Partnerships Manager

Manchester based minimum 2 days a week. Travel required. Monday – Friday 40 hours per week.

At Operam Education Group, we bring together a portfolio of specialist, regional education recruitment brands each with deep local expertise and strong school relationships. Our recruitment teams work at the point where every staffing decision has a direct impact on students’ learning experiences in the classroom. Every unfilled role, every inconsistent supply teacher, every gap in SEND provision has a direct impact on what happens in the classroom, therefore delivering a high-quality service and consistent staffing is essential. For Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), those challenges are multiplied across a wider portfolio of schools.

This role is about making a difference to how we partner with clients. As a sales professional, you’ll build strong relationships with schools and MAT stakeholders by understanding the real impact of today’s challenges, from staffing shortages and budget constraints to rising SEND demand and positioning how Operam’s services can support at scale. You’ll act as a trusted advisor, connecting schools with the right mix of talent and solutions across Operam Education Group’s portfolio, helping them improve staffing consistency, manage costs, and maintain high standards in the classroom.

What you will be doing:

• You’ll represent the full capability of Operam bringing together multiple specialist brands to solve trust-wide challenges, while ensuring delivery lands where it matters: inside individual schools.
• Build trusted relationships with MAT leadership teams.
• Secure and grow Preferred Supplier Agreements (PSAs) across trusts.
• Lead consultative conversations to understand workforce challenges across multiple schools.
• Design solutions that improve staffing stability, cost efficiency, and quality.
• Drive adoption across schools to ensure partnerships translate into real classroom impact.
• Work with internal teams to deliver consistent, high-quality staffing outcomes.
• Run regular reviews with MATs, showing measurable improvements and identifying further opportunities.
• Lead renewals and expansions across your trust portfolio.
• Stay close to sector pressures; funding, recruitment trends, and rising SEND demand.

Who are we looking for?

• Ideally, you’ll come from recruitment, sales or similar in the Education sector.
• We’re open to a range of experience where you’ve demonstrated strong relationship-building, commercial thinking, and the ability to influence decision-makers in complex environments.
• Skilled at building relationships with senior leaders.
• Commercially sharp, but motivated by more than just revenue.
• Proactive and organised, able to manage long-term partnerships.
• Confident leading conversations, presentations, and negotiations.

Our Employee Benefits:

• Up to 34 days annual leave, plus bank holidays off.
• Enhanced sick pay from 2 years’ service.
• Life Assurance.
• Employee Assistant Programme.
• Birthday day off.
• Wellbeing day off.
• 3 Pledge days per year for volunteering.
• Reduced hours in school holidays.
• Eye care support.

We look forward to receiving your application, our Talent Team will be here to give you more information. As a proud member of Inclusive Employers, we are committed to creating a diverse, welcoming, and equitable workplace. We believe in providing a fair and transparent recruitment process, where every candidate is assessed solely on their skills, experience, and potential. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process or at any stage of the interview, please let us know. We are committed to making the necessary accommodations to support you fully. Please note that all successful candidates will be required to provide proof of their right to work in the UK before commencing employment.