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Commercial Partnership Business Development Lead
England Rugby
The Rugby Football Union is the national governing body for grassroots and elite rugby in England. Its purpose is to encourage rugby, and its values, to flourish across England.
Job Posted- 2 Sep 2026
Status- Full Time
Location- England
Closing date- 18 Sep 2026
The opportunity
England Rugby is one of the most recognisable sports properties in the country, with a commercial platform that connects the game with some of the world’s leading brands.
At the heart of that is the RFU’s Commercial Partnerships Programme, which generates more than £39m each year and includes relationships with brands such as O2, Allianz, Apple, British Airways and Guinness.
That revenue plays a wider role across the game. It is reinvested back into rugby, helping support the sport from grassroots through to the elite level and contributing to the RFU’s ambition to enrich lives through rugby.
This role will play a central part in the continued growth of that programme.
Reporting to the Commercial Partnership Director, the Commercial Partnership Business Development Lead will be responsible for identifying and securing new commercial partners, leading strategic renewals and helping shape the future of England Rugby’s commercial proposition.
This is an opportunity for an experienced partnership and business development professional to work with a high-profile rights holder, engage senior decision-makers across leading brands and help build the partnership portfolio of England Rugby.
What you’ll be doing
You will take ownership across the full partnership sales cycle, from identifying opportunities and building relationships through to developing propositions, negotiating commercial terms and closing significant agreements.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Driving new partnership revenue, developing and executing go-to-market strategies around England Rugby’s major commercial assets.
- Building relationships with senior brand decision-makers, creating opportunities through direct outreach, existing relationships, agencies and your wider industry network.
- Leading an external sales agency, fostering a one-team mentality while ensuring activity is focused on the strongest opportunities and aligned with England Rugby’s commercial strategy.
- Creating compelling commercial propositions, working across the RFU to understand available assets and build partnership opportunities around the needs of prospective brands.
- Evolving England Rugby’s commercial assets, identifying new opportunities and working across departments to develop propositions that reflect changes in the sponsorship and marketing landscape, and England Rugby’s wider strategy.
- Leading strategic partnership renewals, managing complex negotiations and creating competitive processes that maximise long-term commercial value.
- Using research and insight to drive business development, identifying sectors, brands and emerging business models with strong partnership potential.
- Developing evidence-based business cases, using audience data, market insight and research to demonstrate the value of partnering with England Rugby.
- Leading complex commercial negotiations, working closely with Legal and other internal stakeholders through to contract completion.
- Supporting and mentoring the Commercial Partnership Sales Executive, providing direction and helping create a high-performing business development environment.
- Contributing to wider commercial strategy, working with the Commercial Senior Leadership Team on projects that support England Rugby’s long-term commercial ambitions.
What we’re looking for
We are looking for someone with strong commercial instincts, experience of high-value sales and the ability to build trusted relationships with senior decision-makers.
You are likely to bring:
- Experience managing a commercial sales process, from prospecting and relationship development through to negotiation and closing.
- A track record of building relationships with senior stakeholders and developing new business opportunities.
- Experience creating compelling commercial propositions or partnership opportunities.
- Strong presentation and communication skills.
- The ability to work across different teams and stakeholders to bring commercial opportunities together.
- Confidence using insight, research and data to support sales conversations and business cases.
- Good commercial judgement and an understanding of how to manage a structured sales pipeline.
- An interest in sponsorship, sport, media, entertainment or a related commercial environment.
- Experience within a rights holder or sports organisation would be helpful, but it is not essential.
We are particularly interested in people who are commercially curious, comfortable creating opportunities and able to bring energy and structure to complex sales processes.
Why England Rugby?
This is an opportunity to join the commercial team behind one of the most established and recognisable properties in world sport.
You will work with a significant existing portfolio of global and UK brands while helping identify the organisations that could become England Rugby’s next major commercial partners.
The platform is significant. The relationships are senior. The assets span elite international rugby, major events, digital audiences, content, fan engagement and the wider reach of the game across England.
For someone who enjoys the combination of sales, strategy, creativity and relationship-building, this represents a rare opportunity to help shape the commercial future of a leading national sporting organisation.
How to Apply
Please click APPLY NOW to begin the application process.