Job Description

Job Title:               Partnership and Policy Manager (Maternity cover)

Salary:                   £42,000 – £50,000 a year

Location:               Hybrid – Employees work a mix of on-site and off-site

Fixed Term: Maternity cover for 12 months

Interview date:  Monday 19th October

Closing date:  8th October 2026

Purpose of role:

The Partnership and Policy Manager is responsible for leading the development, delivery, and operational leadership of partnership and policy activity, contributing insight and expertise to wider organisational strategy work across UK Coaching.

The Partnership and Policy Manager acts as the senior operational lead for designated sectors, set by the Head of Partnerships.

This role strengthens UK Coaching’s position as a coach sector leader by supporting colleagues to understand the respond to policy, enabling UK Coaching to better influence systems, collaborate with partners and grow income streams.

The individual will provide expert consultancy and guidance to partners organisations. They will support the team to achieve developmental, policy, and commercial goals, and drive the growth of high-quality partnerships across a diverse range of sectors.

The individual will maintain and expand a personal portfolio of key partners within the designated sectors and policy‑aligned landscape, agreed with the Head of Partnerships. Through this work, the individual will strengthen sector relationships, support system improvement, retain key customers, and expand UK Coaching’s reach and impact through policy aligned partnership work.

The postholder will manage and support team members to develop and manage a defined portfolio of partner relationships, that generate income, in line with agreed income targets and partnership objectives.  

This is a dual focused role: combining leadership of people and strategy with hands on expertise in partnership management, policy influence, and the development of effective systems that support coaches at all levels.

Responsibilities

Partnership Management & Income Delivery 

• Provides leadership for a defined portfolio of strategically significant partners, building trusted, long‑term relationships that deliver policy‑aligned impact, commercial income and/or funded outcomes.
• Acts as the senior point of contact for priority partners, leading high‑quality engagement, negotiation and issue resolution across complex and high‑value relationships.
• Develops deep insight into partner contexts, priorities and system challenges, using this intelligence to shape new projects, contracts, funded programmes and commercial opportunities.
• Leads the identification, development and progression of income‑generating opportunities, including proposals, bids and tenders, securing sales in line with agreed income targets and delegated authority.
• Ensure partnership activity and funded or commercial delivery is managed in line with contractual terms, funder requirements, organisational standards and risk appetite, escalating material commercial, contractual or delivery risks as required.

 Cross‑Organisational Delivery

• Work collaboratively with product, marketing, operations and policy colleagues to translate partner and policy insight into effective propositions, delivery models and high‑quality customer experiences.
• Support the mobilisation and successful delivery of funded and commercial programmes, providing senior oversight and problem‑solving across teams.
• Maintain robust oversight of partnership pipelines, performance and forecasting, ensuring accurate use of CRM systems, high‑quality reporting and disciplined commercial judgement.
• Ensure contracts and partnership documentation are accurate, appropriate and aligned with organisational frameworks and pricing structures.
• Represent UK Coaching credibly and professionally across the coaching, sport and physical activity system, contributing to sector forums, presentations and strategic conversations.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of sector developments, policy direction, competitor activity and emerging opportunities, embedding learning into partnership and organisational practice.

Policy Development & Influence

• Shapes and facilitates organisational thinking, providing policy insight & analysis, and aligns partnership work to national and sector priorities.
• Acts as the organisational lead for policy insight into the Partnership Team, ensuring learning is translated into partnership approaches, propositions and delivery models
• Represents the organisation externally within agreed strategic positioning and partnership priorities set by the Head of Partnerships and/or Head of Policy.
• Provides policy insight and intelligence to inform product development, partnership development and organisational strategy.
• Develops strong understanding of policy contexts affecting coaching, workforce development, and education systems.
• Monitoring sector trends, policy developments, competitor activity, and emerging opportunities.
• Represents UK Coaching in policy aligned forums and contributing to national conversations about coach learning and development.
• Ensures policy priorities are integrated into partnership and product work, aligning delivery with strategic direction and current and potential funded outcomes.
• Works across the organisation to share and embed policy intelligence into planning and decision making.

Team Management

• Holds delegated authority for day‑to‑day decision‑making, prioritisation and performance management for direct reports and designated partnership activity, escalating strategic or high‑risk issues as required
• Works with the Head of Partnerships to develop and implement sector and partner plans across the team.
• Use regular reporting, analysis and insight to present on progress and performance, suggesting adaptations to the plans as required to meet objectives.
• Leads good communication practices across the team to ensure individuals have clarity and focus.
• Understands required team competencies and capability against these. Develops individuals so they have the skills and behaviours required to be successful in role.
• Develops capability and capacity in the team, leading to fulfilling roles for individuals and manages single points of failure for the business.
• Promotes cross company working and positive and inspiring behaviours across the team
• Promotes and aligns own behaviours to UK Coaching company values
• Supports the development and standardisation of partnership and policy management processes.