Senior Partnerships Manager Job at Rapha (London)

Senior Partnerships Manager

Rapha

Location:
United Kingdom , London

Category:
-

Contract Type:
Employment contract

Salary:

Not provided

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Job Description:

The Senior Partnerships Manager is a leadership role engineered to contribute to this mission by defining and delivering a globally coherent partnership strategy that strengthens Rapha’s position in cycling and drives measurable brand heat and commercial growth. This is a senior, commercially accountable leadership role for someone who can build and manage partnerships that both grow the business and elevate the brand. You will own a portfolio that spans athlete representation, brand collaborations, and commercial partnerships, with full responsibility for channel leadership, contract negotiation and financial delivery. You'll be joining at a pivotal moment for Rapha, with real scope to shape how we approach partnerships strategically. This isn't a relationship management role, it's a business and brand building one.

Job Responsibility:

Lead the end-to-end athlete partnership programme – from identification and recruitment through contract execution, relationship management, and renewal
Build deep, long-term ambassador relationships
Negotiate athlete contracts, usage rights, exclusivity clauses, and performance incentives
Collaborate with Creative and Social teams to develop athlete content
Establish clear KPIs for the athlete roster
Identify, pitch, and develop brand collaboration opportunities across tech, fashion, art, design, lifestyle, and culture
Manage collaborations from initial concept through contract, creative development, production, launch, and post-campaign evaluation
Work with Creative leadership to ensure co-branded output meets brand standards
Cultivate an active pipeline of collaboration prospects
Track and report on collaboration performance
Own the commercial partnerships P&L
Structure and negotiate partnership deals with commercial rigour
Identify upsell and extension opportunities within the existing partner base
Build the business case for new partnership investments
Work cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, and Commercial teams
Work collaboratively across stakeholder and contributing teams
Set the standard for how the teams work together
Build team capability within Brand Marketing
Represent the partnerships function at senior leadership level

Requirements:

8+ years of experience in partnerships, commercial development, or brand roles – ideally spanning both sport/athlete and brand collaboration contexts
A demonstrable track record of negotiating and closing complex commercial agreements, with evidence of financial delivery against targets
Experience managing athlete or talent relationships, with a deep understanding of the sensitivities and opportunities involved
Strong commercial acumen: you can build a business case, read a deal structure, assess risk, and negotiate confidently from a position of knowledge
Experience leading and developing a partnerships team, with a coaching mindset and high expectations of yourself and others
An existing network across sport, fashion, creative, and media – you know the right people and they know you
Excellent written and verbal communication
able to represent the brand externally with authority and warmth
Genuine passion for the brand's world – sport, craft, culture, and the communities where they intersect

What we offer:

Flexible working hours
Support for ad-hoc remote working during the week - minimum 4 days in office
25 days annual leave
2 additional days paid time off to participate in a sportive or similar related cycling event
A flexible riding benefit to allow you to go out riding on a Wednesday morning with colleagues or learn to cycle through our Getting Started Scheme
An annual clothing allowance of £1,200 for testing and promotional purpose
A company bonus scheme
A health cash plan provided by Healthshield worth up to £1405 per year
Mental health support with MyndUp
Free barista coffee and social drinks in the office
Monthly department social events and quarterly office social away days
Bike racing expenses up to £35 per race entry
A 50% staff discount and a discount for family and friends
Industry discounts on brands such as Patagonia, Osprey, Finisterre, Wahoo
Free membership to the Rapha Cycling Club
Cycle2Work scheme
Company Pension Scheme
Enhanced Parental Leave and Pay

Additional Information:

Job Posted:
May 15, 2026

Employment Type:

Fulltime

Work Type:

On-site work

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