Strategic Partnerships Manager
The Economist is looking for a dynamic team-player to help drive its strategic partnerships business globally in close collaboration with the EVP of Strategic Partnerships. We are looking for a highly-driven, strategic and commercial individual who is comfortable having a consultative discussion with middle to senior ranking executives across multiple industries.
As the Partnerships Manager, you'll be responsible for building and managing high-value corporate partnerships. Your responsibility is to research businesses The Economist could partner with to scale brand reach and subscriber volumes, shape partnership proposals, drive discussions and manage on-going relationships.
The Economist is a leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs, published weekly in print and digital editions, and daily through Economist.com and our Espresso app. We deliver our information through a range of formats, print, digital, audio, video and conferences. What ties us together is the objectivity of our opinion, the originality of our insight and our advocacy of economic and political freedom around the world.
Key responsibilities
Own the partnership lifecycle from prospecting and proposal development through negotiation, launch, performance management and renewal to meet and exceed subscription and revenue targets
Research and prioritise prospects (e.g., financial services and publishers) and build a targeted outreach plan
Develop partnership propositions and financial models (including pricing, subscriber/unit economics, and forecast scenarios) in collaboration with Finance
Lead commercial negotiations, ensuring deals are aligned with The Economist’s brand and editorial values and strategic priorities
Coordinate partner onboarding and programme delivery with Marketing, Product, Legal, Finance and Operations, acting as the central point of contact
Track performance against KPIs and recommend optimisation actions to improve outcomes
Maintain accurate pipeline and activity reporting in the CRM and contribute to regular forecasting and business reviews
What you will bring
Significant experience in partnerships, business development, or account management, with subscription, media, SaaS or consumer brands
A strong record of closing and managing complex commercial agreements, including multi-stakeholder negotiation and contracting
Consultative selling skills and confidence engaging mid-to-senior executives across multiple industries
Strong analytical capability, including Excel skills and comfort building and defending financial proposals
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate strategy into clear partner-facing proposals and internal briefs
Experience working with cross-functional teams and senior leadership with the ability to manage stakeholders effectively
Highly organised project management skills, able to lead launches and coordinate cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment
A collaborative, ownership-driven mindset and high attention to detail
Working knowledge of CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) and performance dashboards/BI tools
Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or a related field
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