Assistant Partnerships Manager

Assistant Partnerships Manager
£32,640 - £35,000 plus great benefits (work level 6A)
Manchester city centre, hybrid working  

In line with the Internal Mobility Policy, we’d like to make you aware that there is a preferred candidate who has been identified for this opportunity.

We’re looking for an ambitious and proactive Assistant Partnerships Manager to help elevate Co-op’s partnerships (Festivals & Co-op Live). In this role, you’ll work closely with the Partnerships Manager to shape and deliver our partnership strategy, collaborating across teams to ensure Co-op maximises its presence and benefits within the venue. You’ll be responsible for managing production planning, budget management, agency relationships, and on-site delivery, making sure Co-op’s presence is seamless, sustainable, and impactful.

Why this role matters

You’ll support the day-to-day delivery of activations, operational planning, and performance tracking - all key to driving partnership success. This is a high-impact role with real responsibility, offering a fantastic opportunity to grow your profile, contribute to a market-leading partnership, and be part of a team that’s setting new standards in the UK market. 

What you’ll do

• Support the Partnerships Manager in the day-to-day running of the partnerships, contributing to strategic delivery and operational excellence. 
• Lead end-to-end production planning for Co-op’s major experiential partnerships, including UK Festivals and Co-op Live. 
• Translate strategic partnership objectives into actionable production and delivery plans aligned with brand, sustainability, and commercial goals. 
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure all activity supports Co-op’s strategy  
• Maintain regular communication with key stakeholders (partner operations, internal teams) to ensure smooth and effective delivery. 
• Manage budget tracking and reporting to ensure financial accuracy and alignment with planned spend. 
• Implement internal communications to keep colleagues informed and engaged with partnership activities and opportunities. 
• Manage the delivery of onsite brand activations, ensuring execution meets approved plans and adheres to brand guidelines. 
• Lead on ticketing inventory and allocation. 
• Deliver efficient debrief and evaluation processes post-event, including performance metrics, budget reconciliation, and learnings. 
• Ensure adherence to licensing, brand compliance, and GDPR regulations, maintaining robust documentation and governance. 
• Work with suppliers and partners to identify cost-efficiency opportunities in production kits and integrate improvements into formal contracts.

This role would suit people who have 

• Experience in operational delivery of partnerships 
• Experience of working in the live events space would be beneficial  
• Working knowledge of ticketing systems and inventory management 
• A talent for building and developing positive relationships with internal and external partners 
• Excellent communication skills 
• The ability to work cross functionality at all levels  
• Strong attention to detail and organisational skills 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
Coaching and training to support your career development
Wagestream app – giving you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn

Building a diverse environment

We’re actively building diverse teams and we welcome applications from everyone. If you have a disability, we can make reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process according to your needs. We're also part of the Disability Confident scheme, meaning we'll always offer an interview to disabled candidates who apply through the scheme if they meet the minimum criteria for a job.

We'll ask whether you’d like to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme when you apply.

If we invite you to take part in the recruitment process for any of our jobs, we’ll ask you if you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate.

You can find out more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

You can find out more about the Disability Confident scheme at Disability Confident Scheme - Co-op Colleagues and more about our commitments to diversity and inclusion at Diversity and Inclusion

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.