Events & Partnerships Manager

About Us

At Exchange for Change, we are building something the UK has never had before. Working across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, we are designing and delivering a Deposit Return Scheme from the ground up, creating a system that helps reduce litter and waste by encouraging people to return their empty drinks bottles and cans for recycling.

At Exchange for Change, we are building something the UK has never had before. Working across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, we are designing and delivering a Deposit Return Scheme from the ground up, creating a system that helps reduce litter and waste by encouraging people to return their empty drinks bottles and cans for recycling.

Exchange for Change is seeking an experienced Events & Partnerships Manager to lead the planning, delivery and evaluation of our events, activations and partnership programme as we prepare for the launch of the UK Deposit Return Scheme in October 2027 and support its ongoing success thereafter.

This role will be responsible for delivering a diverse portfolio of events and grassroots activations, from pilot programmes and stakeholder engagement events through to large-scale consumer-facing experiences. The successful candidate will also identify, develop and manage strategic partnerships that help drive awareness, engagement and participation in the scheme.

Working closely with internal teams, agencies and external partners, the Events & Partnerships Manager will ensure every activation, event and partnership supports our wider business objectives and contributes to long-term behaviour change across the UK.

This is a unique opportunity to shape and deliver the events and partnership strategy for one of the UK's most significant environmental programmes. Beyond launch, the role will play a critical part in sustaining public engagement, building advocacy, driving participation and helping to embed the Deposit Return Scheme as an everyday habit for millions of people across the country.

• Lead the end-to-end planning and delivery of all Exchange for Change events.
• Manage pilot activations, stakeholder events and future consumer-facing experiences.
• Develop detailed event plans, timelines and delivery schedules.
• Coordinate venues, suppliers, agencies and event partners.
• Manage on-site event delivery and troubleshooting.
• Ensure all events are delivered safely, professionally and within budget.
• Support the planning and execution of regional and grassroots activations designed to engage local communities and encourage participation in recycling and the Deposit Return Scheme.

• Identify, develop and manage strategic partnerships that support Exchange for Change objectives.
• Build relationships with community organisations, local authorities, retailers, sporting organisations, charities, educational institutions and event organisers.
• Develop opportunities for Exchange for Change to participate in third-party events, festivals, exhibitions and community initiatives.
• Create partnership activation plans that extend the reach and impact of the Exchange for Change brand.
• Support grassroots engagement activity and local activation programmes that help drive awareness, understanding and behaviour change.
• Manage partnership agreements, deliverables and ongoing stakeholder relationships.

• Develop and maintain the Exchange for Change events and activations roadmap.
• Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships and event collaborations.
• Recommend sponsorship, exhibition and speaking opportunities that align with business objectives.
• Build strong relationships with industry bodies, event organisers and key stakeholders.
• Support the development of future consumer engagement events as the scheme approaches launch.

• Manage event and activation budgets and expenditure.
• Support procurement processes and supplier selection.
• Negotiate contracts and manage supplier performance.
• Track and report on event costs and return on investment.

• Work closely with colleagues across marketing, communications, operations and legal teams.
• Coordinate agency partners and external suppliers.
• Manage relationships with speakers, exhibitors, community partners and event stakeholders.
• Act as a key point of contact for event and partnership-related enquiries.

• Measure event, activation and partnership performance…