Head of Partnerships

Role Overview

• Strategic management, direction and delivery of the WRU’s commercial partner programme, including all commercial partners’ contractual rights.
• Leadership of the Partnerships Team to ensure they deliver for the WRU and its commercial partners in an efficient and effective manner with excellent relationship management and project management skills.
• Management of the professional development of the Partnerships Team.
• Ensuring that the WRU partners are exceptionally well serviced, to achieve their business objectives, leading to high levels of partner satisfaction.
• Inputting into and delivering on the WRU group’s commercial strategy.
• Actively seeking opportunities for commercial partnership up-sells.

Requirements

• Strong project management experience with clear evidence of delivery against tight timescales.
• Ability to plan ahead, proactively thinking 6-12 months down the line.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential with the ability to communicate confidently with a variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to provide structure, planning and clarity to a large, complex, program of work.
• Ability to think strategically but also be a strong operational problem solver that presents solutions and recommendations, rather than problems.
• Demonstrable experience in building and delivering partnership-oriented projects.
• Demonstrable experience of setting and delivering strategy for commercial opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and relationship management both internally and with key client-side decision makers.
• Ability to influence at all levels of an organisation.
• Experience of presenting to key stakeholders of varying levels of seniority, adapting approach and style accordingly
• An ability to understand client needs and objectives and then build plans that work hard to deliver against them.
• Ability to balance competing demands and requirements to find mutually acceptable solutions.
• Understanding of the sponsorship market and how sponsorship deals work.
• Understanding of conventional and digital and social media platforms.
• Strong business acumen and experience of contract negotiation.
• Experience of leading, motivating and organising an efficient and effective team that delivers exceptional client outcomes.
• The ability to work on own initiative, both as an individual and as part of a team.
• Excellent IT Skills, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel & PowerPoint.
• Ability to communicate and work through the medium of Welsh is desirable

Benefits

• Salary Sacrifice Pension (5% employee contribution, matched by WRU)
• Life assurance scheme
• WRU Group Ticket Allocation (in line with ticketing policy)
• One additional paid day off (birthday leave)
• Employee assistance programme
• Team Tactics – hybrid working arrangements
• Free stadium parking and gym
• WRU Group store and tour discounts
• WRU Group partnership offers
• Eye Care Voucher Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme