Manager Partnerships

Full-time, Ongoing, EL1 position
$115,443 - $125,832 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation
Australia’s leading museum located waterside in beautiful Darling Harbour
The Australian National Maritime Museum is seeking a highly experienced and proactive Manager Partnerships to join our Partnerships team in this full-time, ongoing Executive Level 1 position.

As one of Sydney’s most visited museums, the Australian National Maritime Museum shares our national maritime story across Australia and the world, online, onsite and through research, presentations and travelling exhibitions, and provides must-visit museum experiences that delight and inspire.

We connect our visitors with the oceans and waterways that are the heartbeat of who we are. From deep time to modern Australian and beyond, we explore our past, our present and future as an island nation shaped by sea, offering a sustainable and cohesive vision for the future.

The Museum welcomes over 2.5 million local, interstate and international visitors annually, and is supported by a thriving and passionate staff, membership, volunteer and education base. Find out more at sea.museum.

The Manager, Partnerships plays a key role in managing the Museum’s partnerships and build financial support from the corporate and government sectors to deliver annual targets, which support programming and operations. Develop, enhance, and maintain high quality, profitable and strategic partnerships for the museum, including the implementation of a sustainable relationship management approach to working with stakeholders and providing benefits. Identify, develop, and implement strategies to take advantage of emerging commercial opportunities for all areas of the museum. In particular budget relieving value-in-kind and cash partnerships.

Please note: This recruitment process is intended to fill both current and future vacancies. While the position on offer is ongoing, a merit pool of suitable applicants may be established to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing positions within the next 18 months.

Key Accountabilities
Under broad direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:

Build financial support from the commercial sector and government to achieve the Museum’s annual commercial partnerships target.
Identify, build and maintain Museum partnerships across the organisation to discover opportunities while ensuring a consistent approach and opportunities across multiple Museum divisions.
Ensure additional corporate and community partnership opportunities are identified, leveraged and executed throughout the year, aligning with the museum’s Brand and Strategic Plan and limit risk for the museum.
Oversee the Community Partnerships Manager who manages relationships with partners from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and other aligned communities organisations to develop strategic relationships, increasing support from individuals and communities, NGOs and government organisations.
Plan, implement and evaluate partner/partnership events to meet resource parameters, and partner expectations.
Manage the Partnership budget and financial reporting to meet targets and develop sustainable strategies for the museum’s long term financial future.
Provide regular reporting including details of partnership outcomes and activities to partners, Executive monthly meetings, quarterly Council reports and Annual Reports. In addition, maintain the partnerships database and calendar with long term programs identified.
Work with Finance team to identify the most appropriate modes for reporting and managing contra or in-kind sponsorship opportunities for the museum. This will include working with relevant departments to ensure appropriate budgeting related to partnership requirements.
Selection Criteria
A proven ability to identify, establish, cultivate, and maintain effective relationships with a range of corporate, media, community and government partners in Sydney, nationally and internationally.
Excellent record of accomplishment in obtaining, maintaining and upselling high value cash and in-kind partnerships from these relationships. Proven experience in influencing senior stakeholders is highly regarded.
A sound knowledge and understanding of the cultural sector, particularly of museums, cultural institutions and the programs and services they offer and the audiences that they attract. As well as the changing partnerships market and ability to move and develop to take advantage of these changes.
Superior written and verbal communication and negotiation skills, as well as demonstrated experience in developing mutually advantageous commercial partnerships. Proven ability to plan and drive results, manage staff, and influence high level internal and external organisations.
Knowledge and experience in database management and analysis, including data collection and in particular operating the Salesforce CRM to improve systems and processes in support of the team, departmental and organisational goals.

Qualifications and/or relevant experience required
Mandatory:
Tertiary qualification or equivalent experience. Bachelor of Business/Commerce, Marketing, or Communications preferred.
Desirable:
Advanced experience in managing partner events.

When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria.
Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

Applications Close: 11:30pm AEST, Monday + June 2025. No Applications will be accepted by mail or email.
Please note interviews are expected to be conducted within two weeks of closing date.

Selection for this position will be made on the basis of relative merit which will be assessed against each item of the selection criteria. Applications that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered for shortlisting by the Selection Panel. As part of the selection process the Selection Panel may invite candidates to undertake online testing, skills-based assessment and provide samples of written work at interview.

This position is open to all eligible members of the community, and we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with a disability and people from every cultural and linguistic background. To be an eligible member of the community, you must be an Australian citizen. Applications may be accepted from Australian permanent residents who are in the process of acquiring Australian citizenship. All employees will be required to satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check and obtain and maintain a Working with Children Check registration.
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