At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic partnerships and drive growth in children's social care and education.
- Company: Join a leading organisation making a difference in children's lives.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and significant external influence.
- Other info: High-profile role with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of children's services and build impactful relationships.
- Qualifications: Experience in business development and strong knowledge of children's social care or education.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 70000 £ per year.
Diamond Search Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a leading organisation operating across children’s social care and education in the appointment of a Head of Partnerships. This is a high-profile, strategic role for an experienced business development, partnerships or commercial professional who can identify new opportunities, build influential senior-level relationships and create new routes to sustainable growth.
The successful candidate will be responsible for opening doors, developing strategic relationships, identifying emerging markets and helping shape the organisation’s future growth strategy. You will operate as a senior ambassador externally, developing relationships with Local Authorities, senior commissioners, Mayors, Combined Authorities, education leaders, charities, health partners, families and other key stakeholders.
Working closely with the Commercial Director and Head of Business Development, you will help turn strategic relationships and market intelligence into tangible commercial opportunities.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Growth & Market Development
- Identify and develop strategic growth opportunities across children’s social care and education.
- Identify emerging markets, services, commissioning models and revenue opportunities.
- Monitor changes across social care, education, health and wider public services and translate these into potential growth opportunities.
- Identify opportunities arising from government policy, funding changes, legislation and regional commissioning developments.
- Develop strategies for entering new geographical markets.
- Identify opportunities before they develop into conventional placement or commissioning activity.
- Develop innovative propositions and new routes to market.
- Strategic Partnerships
- Build and maintain long-term strategic partnerships with Local Authorities, schools, colleges, charities, parent groups, forums and other relevant organisations.
- Identify organisations and stakeholders where strategic relationships could create mutual value.
- Develop partnership models that support sustainable growth and positive outcomes for children, young people and families.
- Build relationships beyond traditional commissioning contacts to understand wider local and regional priorities.
- Explore collaborative working, strategic alliances, joint ventures and innovative service delivery models.
- Ensure partnerships align with strategic, commercial and organisational objectives.
- Senior External Relationships
- Develop high-level relationships with Local Authority senior leaders and Directors.
- Engage with senior commissioners and decision-makers.
- Build relationships with Mayors and Combined Authorities.
- Connect with regional and emerging commissioning bodies.
- Establish ties with education leaders, schools, colleges and education providers.
- Collaborate with charities and voluntary sector organisations.
- Engage with advocacy and community organisations.
- Involve parents and families where appropriate.
- Act as a senior relationship owner and ambassador, representing the organisation at strategic meetings, conferences, forums, events and partnership discussions.
- New Business Development
- Lead new business development at a strategic level.
- Identify where the organisation should grow, why it should grow and who it should partner with.
- Generate opportunities through strategic relationships rather than relying solely on existing demand.
- Identify new services, geographical markets and customer groups.
- Develop and manage a strategic pipeline of growth opportunities.
- Work alongside the Head of Business Development to progress opportunities.
- Contribute to business cases, proposals and commercial propositions.
- Assess opportunities against strategic fit, commercial potential, risk and organisational capacity.
- Policy & Commissioning Intelligence
- Maintain a strong understanding of government policy and developments affecting children's social care and education.
- Monitor legislation, funding, commissioning structures and regional strategies.
- Identify opportunities before they become established markets.
- Develop relationships with emerging commissioning structures and regional bodies.
- Provide market intelligence and strategic insight to the senior leadership team.
- Use external intelligence to influence business development and organisational strategy.
- Commercial Development
- Work closely with the Commercial Director and Head of Business Development to convert relationships into commercial opportunities.
- Support the development of commercially viable partnership propositions.
- Contribute to pricing, proposition development and wider commercial strategy where appropriate.
- Develop sustainable, long-term revenue opportunities rather than purely transactional growth.
- Support negotiations and strategic commercial discussions with key partners.
- External Profile & Reputation
- Increase the organisation’s profile and influence across children’s social care and education.
- Position the organisation as a credible, innovative and trusted strategic partner.
- Develop relationships with influential stakeholders and sector leaders.
- Attend and contribute to conferences, sector events, forums and networks.
- Identify opportunities to contribute to consultations, sector discussions and strategic initiatives.
- Act as a strong and professional ambassador for the organisation.
