At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic partnerships to drive innovative infrastructure projects across the UK.
- Company: Join the National Wealth Fund, a leader in public-private investment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and unique learning opportunities.
- Other info: Make a lasting impact while collaborating with diverse teams.
- Why this job: Shape the future of local economies and clean energy transitions.
- Qualifications: Experience in infrastructure financing and strong relationship management skills.
The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.
Shape the Future with the National Wealth Fund. At the National Wealth Fund, our mission is to swiftly and effectively mobilise trusted sector insights and investment expertise to unlock billions in private finance for projects across the United Kingdom. Providing £27.8bn of capital and an expanded mandate, we are ready to help the market invest with confidence, continuing to drive forward the Government's growth ambitions.
We are looking for skilled and results-oriented individuals who are motivated to help us build the National Wealth Fund into an industry-leading institution. As part of the Fund’s mission to support clean energy transition and drive local and regional economic growth, the Regional Project Accelerator (RPA) function plays a key role in enabling technically complex and innovative infrastructure investments.
Following HMT’s January 2025 announcement, NWF has established Strategic Partnerships with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, West Midlands Combined Authority, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Glasgow City Region, with scope for potential future expansion to other MCAs and city regions. Local authorities have high ambitions and broad remits to manage and regenerate local infrastructure. The RPA function helps to unlock potential and increase shared learning across authorities in the UK and is working increasingly in partnership with Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), city regions and local leaders to support the development of their local growth plans and investment pipelines.
The Director - Strategic Partnership role is a senior, client-facing, leadership position, providing central capacity across NWF’s full Strategic Partnership portfolio. The Director will support activity across all regions, providing additional senior relationships, delivery and financing expertise, where required. They will also build broader relationships with MSAs and City Regions to identify potential future Strategic Partnerships as NWF’s portfolio evolves.
The Director will bring together excellent relationship management skills, delivery knowledge and financing excellence to enable local government to enter into successful commercial and financial arrangements with delivery partners and to bridge financing gaps in sustainable ways. The role will work across our advisory and lending services, supporting the deployment of NWF’s capital and collaborating with sector and investment teams, both within NWF and within Strategic Partnerships and MCAs. RPA sector areas of focus include transport, place-based regeneration, corporate real estate and clean energy, with scope to expand as NWF’s remit evolves.
This role will be based at NWF’s headquarters in Leeds, and will operate across the full Strategic Partnership portfolio, flexing across regions in response to delivery priorities, capacity needs and emerging opportunities. The role will also support relationship-building with MCAs and city regions beyond the current Strategic Partnerships, helping to shape NWF’s future partnership pipeline.
Location: Hybrid working with a minimum of 3 days per week in the Leeds office
Deadline to Apply: 2nd December 2026. Early submission is encouraged, and applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Core Responsibilities:
- Represent the Fund - Cement the Fund’s reputation as a centre of excellence in local authority project financing. Act as the Director coordinating the Strategic Partnership portfolio of support and an ambassador for NWF by participating in industry events and conferences, using these opportunities to influence the broader infrastructure agenda, and successfully showcase NWF’s mission and purpose.
- Build relationships across the Strategic Partnership portfolio wider MCA / city region ecosystem. Proactively network and engage with both internal and external senior stakeholders, to include investors, developers, banks and leading industry experts to create future commercial opportunities to enhance NWF’s reputation in the market.
- Strategically solve complex problems, draw on own expertise and identify solutions efficiently. Ensure authorities receive expert advice enabling them to best identify and facilitate the most commercially sustainable and appropriate outcomes effectively that align to the Fund’s principles.
- Provide flexible senior delivery capacity across the Strategic Partnership portfolio, working alongside regionally aligned Directors and drawing in expertise from across the RPA function and wider NWF team (e.g. with financing or sector knowledge).
- Support in shaping the Fund’s LA regional role, helping to attract and retain high performing talent and expertise within project and infrastructure finance and delivery, and establish NWF as a market leader in the provision of trusted advice to authorities on project investment and delivery.
- Advise across the current and prospective Strategic Partnerships, using industry experience to support commercial and financial negotiations, identify risks and opportunities, and help MCAs and city regions progress investable propositions.
- Interface in an open, constructive, and collaborative manner with senior colleagues across NWF to share expert knowledge and experience, draft sector strategies and to fulfil the strategic mission of the Fund.
Knowledge Skills & Experience:
- Significant experience in financing or delivering infrastructure projects and investments, with a focus on public sector infrastructure.
- Substantial experience of partnership working and managing advisory engagements and ideally formal lending processes; including negotiation, due diligence and review of contracts, and assessment of programme/project risks.
- Extensive experience of working with both government finance, public sector accounting, devolved governance and institutional investors.
- Must be commercially astute with demonstrable evidence of excellent negotiation skills from involvement in complex transactions.
- Be a highly skilled communicator ensuring positive representation of NWF within public sector forums.
- Collaborative team player with a commitment to NWF’s mission and contributing to the positive culture of the organisation.
A career with us offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact and work on cutting-edge technologies that will drive the UK’s future. We value diversity in our people and inclusion is at the heart of what we do. We offer competitive benefits and unique learning opportunities from combining both private and public sector skills and experience. Please note, referencing and background checks are carried out for all roles here at the National Wealth Fund.
Director - Strategic Partnership in Leeds employer: UK National Wealth Fund
At the National Wealth Fund, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through unique learning opportunities that blend private and public sector expertise, empowering you to make a meaningful impact on the UK's future. With competitive benefits and a focus on driving national security and clean energy initiatives, joining our team means contributing to a mission that truly matters.
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