Partnerships and Programme Development Manager

The Partnerships and Programme Development Manager will support the development of WorldSkills UK's income and partnership activity by turning programmes and ideas into clear, compelling funding opportunities. The role works across teams to develop proposals, manage partnerships, and support reporting and planning processes that contribute to long-term financial sustainability.

The postholder will play a key role in strengthening how partnership activity is planned, communicated and delivered, building strong relationships with funders and partners while improving internal systems and processes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing the delivery of partnerships and events, ensuring activity is well planned, delivered on time and within budget
• Supporting the management of key strategic partner relationships and coordinating internal and external stakeholders
• Ensuring partnership activity aligns with organisational priorities and equity, diversity and inclusion commitments
• Developing funding opportunities from programmes and organisational activity
• Producing high-quality proposals, presentations and funding applications for trusts, foundations and corporate partners
• Contributing to the development of partnership agreements and supporting documentation
• Monitoring and reporting on income and fundraising plans, tracking progress against objectives and providing analysis
• Supporting income forecasting and financial tracking in collaboration with Finance and colleagues across the organisation
• Contributing to the development and reporting of project plans and performance measures
• Using and improving CRM systems (HubSpot) to manage relationships and track opportunities
• Maintaining accurate records, documentation and reporting systems
• Identifying opportunities to improve processes and ways of working across the team
• Undertaking research to identify potential partners, funding opportunities and sector trends
• Supporting the development of a strong and diverse pipeline of prospective partners

The role will also contribute to wider organisational activity, including risk and issue management, procurement processes, and delivery of strategic priorities and the annual business plan. The postholder will be expected to demonstrate WorldSkills UK's values, contribute to a collaborative and inclusive culture, and ensure compliance with organisational policies.

How to apply

Please submit your application by email via the button below.

Applications must include:

• A curriculum vitae outlining your full career history (please remove identifying information such as name and contact details to support anonymised recruitment)
• A supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role, addressing the job description and person specification
• A separate document including your name, contact details and confirmation of your right to work in the UK As part of the process, candidates will also be invited to complete an equity, diversity and inclusion monitoring questionnaire.

Recruitment process and timeline

Application deadline: 7 May 2026 at 17:00. Stage 1 interviews (online via MS Teams): 20 May 2026. Stage 2 interviews (in person, London): 28 May 2026.

Candidates invited to the second stage will be asked to complete a practical task in advance. Reasonable adjustments will be offered throughout the recruitment process.