Palliative care for children aged 0–18 is delivered at Acorns’ hospices in Birmingham (serving Birmingham and Warwickshire), Worcester (serving Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire), and Walsall (serving the Black Country and parts of Staffordshire and Shropshire), as well as in family homes and other community settings. Acorns’ holistic, tailored approach is designed to meet each child’s clinical, emotional, cultural, religious, and spiritual needs.
Acorns’ Corporate Partnerships team is at a pivotal moment, with a growing income stream and a bold vision to hit £1M within two years. This brand-new role is a game-changing investment in new business. With a huge untapped market across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire, the potential for high-value corporate support is significant – and we’re looking for someone to help Acorns unlock it.
As Acorns’ first dedicated new business specialist, you’ll shape how they identify, approach, and secure high-value partnerships worth £40–50K+. You’ll be part of a supportive team and work closely with your line manager, the Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager – a detail-oriented and flexible leader who values autonomy, innovation, and progression.
If you thrive on making things happen, enjoy research and relationship-building, and want to make a big difference quickly, this is the role for you. We’re looking for a proactive, confident fundraiser with a strong conversion rate and the energy to lead Acorns’ new business push.
About the role
As Corporate Business Development Manager, you will:
- Build and manage a pipeline of strategic new business opportunities across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire, focused on Birmingham/Black Country
- Lead on pitching, negotiating, and securing high-value partnerships (typically £40–50K+)
- Deliver tailored proposals and presentations backed by strong insight and storytelling
- Proactively network and represent Acorns in business communities, identifying where and how to bring in senior stakeholders
- Collaborate with the wider Partnerships team to ensure seamless handovers and outstanding stewardship from day one
- Monitor conversion rates and provide accurate forecasting and reporting
- Secure sponsorship for flagship and third-party events and support stock generation partnerships with retail
About you
Ideal skills and experience:
- Proven success in securing significant new business income in a charity fundraising team
- Strong prospect research, networking, and pipeline management skills
- Confident and credible communicator, comfortable with C-suite stakeholders and public speaking
- Creative thinker with commercial awareness and a solutions-focused approach
- Driven, self-starting attitude with the ability to work autonomously toward targets
- Flexible, agile, and happy to attend events and meetings across a wide region (with Birmingham/Black Country as a key focus)
- Passionate about Acorns’ mission and excited to help shape the future of our corporate income
Employee benefits
Benefits include:
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (5 days holiday buyback scheme starting from April 2026)
- 7.5% employer pension contribution
- Life assurance scheme (2 x annual salary)
- Retail discounts (including the Blue Light card)
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted gym membership
- Access to expert financial health and wellbeing support