Partner thus getting employment, collecting pence (6)
I believe the answer is:
spouse
'partner' is the definition.
('spouse' can be a synonym of 'partner')
'thus getting employment collecting pence' is the wordplay.
'thus' becomes 'so' ('so' can be a synonym of 'thus').
'getting' says to put letters next to each other.
'employment' becomes 'use' ('use' can be a synonym of 'employment'**).
'collecting' indicates putting letters inside.
'pence' becomes 'p'.
'so'+'use'='souse'
'souse' enclosing 'p' is 'SPOUSE'.
(Other definitions for spouse that I've seen before include "Consort" , "Elizabethan dance" , "Possibly wife" , "old lady?" , "Other half" .)