Who are we?

First Rail Stirling is a brand-new enterprise and start-up rail operator that will run an exciting long-haul train service crossing the entire country. The service will run from London to Stirling, reuniting Stirling with a direct service to the West Coast of England during the day.

We are transforming the way people think about train travel, empowering our team from different backgrounds to make it a great experience for our customers.  Together, we will revalue rail as a very special way to travel – relaxing, fast, efficient, and sustainable.

First Rail Stirling, operating under Lumo is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators in the UK and one of the largest bus operators in the UK. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

About the job

At Lumo, partnerships aren't transactional sponsorship deals. They're long-term, values-led collaborations designed to create measurable social, economic and environmental value while building authentic advocacy among the organisations we support.

Our award-winning approach has seen us champion start-ups, Pride organisations, grassroots charities, cultural institutions and regional innovators not just amplifying their voice but helping them achieve and succeed.

We are seeking a dynamic Partnerships Manager to lead and evolve Lumo's pioneering partnership strategy with a primary focus on the new West Coast route connecting Stirling with London. This is not a traditional sponsorship role and will require strong interpersonal skills with frequent travel.

You will be responsible for identifying, securing and managing partnerships that align with Lumo's purpose, strengthen our challenger brand positioning and create meaningful impact while cultivating genuine advocacy from our partners.

You will help ensure that organisations don't just work with Lumo they actively champion us as we champion them; often sharing our values on promoting sustainability, social value and the arts and culture.

There will be occasional business needs to support partnership activity with Hull Trains.

About you

The ideal candidate will have:

• Proven experience in partnership development, sponsorship or strategic collaborations
• Strong commercial instincts balanced with purpose-led thinking
• Experience building long-term stakeholder advocacy
• Confident negotiator and natural relationship builder
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving challenger environment
• Passion for sustainability, inclusion and social impact
• Strong analytical mindset with experience measuring ROI and social value
• Experience in transport, tourism, culture, sustainability or start-up ecosystems would be advantageous

Your main responsibilities will be:

Partnership Strategy

• Lead the development and delivery of Lumo's West Coast partnership strategy aligned to brand, sustainability and commercial objectives
• Identify and secure high-impact partnerships across social value, Pride, culture, arts, tourism, start-ups and environmental innovation
• Design creative partnership models that go beyond logo placement and deliver mutual growth
• Ensure partnerships contribute to local, regional and national economic development and destination promotion along Lumo's routes

Advocacy & Relationship Leadership

• Build deep, trust-based relationships that convert partners into long-term brand advocates
• Create partnership experiences that demonstrate Lumo's commitment to inclusion, sustainability and community impact
• Develop structured engagement plans to nurture advocacy and ambassador-style relationships
• Capture and amplify joint storytelling opportunities by working alongside colleagues

Positive Impact

• Establish measurable impact frameworks covering social, economic and environmental value
• Track and report on partnership outcomes including reach, engagement, advocacy and brand uplift
• Work cross-functionally to integrate partnerships into onboard experience, digital channels and community initiatives

Innovation & Activation

• Translate bold ideas into executable, measurable partnerships
• Collaborate with Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience teams to bring partnerships to life creatively
• Ensure activations are authentic, progressive and distinct to Lumo's values

 About the location

You must live within a 60 minute commute of our Preston office

The Reward

• Defined Contribution Pension Scheme – We will pay in a minimum of 10% (5% employee contribution and 5% employer contribution) to a maximum total contribution of 20%.
• Incentive Scheme/Bonus 
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Travel Offers – Free travel on Lumo services and travel offers for bus and rail tickets and Day Rover Rail tickets at a discounted price for friends and family (after 6 months of service).
• Shopping & Lifestyle Discounts
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Employee Share Plans (Save as you Earn and Buy as you Earn)
• Life Assurance Cover 4 x your annual salary
• Income Protection Scheme
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Access to a digital GP 24/7
• Tax Benefit Bike Scheme

We all belong at First Rail Stirling. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/