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Partnerships Manager

London City Lionesses
Cobdown Park - Home of London City Lionesses, Cobdown Park, Ditton, Aylesford, UK
02 Aug, 2026

Job Description

Role Purpose

The role of the Partnerships Manager is to support the delivery of commercial partnerships by managing the day-to-day operational fulfilment of contractual rights for both club and WSL agreements.

The ideal candidate will be a confident self-starter with experience leveraging and maximising partner rights to create value for both the club and the brand partner.

We are looking for someone who can jump in, get things done and work with the team to shape the future of the club.

The role requires working weekends for matchdays and travel where required, consequently flexibility in working hours will be required.

Main Duties/ Responsibilities

1 Relationships:

· Cultivate and maintain a strong relationship with Partners, stakeholders and agencies, holding regular online and in-person meetings.

· Develop a deep understanding of the Partner’s business strategies, products/services, brand objectives, target growth markets, competitors, opportunities, challenges and KPIs.

· Building relationships with all internal departments, notably working with the brand marketing team.

2 Planning:

· Build bespoke Partner frameworks by translating contractual rights into clear 360 strategic activation and marketing plans.

· Coordinate planning workshops and design meetings to maximise rights across media channels and physical experiences.

· Stay informed on sports marketing and media trends to inform creative strategies.

3 Delivery:

· Set the benchmark for best-in-class end-to-end Partner servicing to include campaign ideation and delivery, content creation, player appearances and unique experiences as well as on-ground matchday activations.

· Lead on delivery for league partners being the point of contact for relevant league partnership requests.

· Manage the accreditation process for partner staff and guests, ensuring seamless coordination for access.

4 Evaluation:

· Working with the Club’s Commercial Analyst to deliver post-campaign and end-of-season reviews and presentations, demonstrating the impact and return on investment including recommendations for optimisation and growth.

· Develop case studies of stand-out campaigns and explore opportunities for awards submissions.

5 Business Development:

· Support the Commercial Sales team in developing renewal strategies, upsell opportunities and the creation of new partner assets to expand existing partner contracts.

· Support the development of the Partnerships CRM and system enhancements, producing weekly sales activity reports and responding to ad-hoc reporting requests.

6 Commercial Operations:

· Ensure all financial processes are followed, including P/Os, invoices and budgets.

· Support the creative approval process for partner/agency content.

· Have an awareness of contractual obligations and flag potential breaches.

· Identify opportunities to refine and improve our commercial systems, processes and practices.

7 Other ad-hoc duties as assigned from time-to-time by management, depending on priorities and workload.

Club Accountabilities

1. To comply with all Club policies, procedures and practices and carry out your role diligently and in the best interests of the Club.

2. To lead with a proactive, high-performance mindset and actively contribute to a winning culture on and off the pitch.

3. To behave in a manner consistent with Club values and policies.

4. To ensure compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements.

5. To keep confidential any information gained regarding the Club and its personnel.

Qualifications and Training

Desirable:

· Degree level or equivalent in a relevant course

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential:

· A track record of providing first-class partnership delivery and relationship management either for a sports rights holder or an agency working with sports rights holders

· Strong knowledge of core marketing and sponsorship principles, including exposure of sponsorship contracts and rights packages

· Ability to thrive in a fast-paced role managing complex projects with exceptional organisation

· Experience measuring and analysing campaign results and making recommendations to optimise partner KPIs

Desirable:

· Experience working within professional football

· Knowledge of football governance, league regulations and safeguarding requirements

· International or multi-market commercial partnerships experience

· CRM experience

· Additional language skills

Characteristics:
· Passionate about women’s football and broader women’s sport culture.

· Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to deal with matrix stakeholders & ambiguity.

· High standards of personal integrity and EQ.

· Comfortable and able to work on own initiative

· Has a learning mindset; is keen to continue their self-development and keep up to date with best practice and learning opportunities

· Continually seeks to improve efficiency and performance

· Seeks out and embraces new ways of thinking and working – not afraid to fail.

· Professional, confident, self-motivated and enthusiastic

· A positive, bright and energetic demeanour

· Numerate and data-driven with a strong attention to detail

· Resilience and perseverance

London City Lionesses is committed to safeguarding, health and safety, and equality, diversity, and inclusion. We prioritise the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, the well-being of all staff and visitors, and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported. These responsibilities are shared by all staff and volunteers, with safeguarding, safety, and inclusivity being collective priorities.

All staff are required to adhere to the Club’s policies, complete relevant training, and actively contribute to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment. This includes timely reporting of concerns, compliance with health and safety regulations, and upholding the Club’s

zero-tolerance approach to discrimination.

For certain roles, additional checks, such as Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks or health assessments, may be required. Applications must include a fully completed application form; CVs alone will not be accepted. All candidates will be assessed on merit and their alignment with the Club’s values.

About London City Lionesses

LONDON CITY LIONESSES

The First Independent Club in the Women's Super League

2024/25 Women's Championship winners, now competing in the Barclays WSL. Part of Michele Kang's Kynisca Sports International — the first woman-owned multi-club organisation in women's football.

Est. 2019

Founded

WSL

Barclays Women's Super League

28 Acres

Cobdown Park Training Ground

WHY LONDON CITY

Why Work at London City Lionesses

London City Lionesses is not a legacy club adapting to the modern game — it was purpose-built for it. Founded in 2019 and acquired by Michele Kang's Kynisca Sports International in December 2023, the club is part of the first woman-owned, woman-led multi-club organisation in football, alongside the Washington Spirit (2021 NWSL champions) and OL Lyonnes (eight-time Women's Champions League winners). Staff work within a network that spans three continents and is led at group level by Global Sporting Director Markel Zubizarreta, formerly of FC Barcelona.

