ABOUT ARTHINGTON VENTURES & THE ENTREPRENEUR FESTIVAL
Arthington Ventures Ltd is the holding company of Keith Griffiths, founder of UKREiiF, the UK’s largest real estate investment and infrastructure forum, which he built and successfully exited in 2024.
Arthington Ventures is now launching its new flagship event: The Entrepreneur Festival. The event takes place 15–17th June 2027 at the Royal Armouries, Leeds. TEF is a three-day experiential conference designed for founders, investors and scaling businesses, bringing together thousands of entrepreneurs, operators and capital providers.
Role Overview
The Partnership Manager will be the face of The Entrepreneur Festival in the field. You will be proactively sourcing, attending and presenting at relevant events to build brand awareness, generate leads and close sponsorship agreements. This is a high-energy, people-facing role for someone confident on a microphone, skilled at networking and driven to convert conversations into commercial partnerships.
THE ROLE
To grow The Entrepreneur Festival's sponsorship revenue and profile by identifying, attending and engaging at relevant business and entrepreneurship events across the UK. The Partnership Manager owns the full sales cycle, from event research and qualification through to attending, speaking, networking, and converting leads into confirmed sponsorship agreements. You will be supported by structured office-based follow-up.
Key Responsibilities
1. Event Sourcing & Qualification
* Research and identify business, entrepreneurship and networking events across the UK that align with TEF's target audience and sponsorship criteria
* Build and maintain a strategy of events to attend
* Liaise with event organisers to understand delegate profiles and available sponsorship or speaking opportunities
2. Field Attendance & Representation
* Attend targeted events as TEF's representative to raise brand awareness and generate leads
* Distribute TEF brochures and marketing collateral to delegates, exhibitors and prospective sponsors
* Network proactively and confidently with business owners, investors and senior decision-makers
* Take the microphone to address rooms, networking groups, or panels to pitch TEF. Competence with public speaking is essential
* Identify and approach prospective sponsors at events and through warm introductions
* Present TEF's sponsorship packages in a value first and compelling manner
* Negotiate sponsorship terms, pricing and packages in line with TEF's commercial framework
* Build and maintain long-term sponsor relationships beyond individual events
4. Office-Based Follow-Up
* Conduct structured follow-up to field activity via phone, email and Teams
* Track all activity and pipeline progress via CRM
* Prepare proposals and commercial packs for prospective sponsors
* Report weekly on field activity, pipeline status and sponsorship revenue
Person Specification
* Proven experience in field sales, sponsorship sales or B2B business development
* Confident and engaging public speaker. You must be fully comfortable addressing a room
* Strong networker with the ability to build genuine rapport quickly in face-to-face environments
* Self-motivated and target-driven; able to manage their own diary, pipeline and field schedule
* Disciplined follow-up skills and an ability to convert in-person conversations into confirmed meetings and revenue
* Experience negotiating and closing commercial agreements or sponsorship deals
* Full UK driving licence (field travel is a core part of this role)
* Background in the events, festivals or entrepreneurship sector
* Existing network within the SME, startup, or investor community
* Familiarity with CRMs
* Experience as a speaker or panellist at business events
KPIs
* Number of qualifying events identified and attended each month
* Volume of sponsorship leads generated from field activity
* Lead-to-meeting conversion rate
* Sponsorship revenue closed against commercial targets
* CRM pipeline accuracy and follow-up completion rate
* Event qualification accuracy (alignment to TEF criteria)
* The Partnership Manager role is a combination of field & office based. You will be an ambassador for The Entrepreneur Festival brand, representing the business with professionalism and energy.
WHAT’S ON OFFER
* Competitive base salary of £55,000–£60,000 DOE
* Discretionary end of year bonus (performance related)
* Hybrid working – two days in the Leeds office, 3 days at events
* 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
* Access to one of the UK’s most exciting new events businesses at founding stage
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