About You
We are looking for a commercially minded and highly credible senior professional with a strong understanding of children’s social care and/or education. You will be confident operating at senior level and comfortable engaging with senior decision-makers across the public, education, voluntary and wider stakeholder landscape.
Essential Experience
- Significant experience in business development, partnerships, strategic relationships or commercial growth.
- Strong knowledge of children's social care and/or education.
- Proven track record of developing relationships with senior stakeholders.
- Experience working with Local Authorities and/or public sector organisations.
- Strong understanding of commissioning and public sector decision-making.
- Demonstrable success identifying and developing new business opportunities.
- Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills.
- Strong commercial awareness.
- Ability to build and maintain a substantial external network.
- Ability to think strategically while delivering measurable commercial outcomes.
- Highly credible, confident and professional in external environments.
Desirable Experience
- Experience working with Mayors, Combined Authorities or regional commissioning structures.
- Experience across multiple areas of children's social care.
- Background spanning education, health or the voluntary/community sector.
- Experience developing innovative partnerships or new service models.
- Experience operating within changing regulatory, policy or commissioning environments.
- An established senior-level network across children's social care and/or education.
What Success Looks Like
In this role, you will be expected to:
- Create new strategic routes to market.
- Build a strong and influential external network.
- Identify and unlock new markets and growth opportunities.
- Develop sustainable strategic partnerships.
- Increase organisational visibility and influence.
- Build relationships with senior decision-makers and emerging commissioning structures.
- Develop a strong pipeline of strategic opportunities.
- Convert relationships into tangible commercial outcomes.
- Anticipate market changes and identify opportunities ahead of competitors.
- Make a significant contribution to the organisation’s long-term growth strategy.
Package & Benefits
Salary: up to £70,000 per annum. Hybrid working. Office-based working combined with extensive travel. Senior strategic position with significant external influence. Opportunity to shape future growth and market development. High-profile role working closely with senior leadership.
How to Apply
If you are an experienced Head of Partnerships, Business Development Director, Partnerships Director, Commercial Manager or senior strategic growth professional with a strong understanding of children's social care and/or education, we would be keen to hear from you. Apply today through Diamond Search Recruitment for a confidential discussion about this exciting opportunity.
Head of Partnerships employer: Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd
Join a dynamic and rapidly growing business in Wrotham, Kent, where your contributions as a Business Development Manager will be valued and impactful. With a supportive work culture that encourages innovation and personal growth, you'll have the chance to thrive in a collaborative environment while enjoying competitive compensation and uncapped commission opportunities. This is not just a job; it's a chance to be part of a success story and shape the future of the company.
Contact Details:
Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Partnerships
✨Get Involved Locally
Dive into local volunteer opportunities or social initiatives. This not only beefs up your CV but also connects you with like-minded folks in nonprofits. Plus, it shows your passion for social impact, which is key for getting noticed by Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd.
✨Tap into Professional Networks
Join networks like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) or local charities to meet professionals in the sector. Attend events and workshops to build relationships and learn about potential openings at organisations like Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd.
✨Showcase Your Commitment
When prepping for interviews, be ready to speak about your personal connection to social issues. Dive into specific examples of how you’ve contributed to community projects – this will resonate with the mission-driven vibe at Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd.
✨Utilise Online Platforms
We’re all about making connections, so use platforms like Idealist and CharityJob to hunt for full-time roles. And of course, you should keep an eye on our website for exciting opportunities at Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd. Apply directly through us to stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Partnerships
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, be sure to include any relevant projects or roles that showcase your skills in social impact. Whether it's community organising, fundraising, or advocacy, highlight what you've done and the difference it's made. Don’t just list tasks; quantify your achievements and the outcomes of your efforts.
Tailor Your Documents to the Role:For a full-time role like Head of Partnerships, ensure your CV and cover letter specifically address the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Use their language to describe your skills and experience, making it easy for the hiring team to see how you fit into their vision.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration:Nonprofits thrive on teamwork, so make sure to emphasise your collaborative experiences. Whether you've worked in a team setting, partnered with community organisations, or facilitated group projects, highlight these experiences in your application. Show them you understand the importance of working alongside diverse individuals to achieve shared goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Diamond Search Recruitment Ltd. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Familiarity with Relevant Tools and Practices
Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that evaluate our problem-solving skills in real-world social issues. Think about how we’d handle challenges in the nonprofit environment and prepare stories that demonstrate our critical thinking and adaptability. Role-playing with a friend could help us feel more confident!
