Head of Corporate Partnerships

Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that dresses, coaches and empowers unemployed women for success at their job interview. After visiting Smart Works, 63% of clients secure a job within a month.

The Smart Works service is delivered in London, Manchester, Stockport, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Reading and Leeds. Over the past eleven years, Smart Works has helped over 40,000 women. It is our mission that any woman who needs our service should be able to find her way to a Smart Works centre.

In April 2022, Smart Works launched a Three-Year Plan that will see the charity double the number of women helped annually from 5,000 to 10,000 women a year. We are on track to achieve this by expanding the reach of our existing centres and opening new centres in areas of need including Bristol; set to open in early 2025.

About this role

Smart Works is looking for an experienced and motivated fundraising professional to join our dynamic team on a maternity cover for one year. We work with high profile and prestigious global businesses and this role sits at the heart of the Partnerships Team, reporting into the Director of Partnerships.

We are coming to the end of our 3 Year Plan, which saw us double the number of women reached from 5,000 per year to 10,000 per year and raising income from £3M to £5M. This is a pivotal time in the charity’s journey, with the opportunity to develop the future strategy, to work with the new Chief Executive joining in January 2025 and to meet ambitious partnership targets.

This role will lead Smart Work’s corporate partnerships strategy, significantly growing our partnership portfolio across sectors including finance, tech, insurance and more. Demonstrating excellent strategic and creative thinking, the successful candidate will be instrumental in establishing five and six figure transformational corporate partnerships, with multi-year scope and potential to deliver considerable strategic value against the Charity’s new Plan. The post-holder will also employ their outstanding communication skills to develop first-class relationships (at C-Suite) and oversee the management of these significant partnerships including Bobbi Brown, Google, Bank of America, and AJ Bell

Smart Works has a collaborative environment, with dynamic teams and ambitious plans. It is also a rewarding place to work and a lot of fun, with valuable opportunities to attend nationwide fundraising activities, expert leadership panel discussions, fashion sales and exclusive events.

The Partnerships team is based in London. This is a full-time hybrid role, with time split across all 3 of our London sites in Islington, Ladbroke Grove and Croydon. Some evening and weekend work is required. 

We promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourage a diverse range of perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge within Smart Works. We welcome applications from outside the charity sector although fundraising and/or business acquisition experience is essential.

How to Apply

Please read through the full job description and then please submit a CV and a cover letter which answers the following questions by 5pm on Sunday 5th January. Your application should be addressed to Helen Nelson, Head of Corporate Partnerships. 

1. How is Smart Works an effective cause with which to raise money from corporates?
2. What experiences and skills do you have that make you well suited for this role? 
3. What steps would you take to grow the value of the corporate partnerships pipeline?

First round interviews will take place online on 13th January and second round interviews will take place in person in London on 20th January. 

Smart Works is committed to best practice employment practices, including reducing the burden for those seeking work. Smart Works will therefore reimburse reasonable costs of travel to interviews if required.