Partnership Manager

Responsibilities:

• Identify, develop, and negotiate strategic partnerships with employers, manufacturers, technical partners, CSR programs, foundations, development organizations, educational institutions, communities, and service providers.
• Build and manage a prioritized partnership pipeline that converts opportunities into structured, measurable agreements.
• Develop tailored partnership proposals, sponsorship packages, concept notes, and presentations.
• Lead or support negotiations and collaborate with legal teams on MOUs, sponsorship agreements, and other partnership contracts.
• Coordinate partnership implementation, monitor deliverables, and manage renewals and expansion opportunities.
• Build employer partnerships that create internships, apprenticeships, placements, and graduate employment opportunities.
• Secure sponsorships, grants, and in-kind support, including equipment, tools, and funding.
• Maintain an up-to-date CRM and provide regular reports on partnership performance and pipeline status.
• Ensure appropriate due diligence and governance across all partnerships to protect the organization’s brand and reputation.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in partnerships, business development, stakeholder engagement, corporate affairs, or institutional fundraising.
• Proven ability to convert strategic relationships into signed agreements with measurable business outcomes.
• Strong proposal writing, negotiation, and executive stakeholder management skills.
• Commercially minded with the ability to evaluate the strategic, financial, and reputational value of partnerships.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, early-stage environment.
• Experience within education, workforce development, manufacturing, construction, real estate, energy, or facility management is an advantage.
• Established networks across Nigerian corporate, education, development, or industry sectors are a plus.

What We’re Looking For: The ideal candidate is proactive, relationship-driven, and execution-focused. This is not a relationship-maintenance role; we’re looking for someone who can open doors, build a strong partnership pipeline, close strategic agreements, and drive successful long-term partnerships.