This is a newly created role at the centre of Vistage UK’s commercial growth strategy. The Sponsorship & Partnerships Manager exists to bring together two functions that have historically operated in silos: event sponsorship and strategic partnerships. The Sponsorship & Partnerships Manager will own the full commercial relationship with corporate sponsors and partner organisations, driving revenue through our event portfolio and building referral pathways that fuel chair and member growth.
Responsibilities
Event Sponsorship (Inbound)
* Lead the commercial sponsorship programme across Vistage UK’s flagship events: the Scotland Leadership Forum, the North of England Leadership Forum, the AI for Growth Forum, and CEO Connect, our flagship annual conference for members and chairs.
* This includes building and managing the sponsor pipeline, negotiating Thought Leader and Marketplace packages, securing renewals, and bringing on new sponsors through Chair networks, in particular Vistage member companies, outbound prospecting, and inbound enquiries.
* You will benchmark our packages against the wider market, develop sponsorship collateral, and own the full sponsor lifecycle, including a customer service mindset that ensures sponsors feel looked after at every stage.
* On the day, you act as the lead sponsor liaison on site, making sure the marketplace and breakout sessions run smoothly.
Outbound Sponsorship & Brand Presence
* Where Vistage chooses to sponsor or attend external events (industry conferences, awards programmes, third-party forums), you will lead our participation, evaluate opportunities, negotiate terms, and ensure our presence delivers measurable value.
* Holding both inbound and outbound under one role gives Vistage a sharper commercial view of the wider sponsorship market and how we benchmark against competitors.
Strategic Partnerships
* Build and manage Vistage UK’s strategic partnership programme: long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with organisations whose client base aligns with the Vistage member profile.
* This is a significant commercial channel, with a defined commission structure for partner-sourced chair and member introductions.
* You will identify, qualify, and onboard new partners, structure agreements that work for both sides, embed partners into chair group activity where appropriate, and exit relationships that are not performing.
Thought Leadership & Content
* You will contribute to our thought leadership programme and provide content for PR outreach and social channels off the back of sponsor and partner activity, including event recaps, white paper inputs, and partner spotlights.
* Digital savvy is essential: you should be comfortable shaping content for LinkedIn, working with our PR partners, and spotting commercial stories worth telling.
Qualifications
You are a commercial operator who understands that sponsorship and partnerships are relationship businesses first and transactional businesses second. You enjoy negotiation and have a track record of building pipelines from cold.
You bring:
* Demonstrable experience selling sponsorship, partnerships, or B2B advertising.
* Confidence engaging senior executive audiences and a professional, peer-to-peer manner.
* Strong commercial instincts and the confidence to negotiate.
* Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to write sponsorship collateral, partnership proposals, and executive correspondence.
* A genuine customer service ethic, where sponsors and partners feel looked after, not processed.
* Working knowledge of Salesforce or equivalent CRM, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and the broader B2B marketing tech stack.
* Digital savvy across LinkedIn and content tools, with an eye for stories worth telling.
* A clean, professional approach to managing data, contracts, and member privacy obligations.
Job Location
* Hybrid in Hedge End; a mix of on-site and off-site days.
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