WilderMe Cic
Strategic Partnerships
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Strategic Partnerships Manager
WilderMe CIC
Part-time · Hybrid · Cornwall
£22,500 pa (£37,500 FTE) · 3 days/week · Fixed-term 2 years
Role at a Glance
- Salary: £22,500 per annum (£37,500 FTE)
- Hours: 22.5 hours per week (3 days) — flexible, by agreement
- Pension: Workplace pension scheme in line with auto-enrolment requirements
- Notice period: 1 month (each way)
- Probationary period: 3 months
- Holiday: 20 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata) — equivalent to 33 days FTE
- Location: Hybrid — mainly remote, with visits to Maker Heights, Cawsand, Cornwall
- Contract: Fixed-term, 2 years (with strong expectation of permanency as the role funds itself)
- Reports to: Geoff Lea, Founder & Director
- Apply to: hello@wilderme.com — CV, cover letter & 1-min intro video (or voice note)
- Closing date: 21/08/2026
About WilderMe CIC
WilderMe is a Cornwall-based Community Interest Company passionate about nature-based wellbeing and inclusivity, particularly supporting neurodivergent adults and children to reconnect with nature, slow down, and thrive. Everything we do is rooted in our belief that nature access should be for everyone — which is why we're committed to providing bursary places for autistic people and their families who might not otherwise experience what we offer.
Our seaview geodomes sit at Maker Heights, near Cawsand — a truly spectacular coastal spot on the Rame Peninsula with views across Cawsand Bay. Everything we do is shaped by our dual mission: a sustainable commercial glamping and retreat centre that funds and hosts life-changing retreats for the neurodivergent community.
The Role
This is a brand new role for WilderMe — and a genuinely exciting one. As our Strategic Partnerships Manager, you'll be the person who builds the corporate relationships that help keep WilderMe sustainable and fund bursary spaces for autistic people.
You'll identify organisations whose CSR, ESG, or wellbeing priorities align with ours, build a diverse pipeline of prospective partners, and turn those conversations into sponsorships, donations, cause-related marketing, employee fundraising, and corporate retreat bookings. You'll be a natural, exceptional relationship-builder — ideally someone who already has a strong personal network of corporate and sector contacts ready to bring into the fold — and who can engage confidently with senior stakeholders to make things happen.
We'll be working to ambitious income targets together. The partnerships you build will play a significant role in sustaining WilderMe's mission and securing the long-term future of the organisation — and this role itself.
This post is funded for an initial two-year period. We fully expect the income generated through this role to make it self-sustaining well within that timeframe — so for the right candidate, this is very much a role you can grow into and make your own for years to come.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Proactively identify and cultivate new corporate contacts across a range of sectors — including B Corps, outdoor & adventure brands, wellness & mental health organisations, sustainable lifestyle brands, tech companies, creative agencies, professional firms, and ethical food & drink businesses
- Bring your own existing network of corporate and sector connections to WilderMe from day one, and actively develop new relationships across a diverse pipeline
- Develop a broad portfolio of partnership offerings including direct sponsorship, cause-related marketing, in-kind support, employee fundraising, corporate retreat bookings, and bulk gifting opportunities
- Develop and deliver tailored, compelling pitches to senior stakeholders — including CSR leads, Directors, and HR teams — to secure new business and partnerships
- Build and develop tailored stewardship plans that deepen donor and partner connections, increase engagement, and ensure agreed income targets are met — spanning major donors, corporates, and trusts & foundations
- Inspire supporters through calls, meetings, events, and video — sharing the impact of their generosity and exploring opportunities for increased giving and deeper involvement
- Account manage a growing portfolio of corporate partners — ensuring they feel genuinely connected to WilderMe's mission and motivated to deepen their involvement on an ongoing basis
- Track, report, and be accountable for ambitious partnership income targets that contribute significantly to WilderMe's financial sustainability and the future of the bursary programme
- Utilise a CRM or pipeline tool to maintain accurate records, track progress, and support income reporting
- Represent WilderMe at relevant networking events, conferences, and meetings — building awareness of our mission in the corporate sector
- Keep up to date with charity law, Fundraising Regulator guidance, and data protection requirements to ensure all activity is compliant
- Work closely with the wider WilderMe team to ensure partnership commitments are realistic and aligned with operational capacity
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Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience
- Fundraising or business development qualification / experience
- Significant corporate fundraising, partnerships or B2B sales experience (min. 2–3 years)
- Experience in the charity, social enterprise, or CSR sector
- Proven track record of generating new business leads and securing corporate partners or sponsors from scratch for non-profits or purpose-led organisations
- Experience managing income targets or fundraising budgets
Desirable Criteria
- Experience pitching to and engaging senior corporate stakeholders (CSR leads, Directors, HR teams)
- Experience developing a portfolio of partnership offerings (sponsorship, cause-related marketing, in-kind, employee fundraising)
- An established personal network of corporate or sector contacts, ready to bring into the fold from day one
- Existing connections in the South West / Cornwall business community
- Experience using a CRM or pipeline tracking tool
- Experience of cold outreach and business development in a competitive environment
Skills, Knowledge & Competencies
- Exceptional relationship-builder — can open doors, build trust quickly, and sustain long-term partnerships at all levels
- Knowledge of prospect research techniques
- Excellent written and verbal communication — compelling storyteller who can pitch confidently at board level
- Analytical skills and project management experience
- Ability to tailor approaches for different corporate audiences and motivations
- Understanding of corporate CSR / ESG landscape and how to align WilderMe's mission to it
- Self-directed and able to manage own pipeline and workload with minimal oversight
- IT literate — comfortable with email, CRM, spreadsheets, and virtual comms tools
- Knowledge of charity law, Fundraising Regulator guidance, and GDPR/data protection basics
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Personal Attributes
- Motivated, determined, and positive — energised by building relationships and opening doors
- Accountable — manages time effectively and delivers against agreed income targets
- Quick learner — able to upskill independently in new sectors and contexts
- Open, honest, and collaborative — a team worker who treats colleagues with care and respect
- Genuine alignment with WilderMe's mission — nature connection, wellbeing, neurodiversity, and inclusive access for all
- Lived or professional experience relevant to SEND, autism, or the power of nature connection
- Understanding of or personal connection to neurodivergent needs and the value of inclusive outdoor spaces
Why Join WilderMe
You'll be joining a small team doing genuinely meaningful work in one of the most beautiful corners of Cornwall. The partnerships you build will directly fund bursary places for autistic people who might not otherwise experience the restorative power of nature-based retreat — and your success will shape the long-term future of the organisation.
- £22,500 per annum (£37,500 FTE) — competitive for the sector and region
- Fixed-term 2 years, with strong expectation of permanency as the role funds itself
- Flexible 3-day week, with days arranged by agreement
- 20 days annual leave per annum, plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time hours) — equivalent to 33 days FTE
- Mainly remote working, with visits to our stunning coastal site at Maker Heights, Cawsand
- A warm, inclusive, values-led culture where you'll be trusted and given real autonomy
- The chance to shape a brand new role within a growing social enterprise
- Work that directly translates into impact for autistic people and their families
How to Apply
Send your CV and a short cover letter telling us why this role excites you and what you'd bring to WilderMe to:
hello@wilderme.com
🎥 We'd also love to see a 1-minute introductory video — just tell us who you are, why WilderMe excites you, and what you'd bring to this role. A voice note works just as well if you prefer. This isn't about production values — it's just a chance for us to meet you before we meet you.
WilderMe CIC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to bring their whole self to work. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with lived experience of the communities we serve, as we believe this lived perspective strengthens everything we do.
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