Admissions & Referrals Partnerships Manager | AP Trust in Accrington

Connect Vulnerable Learners with the Right Provision Across Lancashire

Are you an energetic, outgoing relationship builder who thrives on commercial outreach, community networking, and making a meaningful social impact? Our multi-site Alternative Provision (AP) Trust operates specialised, trauma-informed learning hubs across East Lancashire and the Ribble Valley. We are looking for an ambitious, highly communicative Sales, Partnerships & Referrals Manager to spearhead our pupil admissions pipeline and expand our commissioner network. In this outward-facing role, you will be the driving force connecting our provision with secondary headteachers, multi-academy trust (MAT) leaders, SENCOs, and local authority inclusion teams across Lancashire.

Why Take on This Role?

• Mission with Purpose: Every referral and partnership you secure ensures a young person who has disengaged from mainstream education finds a place where they can thrive.
• Competitive Package: Up to £35,000 basic salary with business travel expenses covered across local sites.
• Autonomous & Dynamic: Split your week between partner secondary schools, local authority forums, and our vibrant campuses in Accrington and Clitheroe.
• No Cold Calling Script Mills: We build genuine, relational partnerships grounded in education, trust, and exceptional learner outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Sales & Commissioning Growth: Proactively engage with regional secondary schools, MAT CEOs, and Lancashire County Council inclusion teams to promote our specialist AP placements.
• Attend education forums, headteacher briefings, and local SEND network events to position our trust as the provider of choice.
• Pitch tailored commissioning packages (full-time placements, dual-registration, respite, and vocational pathways) to school leaders.
• Referrals & Pipeline Management: Manage the end-to-end pupil referral journey from initial commissioner enquiry to formal enrollment.
• Review inbound referral packs, ensuring EHCP paperwork, risk assessments, and pupil history align with our provision's capacity.
• Liaise with parents, carers, and SENCOs to coordinate induction visits and ease transitions into our school settings.
• Stakeholder Communication & Reporting: Maintain up-to-date tracking of placement occupancy, projected referral pipelines, and local authority service-level agreements (SLAs).
• Deliver clear reporting to trust executive leadership on commission targets and regional capacity.

Who We Are Looking For

• The Mindset: Outgoing, charismatic, resilient, and confident walking into school boardrooms or networking with senior local authority officers.
• Commercial & Relational Acumen: Demonstrable background in business development, education recruitment, student admissions, healthcare/social care commissioning, or partnership sales.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional presentation, negotiation, and written communication skills; able to strike the balance between commercial drive and child-centred empathy.
• Sector Familiarity: Understanding of Alternative Provision (AP), Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), SEND/EHCP frameworks, or school funding mechanisms is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Mobility: Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle to visit schools and sites across Accrington, Clitheroe, Burnley, and the wider Ribble Valley.
• Safeguarding: Enhanced Child & Adult Workforce DBS on the Update Service (or willing to complete one).

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