The New Statesman is one of the UK’s leading political and cultural media brands, delivering authoritative journalism and analysis across politics, policy, culture, and international affairs. Through our journalism, events, and research platforms we connect influential audiences across government, business, academia, and civil society. Strategic partnerships play an increasingly important role in how we collaborate with organisations that want to engage meaningfully with these audiences through thought leadership, research, convening, and high-quality editorial environments.
About the role
The Strategic Partnerships Director will lead the development and growth of long-term partnerships with organisations that align with the New Statesman’s editorial mission and audience. This role focuses on building strategic relationships with senior stakeholders across government, industry, and the third sector to develop multi-platform collaborations spanning events, policy forums, research, and sponsored content. The role combines commercial leadership with strategic thinking, ensuring partnerships deliver both revenue and long-term brand value.
Key responsibilities
Strategic partnership development
- Identify, develop, and secure high-value strategic partnerships with organisations seeking to engage with the New Statesman audience.
- Design multi-platform partnership programmes spanning events, policy programmes, research, and branded content.
- Lead senior-level conversations with partners to understand strategic objectives and shape collaboration opportunities.
Commercial leadership
- Deliver revenue growth through long-term partnerships and sponsorship agreements.
- Build and manage a pipeline of partnership opportunities across priority sectors including policy, technology, finance, energy, and international affairs.
- Negotiate commercial agreements and oversee contract development with support from legal and finance teams.
Partnership strategy
- Develop the strategic partnerships framework for the New Statesman, identifying priority sectors, themes, and partnership models.
- Work closely with editorial, events, and product teams to ensure partnership programmes align with the brand’s editorial integrity and audience interests.
Internal collaboration
- Work cross-functionally with editorial, events, marketing, and commercial teams to deliver partnership programmes successfully.
- Provide strategic guidance on how partnerships integrate across print, digital, research, and live experiences.
Skills and experience
- Significant experience developing partnerships within media, events, policy, or thought-leadership environments.
- Strong commercial acumen and experience negotiating complex partnership agreements.
- Established network across corporate, policy, or institutional sectors.
- Ability to develop creative partnership concepts that align with editorial brands.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills and confidence working with senior executives.
- Experience leading teams or mentoring junior commercial staff.
- Strategic thinker with strong commercial instincts.
- Collaborative and relationship-driven.
- High credibility with senior stakeholders.
- Interest in politics, policy, and public affairs.
Preferred
- Experience in media, events, policy, or thought-leadership environments.
- Established network across corporate, policy, or institutional sectors.
Company benefits
- 25 days' holiday (plus bank holidays)
- Additional days off for your birthday, health and well-being day and volunteering day
- Subscription to group publications and all other online content
- Access to a discounted shopping program
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Enhanced company sick pay after probation
Note, this role offers hybrid working, working from home two days per week.
Applications meeting the selection criteria will be reviewed as soon as possible.
New Statesman Limited values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. Please inform the hiring manager if you require any reasonable adjustments so that you can fully participate in the recruitment process.
Please note, candidates must have, or be able to independently obtain, the right to live and work in the United Kingdom as we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.