Partnerships Manager

Location: Hybrid – with frequent travel to our schools in Liverpool, Ormskirk and Sandbach

Salary: £40,000 + up to £10,000 performance related annual bonus

We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education and care. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things. We are looking for someone who can passionately represent Witherslack Group’s visions, aims and objectives and can build strong, long lasting relationships with internal and external stakeholders throughout our schools.

For children with complex needs, the level of care and education we provide must go above and beyond. That’s what drives us here at Witherslack Group. With our high staff-to-child ratio and in-house clinical teams, we’re proud to have a reputation for excellence and market leading OFSTED ratings. Our Partnerships’ team aims to reach and impact more people than ever before with what we can offer young people.

We are looking for someone who can nurture and develop close links with all of the key personnel within local authority SEN and commissioning teams, in addition to all of the wider group of professionals associated with the education of children with special educational needs.

As a Partnerships Manager, you will have end-to-end responsibility for the enquiry and referral process, ensuring parents, carers, and professionals receive an unrivalled experience at every touchpoint with Witherslack Group. You will be supported by administrative and technical teams within our commercial/partnerships team and across the wider organisation.

With previous experience in a similar field, you will use your skills to actively seek out development opportunities to gain a deep understanding of local authority needs and the local market. This role requires close partnership working across the schools, homes and local authority by support, liaison and negotiation so experience of relationship management is a must.

For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the care sector. With us, you’ll get to make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

• Base salary of £40,000
• Ongoing professional development.
• 7 weeks’ holiday (including bank holidays)
• Flexible benefits package: meaning you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance
• A host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities
• A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time

Here at Witherslack Group, we celebrate everyone’s differences as that’s what makes us the best at what we do. Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. We’ll give you the chance to build an exciting career in a fast-growing organisation, where you’re free to achieve your potential.

Here’s what we need from you:

• A passion for the education and care of children and young people with SEN
• A people person—empathetic, caring, and able to translate Witherslack Group’s vision into real impact
• An understanding of local authority commissioning (or experience in business development, account management, commissioning, SEN Casework, referral management, or a similar role with transferable skills)
• Knowledge of the local authority environment and how to navigate it to achieve objectives
• Excellent relationship-building and networking skills
• Tenacity and drive to seek new opportunities and exceed targets
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost). We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.