Senior Partnerships Manager (FTC until end of 2026)

TEAM: Partnerships
REPORTING TO: BD
LOCATION: Watford (Hybrid - 3 days a week)
ABOUT US
tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world's leading brands. With 1,200+ employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions - from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.
Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald's, T-Mobile, O2, Hilton, Samsung, Starbucks, and adidas.
Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.
WHAT MATTERS THE MOST
Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.
tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.
WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS ROLE
As the Senior Partnerships Manager, you will collaborate closely with the Hilton Director Loyalty EMEA to strengthen our client relationships with Hilton. You will represent tms as an industry leader, establishing and nurturing robust relationships with brand partners. Your primary responsibility will be managing and delivering both tactical and strategic partnerships for our key client, Hilton, across the EMEA region . Regular travel to their Watford office is required, and you will be expected to maintain a presence there 2-3 days a week.
In this senior role, you will drive the success of the Hilton partnership strategy, leading high-profile brand engagements and managing complex negotiations. Your business development approach will focus on a range of partnership value propositions such as two-way earn and burn and status-linked benefits, effectively managing senior stakeholders on the client side, while influencing the overall growth of our business. Collaborating closely with senior leadership and mentoring junior team members will also be a key aspect of your role.
WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION
Leadership in Partnership Management

• Extensive experience in identifying, prospecting and developing, nurturing, and managing partnerships with key brands, demonstrating a commercial orientation and a proven track record of running successful partnerships.
• Define, develop and socialise the EMEA partnership strategy, ensuring alignment with global priorities.
• Detail-oriented and analytical mindset, adept at navigating highly matrixed environments with numerous stakeholders and moving parts.
• Develop compelling partner value propositions that drive new membership, increase occupancy and strengthen engagement.
• Proven ability to lead complex negotiations, including structuring deals, developing commercial proposals, managing margins, and defining critical contract terms.
• Manage and own the end-to-end execution of partnership offers, including launch, performance tracking, internal socialisation of results and ongoing partner relationship management.

Strategic Vision and Analytical Expertise

• A deep understanding of loyalty programs and loyalty currency models to facilitate informed discussions about value exchange, both internally and externally.
• Demonstrated ability to monitor and enhance partnership performance, driving continuous improvement and maximizing value.
• Ability to identify new business opportunities, leveraging an extensive network of industry contacts while effectively managing senior stakeholders on the client side.

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Experience in leading and mentoring junior team members while fostering a positive and collaborative team culture.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and management to ensure activity aligns with Hilton Marketing and broader business plans.
• Commitment to professional growth for yourself and your team, including providing constructive feedback and facilitating development opportunities.
• Proven track record of representing the organization in high-stakes client interactions with professionalism and confidence.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE

• Extensive experience in partnership management, particularly at a senior level.
• Proven experience in establishing qualification questions and building and managing partner outreach process. Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage and resolve complex discussions and negotiations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and negotiation skills tailored toward engaging with senior stakeholders.

Travel and Presence

• Willingness to travel to Watford regularly (2-3 days per week) for office presence and relationship-building activities and once a month to tms office
• Potential to travel to visit prospective clients as part of partnership discussions.

And We'd Love You To...

• Bring a strategic and analytical mindset, anticipating market trends and aligning them with client needs.
• Work effectively in a leadership capacity, supporting both senior management and junior team members.

Any of the Following Would Be a Plus

• A well-established network of industry contacts and the ability to quickly identify new partnership opportunities.
• Experience in the airline/hotel sector would be a benefit.
• Experience in leading business development initiatives and expanding partnership portfolios.
• Familiarity with emerging trends in the Partnerships and Loyalty industry .

If you have any questions about the job, we are open to discussing this role further, so please feel free to get in touch.
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