Junior Corporate Partnership Officer

CONTEXT

Every day 10 million kg of plastics end up in nature. Plastics do not decompose and stay around forever, causing harm to people, animals and the environment. Our vision is to create a world in which rivers are free of plastics. 

OUR STORY

River Cleanup started in 2017 with a 10-minute cleanup and was founded in Antwerp in 2019 as a nonprofit organization. Since 2019, we have activated over 400.000 volunteers via more than 8.000 events in 102 countries, removed 4.2 million kilograms of river waste from nature and developed the Clean River Model as an open-source theory of change for plastic-free rivers. Through strategic and early interventions in the plastic lifecycle, we turn off the tap on new plastic pollution and permanently remove legacy waste on land and in rivers. The Clean River Model consists of 3 pillars (Empower people, Prevent pollution and Accelerate change) and 3 enablers (Assessment, Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation). Together, they encompass the entire lifecycle of river plastics. We are validating the Clean River Model in three action zones globally by the end of 2026 and have the ambition to scale-up the implementation to 100 rivers by 2030, 1000 by 2050. 

YOUR ROLE

As our Junior Corporate Partnership Officer, you are the operational backbone of our Corporate Partnerships team. You ensure that partnerships are professionally administered, accurately tracked and smoothly delivered, from CRM and reporting to proposals, partner commitments, internal coordination and follow-up. You work closely with and report to the Business Development Manager, enabling them to focus on business development, relationship building and revenue growth. Corporate partnerships are our main source of revenue. We aim to grow the number of corporate partnerships and expand our existing partnerships. Everything we do in our fundraising aims to provide our partners with the best possible experience at every interaction. As River Cleanup, we are well positioned to provide added value for our corporate partners in relation to a wide variety of corporate goals, ranging from CSR, ESG, sales, marketing, PR, brand, people, HR, and innovation. 

With a direct report to the Business Development Manager, your tasks & responsibilities include:

• Coordinate the day-to-day administration of corporate partnerships and incoming requests. As you grow into the role, you may gradually take ownership of the day-to-day coordination of a selected portfolio of partnerships, under the guidance of the Business Development Manager.
• Prepare and participate in selected partner calls, presentations and team cleanups, coordinating practical follow-up and ensuring actions and commitments are captured.
• Support the preparation of partnership proposals, presentations, meeting materials and account plans, including research, data and follow-up.
• Act as the central operational point of coordination for corporate partnerships, working closely with colleagues in communications, operations and programmes to ensure partner activities and commitments are delivered smoothly and on time.
• Own and continuously improve partnership templates, workflows, documentation, CRM processes and reporting tools.
• Support implementation of the corporate fundraising strategy through reliable processes, reporting, research and commercial support.
• Act as the day-to-day Salesforce (CRM) super-user for Corporate Partnerships: maintain accurate account, contact, opportunity and partner-commitment data; monitor data quality; and produce pipeline, revenue, renewal and forecasting reports.

Requirements

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO THRIVE IN THIS ROLE

• An entrepreneurial spirit with at least 2 years of professional experience. 
• (Internship) experience in partnerships, sales operations, fundraising operations, CRM, project coordination, administration, sustainability or a similar role.
• Experience in cultivating and building relationships with companies and global brands is an asset.
• Structured, hands-on approach with excellent attention to detail and the ability to keep multiple workstreams moving. 
• Strong communication, coordination and stakeholder-management skills, combined with a service-oriented mindset.
• Fluent written and spoken Dutch and English. Other languages, especially French, are an asset.
• The proven ability to work independently and demonstrated problem-solving skills.
• The embodiment of our values: positive, inclusive, expert, responsible, impact-driven.
• A high degree of flexibility and the ability to work in a fast-paced scale-up environment.
• A valid driving licence and the ability to travel in Belgium when required.

EXPECTATIONS 

• Accurate and up-to-date CRM data and partnership documentation.
• Timely follow-up and delivery of corporate partner commitments.
• Reliable pipeline, revenue, renewal and forecasting reporting.
• Smooth internal coordination of corporate partnership activities.
• Efficient and continuously improving partnership tools, templates and processes.
• High-quality operational support contributing to a strong partner experience.

Benefits

WHAT WE OFFER

• The opportunity to have an impact at the forefront of making rivers plastic-free.
• The opportunity to learn, grow and advance in corporate partnerships and commercial operations at an ambitious Belgian nonprofit with global partners.
• Being part of a growing, dynamic and fun team.
• The opportunity to use River Cleanup electric vehicles for work-related travel.
• A non-profit competitive benefits package incl. 20+6 paid vacation days.
• Free lunch on Tuesdays!

DETAILS

• We offer up to two remote working days per week. Tuesday and Thursday are mandatory in-office days, while the remaining working days can be agreed upon with your manager in line with team and business needs.
• To help you settle in and connect with the team, we ask new starters to be on-site as much as possible during the first 6 months before transitioning to the standard arrangement.
• This position is a full-time position (39 hrs / five days). 
• Starting date: asap

HOW TO APPLY

At River Cleanup, we believe in the power of diversity and welcome candidates from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We encourage everyone to apply, regardless of age, gender, origin, or physical abilities. 

Upload your CV and motivation letter via the link below.

Together for clean rivers!