STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP LEAD: COVENTRY in Lillington

ABOUT THE ROLE

Think Active is entering an exciting period of growth, collaboration and system leadership. Over the coming years, we aim to strengthen our influence and impact across Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire, particularly in tackling inequalities through the power of sport and physical activity. At the heart of our work is our vision: #WeThinkActive – Everyone in Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire to benefit from movement and enjoy sport and physical activity in safe and thriving communities. Our mission is to use the power and potential of sport and physical activity to enable future generations to have healthier and more prosperous lives.

This new role of Strategic Partnership Lead: Coventry has been created following successful investment through Sport England’s Place Expansion programme for Coventry. The role will provide strategic leadership for the implementation and coordination of the Sport England Place Expansion investment across Coventry, including supporting the development and implementation of the emerging Coventry Physical Activity Partnership. The role reflects the growing recognition that physical activity has an important role to play in improving health, reducing inequalities and strengthening communities across Coventry.

The postholder will be employed by Think Active but will work on behalf of the Coventry Physical Activity Partnership, bringing together partners from across sectors around a shared vision and agenda for change. Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, pre-employment checks, a DBS check and proof of the right to work in the UK.

BASE LOCATION & WORKING APPROACH

Think Active’s headquarters are at 1 Mill Street in Leamington Spa; however, this role will also be expected to work from a range of locations across Coventry, reflecting the partnership and place-based nature of the role. This role requires a strong commitment to system working, including engaging with partners and stakeholders where they are and at times that best support collaboration and impact. As such, there may be a requirement for occasional evening and weekend work. There will also be occasional travel regionally and nationally to support partnership working, learning, and organisational priorities.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

• Uphold the values, culture and customer charter of Think Active in your behaviour and your work.
• Reporting to the Development Director, the Strategic Partnership Lead: Coventry will act as a senior leader within Think Active, shaping our strategic role and leading the implementation of the Sport England Place Expansion investment across Coventry, ensuring strong partnership working, effective programme delivery and a collaborative, community-centred approach.
• The role will play a key part in ensuring physical activity is embedded within wider system priorities across Coventry, including health, wellbeing, inequalities, communities and place-based working.

Strategic Leadership and Place Development

• Lead and project manage the implementation of the Sport England Place Expansion investment across Coventry, ensuring delivery aligns with the Conditions of Award.
• Lead the development and implementation of the Place Expansion Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework for Coventry.
• Support the strategic development of the Coventry Physical Activity Partnership and contribute to shaping its long-term direction and priorities.
• Help position physical activity as part of the solution to wider social, health and community challenges within Coventry.
• Influence and align partners to adopt whole-system thinking and inclusive, community-centred approaches.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration, investment and impact across the Coventry system.
• Ensure the voices and experiences of communities help shape priorities, approaches and decision-making.

System Leadership

• Position physical activity and movement as a contributing solution within wider prevention, inequality, wellbeing and community agendas across Coventry.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partners and stakeholders across sectors, including:
• NHS organisations and health systems
• Local Authority teams
• Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations
• Community groups and residents
• Strategic and operational delivery partners
• Act as a trusted partner, facilitator and connector across Coventry’s system landscape.
• Convene and coordinate partners around shared agendas and priorities.
• Be adept at navigating barriers and challenges to partnership working when they arise.
• Represent Think Active and the Coventry Physical Activity Partnership within relevant boards, partnerships and working groups.
• Support organisations and communities to co-design sustainable solutions that embed physical activity within communities and services.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen long-term sustainability, investment and system ownership of Coventry’s Physical Activity Partnership.

Project Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Manage the Place Expansion budget and ensure effective oversight of investment and resources.
• Manage timelines, delivery plans, risks and reporting requirements.
• Ensure robust monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches are embedded throughout delivery.
• Contribute to capturing insight, learning and impact across the partnership and share this with stakeholders, including Sport England.
• Support the development of local capacity by mentoring and supporting organisations and partners.
• Ensure delivery remains aligned to community need, strategic priorities and organisational values.

