental illness has a good quality of life. We're looking for an experienced and ambitious Partnerships Lead to join our high-performing fundraising team and play a pivotal role in growing and developing our corporate partnerships portfolio.

This is an exciting opportunity for a relationship-focused fundraising professional who thrives on building meaningful partnerships, leading talented teams, and driving sustainable income growth. If you're passionate about mental health and want your work to make a tangible difference, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

As Partnerships Lead, you'll oversee the delivery and growth of a dynamic portfolio of corporate partnerships, ensuring exceptional supporter experiences while maximising income and long-term value. Working closely with the Head of Partnerships and New Business Lead, you'll help shape and deliver an ambitious partnerships strategy that supports both Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK.

You'll lead a team of partnership professionals, providing coaching, direction, and inspiration while championing best practice, innovation, and collaboration across the organisation.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading the Partnership Delivery Team to achieve and exceed fundraising objectives.
• Managing a portfolio of high-value and strategically important corporate partners.
• Identifying opportunities to increase income, improve partnership value, and strengthen retention.
• Supporting financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and budget management across the partnerships portfolio.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across fundraising, communications, programmes, policy, workplace mental health, and senior leadership teams.
• Developing compelling partnership propositions, reports, and impact stories that inspire support.
• Supporting major campaigns and strategic projects, including initiatives such as World Mental Health Day.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a confident and proactive partnerships professional who combines strategic thinking with excellent relationship-building skills.

You'll bring:

• A proven track record of managing complex partnerships and multiple stakeholder relationships.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage a range of audiences.
• Experience analysing performance data and using insights to drive decision-making.
• Strong budgeting and forecasting capabilities.
• Experience leading, developing, and motivating high-performing teams.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• A commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and a passion for delivering positive social impact.

Experience within the mental health sector and knowledge of fundraising regulations, GDPR, or Salesforce would be advantageous but are not essential

Why join Rethink Mental Illness?

We believe people do their best work when they feel supported, valued and able to be themselves. You'll benefit from:

• An inclusive culture, with colleague-led staff networks for Disability & Neurodiversity, Race & Ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, Gender Equality and Menopause.
• Flexible working and 25 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays and your birthday off), with the option to buy or sell leave.
• Wellbeing support including our Wellbeing Hub, Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Champions and Unmind.
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Financial and family benefits including a contributory pension, enhanced family leave and travel schemes.
• Recognition and rewards including discounts, cashback offers and a Blue Light Card.
• Referral bonus where you can earn up to £300 for introducing someone to our team.

Our commitment to inclusion

We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. We're also committed to becoming a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider supported by a multi-year equity, diversity and inclusion programme of work. For more information please view https://www.rethink.org/media/hdtjjy5b/revised-edi-plan-rethink.pdf

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences and want everyone to have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and experience. If you need reasonable adjustments during recruitment or when in your role, please let us know and we will work with you to understand what support you need.