Partner Manager

Job description

We all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Everything our Nectar team does is powered and fuelled by data — and by great relationships with some of the UK’s favourite brands. The Nectar 360 team focuses on developing loyalty programmes, turning amazing data into something that makes a difference, traditional media and digital. It’s like an agency-within-a-retailer, and retail media is crucial. The culture might not be what you expect either, because there’s no set-up quite like this one. The team is a real priority because it’s connected to everything the business does and drives profitability. It’s where you can take risks, learn from them and be recognised.

What’s it about?

Are you passionate about customer loyalty? Are you an expert in developing long term client relationships? Do you have the gravitas, drive and expertise to inspire key business objectives? Do you want a role where you can really make your mark on an organisation and influence strategy? Do you want to work for the biggest loyalty programme in the UK? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

What you’ll be doing:

As a Partner Manager, you’ll combine exceptional client relationship management skills with the ability to interpret and apply consumer insights to provide long-term strategic loyalty solutions to our partners.

Strategic Planning and Account Management:

• Developing annual joint business plans with Partners and lead on the execution to deliver on the key workstreams identified.
• Oversee delivery of multiple marketing campaigns and projects simultaneously, that deliver measurable commercial benefits to your partner, against joint business plan objectives.
• Effectively problem-solve; engaging with the right stakeholders to provide effective solutions.
• Interpret data insights to inform client solutions; ability to clearly deliver insights back to Partners.
• Work closely with the Insight Manager to ensure alignment, with clear and actionable insights available to consistently drive value from partnership.
• Position yourself as an expert in loyalty and use that knowledge to influence partners on key loyalty decisions

Commercial:

• Financial accountability; own the production and management of multi-million pound annual budgets and quarterly forecasts for your partner organisations.
• Foresee and plan revenue impacts; identify opportunities and risks as part of the joint business plan and ensure your team are focused on this
• Proactively identifying incremental revenue opportunities; business case new initiatives to sell in to partners.
• Commercial confidence; able to make business decisions independently, delivering on the joint business plan.
• Supporting Group Partner Director and Partner Director in partner contract renegotiations throughout the lifecycle of the partnership, to drive additional engagement and growth.

Relationship and Team Management:

• Own and develop all aspects of running of the account, managing all internal and external stakeholders.
• Being the first port of call for partners; coordinating internal and external communication.
• Lead monthly meetings and quarterly reviews with senior stakeholders.
• Confidently manage challenging conversations or unforeseen objections from partners.
• Build strong relationships with partner contacts and develop a good understanding of their business, strategies and objectives; to optimise engagement and revenue opportunities.
• Ability to network throughout the partner business and deal with stakeholders across multiple levels.
• Ability to effectively influence as required for the role, including within their team, other teams and externally.
• Line management responsibility for one fully-resourced Partner Executive.
• Mentor and manage junior members of the Partnerships team, or those within related areas, e.g. Campaign Management, Insights.

What we’d like you to have:

• Experience in marketing, loyalty and customer relationship management.
• Previously working within a client account role.
• Knowledge within consumer loyalty or retail.
• Experience executing CRM or data-driven marketing activities.
• Previous ownership of financial targets/experience of budgeting/ forecasting.
• Effective problem solving skills; results-oriented.
• Solid track record of engaging and managing key stakeholders both internally and externally.
• Strong project management abilities with attention to detail and the drive to make things happen.
• Line management experience is desirable.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships at all levels.
• Naturally interested in understanding customers, what they do and why they do it, and how we can influence that behaviour.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer, so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new - whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:
 
 Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to get 10% off at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat after 4 weeks. This increases to 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every pay day. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related target bonus of up to 10% of salary (which may vary for Nectar360), depending on how we perform.   
 
 Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance and you can buy additional holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, pay advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme.
 
 Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave. 
 
 Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).