Skills Relationship and Contract Manager
Location: The Lumen, St James' Boulevard, Newcastle upon Tyne, various ‘spoke’ offices throughout the North East and remote working arrangements.
Salary: N8 £40,777 - £45,091 per annum. (Please note it is North East MSA policy to appoint at the starting point of the salary band).
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Reporting to: Skills Delivery Lead
Closing Date: 12th June 2026 at 23:59
Join us as a Skills Relationship and Contract Manager and play a pivotal role in shaping high-quality skills provision across the North East.
In this influential role, you will drive the successful delivery of key programmes that support the Integrated Settlement and Local Growth Plan, ensuring they achieve real impact for communities and employers. By combining strong contract management with a focus on performance, quality and outcomes, you’ll help ensure our skills investment delivers lasting value and responds to regional priorities.
You will work at the heart of a dynamic partnership landscape, building and sustaining effective relationships with training providers and stakeholders to secure the best possible provision. Leading performance and planning discussions, you’ll challenge and support partners to deliver against ambitious targets, while interpreting complex data to monitor progress, identify risks and drive continuous improvement. Your ability to connect insight with action will be key in ensuring programmes remain on track, within budget and aligned to strategic objectives.
Alongside this, you’ll contribute to shaping future skills delivery, supporting commissioning and procurement activity, informing service planning and advising on policy developments. There will be collaboration across teams, championing equality, diversity and inclusion, and helping to embed a culture of excellence and accountability. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives on building relationships, influencing outcomes and making a tangible difference to skills and growth in the region.
We are proud to be an inclusive employer, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, communities and experiences. We support flexible working and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented including women, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
If you are a proactive relationship builder with strong contract management expertise, analytical insight and a passion for driving quality and impact in skills delivery, we would love to hear from you.
If you would like an informal discussion, or further information about this role please contact Michael Humes, Skills Delivery Lead michael.humes@northeast-ca.gov.uk
It is anticipated that interviews will take place on Friday 3rd July 2026.
For further information about the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority please visit our website www.northeast-ca.gov.uk.
Contact Details:
North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA) Recruitment Team