Governance, Reporting and Contribution to Wider Organisational Priorities

• Prepare reports and updates for Think Active, partners, funders and governance groups as required.
• Ensure delivery aligns with organisational governance, funding requirements and reporting frameworks.
• Contribute to organisational learning and wider Think Active priorities.
• Work collaboratively across the Think Active team, avoiding siloed approaches to delivery and partnership working.
• Adhere to Think Active safeguarding, equality, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality policies.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role as directed by the line manager and/or Chief Executive.

PERSON SPECIFICATION: RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

A successful candidate for this role would be able to demonstrate the following skills, experience and knowledge:

Qualifications

• Essential Criteria: Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant professional experience in community development, public health, sport and physical activity, social policy, partnership working or related fields.
• Desirable Criteria: Project management, systems leadership or facilitation qualification.

Experience

• Essential Criteria: Significant experience of leading or coordinating complex partnership programmes, projects or strategic initiatives across multiple organisations and stakeholders.
• Experience of working within partnership, public sector, health, community or system leadership environments.
• Proven ability to build, influence and maintain effective relationships with senior stakeholders, partners and communities.
• Experience of convening organisations and stakeholders around shared priorities, outcomes or strategic agendas.
• Experience of leading or supporting place-based, systems change or collaborative approaches to tackling inequalities.
• Experience of managing complex programmes, interconnected priorities, budgets and delivery plans.
• Experience of monitoring progress, managing risk and reporting to partners, governance groups or funders.
• Experience of amplifying community voice and lived experience to shape strategic priorities, partnership approaches or service design.

Desirable Criteria: Experience of working within Active Partnerships, Sport England funded programmes or wider place-based investment programmes; experience of working within or alongside local government, NHS, VCFSE or community-led systems; experience of working within Coventry or similar urban communities experiencing inequalities; experience of supporting or facilitating co-production, community engagement or participatory approaches; experience of managing commissioned work, procurement processes or contract oversight; experience of line management, mentoring or workforce development; experience of developing or applying monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks; experience of securing investment, funding or partnership contributions.

Knowledge

• Essential Criteria: Strong understanding of the role physical activity, movement and sport can play in improving health, reducing inequalities and strengthening communities.
• Understanding of systems leadership, partnership working and collaborative approaches to change.
• Understanding of inequalities, barriers to participation and the wider social determinants that influence health and wellbeing.
• Understanding of community-centred approaches, co-production and asset-based ways of working.

Desirable Criteria: Knowledge of Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy and place-based investment approaches; knowledge of local policy, partnership or community landscapes across Coventry; knowledge of monitoring, evaluation, insight and learning approaches within community or systems-based programmes; awareness of current national policy relating to prevention, population health or place-based working.

Skills

• Essential Criteria: Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity.
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to bring people together around a shared purpose and create momentum for change.
• Strong programme and project management skills, including planning, coordination and oversight of multiple workstreams.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly with different audiences and sectors.
• Ability to analyse information, identify opportunities and translate insight into action and partnership development.
• Confident digital literacy skills, including use of Microsoft Office and collaborative working tools.

Desirable Criteria: Facilitation, workshop design or group process skills; presentation or public speaking experience; experience of developing reports, business cases or funding proposals.

ABOUT THINK ACTIVE

Think Active is a charity and the Active Partnership for Coventry, Solihull, and Warwickshire. We are one of 6 sub-regional Active Partnerships within the West Midlands and one of 42 across England. Active Partnerships are strategic organisations that recognise activity levels are affected by a complex system of influences, and no single organisation or programme can create sustainable change at scale. Understanding the unique attributes and challenges within Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire, we work collaboratively with our network of local partners to help create the right conditions for those facing the greatest inequalities to have access to movement, sport and physical activity, in a way that works for them.

BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR THINK ACTIVE

• Employer pension contribution of 6%, subject to scheme eligibility and terms.
• 27 days annual leave (FTE), plus bank holidays.
• Agile and flexible working, with a blended approach to home, office, and remote working.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and sick leave policies.
• Contribution to the cost of eye tests.
• Commitment to professional development and training.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Life Insurance cover.

We love difference and will be interested to find out what motivates you and how you can contribute to Think Active. We encourage diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are a Disability Confident committed employer, and we actively encourage applicants from all protected characteristics and commit to providing any reasonable adjustments required during the application and assessment process, and upon joining Think Active.