Kynisca's stated mission is to build the world's pre-eminent women's sports organisation, with a core principle of training women as women — backed by the Kynisca Innovation Hub, which funds sports science research into female athletic performance. At club level, that translates into a 28-acre training ground at Cobdown Park now under construction, with a Performance Campus designed to match a men's Premier League facility but built specifically around the needs of female athletes. The July 2026 signing of two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas underlines the level of ambition across every department.

Sources: londoncitylionesses.com; kynisca.com; Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, September 2025

ABOUT

About London City Lionesses

London City Lionesses is a professional women's football club based in Kent, with home matches played at the CopperJax Community Stadium in Bromley. Founded in 2019, the club won the 2024/25 Barclays Women's Championship to earn promotion and became the first ever independent club to compete in the Barclays Women's Super League in 2025/26 — the top tier of English women's football.

The club is part of Kynisca Sports International, Ltd., owned and led by Michele Kang. Kynisca's vision is to become the most pre-eminent women's sports organisation in the world — building a high-performance culture of winning on and off the pitch, training women as women, and motivating the next generation of girls and women. The club operates under the legal entity LCL Sports Group Limited, with commercial partners including Nike (kit manufacturer) and Mastercard. In January 2026, Kynisca was named presenting partner of the inaugural FIFA Women's Champions Cup.

Sources: londoncitylionesses.com; kynisca.com

WHAT WE DO

Three Pillars of the Club

London City Lionesses operates across first-team football, academy development and community engagement — each with dedicated staff and growing infrastructure.

First Team & Performance

Competing in the Barclays WSL with players including two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas. Kynisca's principle of training women as women is central — the forthcoming Cobdown Park Performance Campus and the Kynisca Innovation Hub both focus on research-led, female-specific performance, recovery and wellbeing.

Academy & Development

Four academy squads covering U12 to U21 pathways. The new training centre includes an improved Academy building with a high-quality 3G pitch, creating clear routes from grassroots to professional level in Kent.

Community & Grassroots

The Mastercard Sister Club Programme connects the club with grassroots clubs across Kent and London, offering free match tickets, mascot opportunities and coaching clinics. The 3G pitch at Cobdown Park will also serve the Kent FA, local leagues and SEND schools.

KEY NUMBERS

London City Lionesses in Numbers

From the training ground to the multi-club network, London City Lionesses is investing at a scale that matches its ambition in the women's game.

WSL

Top-Tier Football

First independent club in the Barclays Women's Super League (2025/26)

Acres at Cobdown Park

Acquired June 2024. Performance Campus under construction, completion target 2027

50+

New Permanent Jobs

Created by the Cobdown Park development, plus ~£1m per year in local economic investment

Club Network

Kynisca Sports International — alongside Washington Spirit (2021 NWSL champions) and OL Lyonnes (8× Champions League winners)

Sources: londoncitylionesses.com; kynisca.com; Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, September 2025

CAREER AREAS

Functions at London City Lionesses

The club recruits across football operations, medical, academy, and corporate functions. Current and recent roles advertised via the club's CharlieHR careers page as of July 2026 include:

Coaching

First team and academy coaching roles, including goalkeeper and outfield specialists

Sport Science & Medicine

Physiotherapy, sport psychology and performance support for elite female athletes

Academy & Education

Player development, education lead and pathway management from U12 to U21

Operations & Administration

HR, legal, finance and day-to-day club operations across multiple sites

Community & Programmes

Grassroots engagement, Sister Club Programme, school outreach and coaching clinics

Media & Communications

Content creation, press, social media and matchday coverage

Source: lcl.recruit.charliehr.com/careers — July 2026

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Growing the Women's and Girls' Game

London City Lionesses runs the Mastercard Sister Club Programme, connecting the club with grassroots women's and girls' football clubs across Kent and London. Sister Clubs receive complimentary match tickets, matchday mascot opportunities and priority access to player appearances, festivals and coaching clinics. The club also runs regular community sessions open to the public. Once completed, the new 3G pitch at Cobdown Park will be made available to the Kent FA, the Kent Girls and Ladies League, local SEND schools and the Kent disability mixed league — extending the club's reach well beyond the professional squad.

Sources: londoncitylionesses.com/sister-clubs; Cobdown Park planning application, September 2025

WORKING HERE

Life at London City Lionesses

Day-to-day operations are split between the CopperJax Community Stadium in Bromley for matchdays and Cobdown Park in Aylesford, Kent for training and office work. The club is scaling quickly — the Cobdown Park development alone will create more than 50 new permanent positions across coaching, medical, operations and academy functions. As part of the Kynisca multi-club network, staff have scope for collaboration with counterparts at the Washington Spirit and OL Féminin.

Source: londoncitylionesses.com; lcl.recruit.charliehr.com/careers

LOCATION

CopperJax Community Stadium

Home matches are played at the CopperJax Community Stadium in Bromley, south-east London. The club's training and operational base is at Cobdown Park in Aylesford, Kent.

LCL Stadium

Address: Hayes Lane, Bromley, England BR2 9EF

View on Google Maps →

London City Lionesses is building something new in women's football — explore current opportunities on Jobs In Football.

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