Partnership Manager (Connect to Work)

Job Introduction

Have you worked in the employment support sector and are passionate about promoting, challenging, and advocating while building strong partnerships? Are you driven to enhance strategic integration between services to create positive outcomes for residents? Do you thrive on developing partnerships that transform lives?

If so, the Partnership Manager (Connect to Work) role could be the perfect opportunity for you. Come and be part of our mission to help people secure good jobs, support the growth of thriving businesses, and build a prosperous region together.

This is a fixed-term position, running until 31 March 2028, with the possibility of extension until 31 March 2030, subject to funding.

About the role

As Partnership Manger, you will drive forward the strategic integration of health, training and employment into the Greater Lincolnshire Connect to Work programme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.

You'll work across the entire Council, NHS bodies and other partner agencies.  

Expect to engage with and influence private, voluntary, and community sector organisations, that can impact on worklessness and the attitudes and behaviour both of professionals and the population generally.

Acting as a change agent you'll enable delivery of relevant outcome indicators from the council’s Corporate Plan and contribute to governmental employment and health related outcomes. As Partnership Manager you will be expected to work externally across organisations, able to influence budgets held by those organisations as well as advocate for change. You will also have substantial strategic responsibilities across the council and other agencies.

Hybrid working is a feature of this role. The successful applicant will be required to attend the office alongside the wider Economic Development team based in Lincoln one or two days a week, with the additional expectation that at least once a month will be spent in our Sleaford Office, liaising with the Council’s Employment & Skills Development Service team. 

An element of travelling will be required across the whole of Greater Lincolnshire to attend partnership meetings, so you will need a valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle.

About you 

Individually, you will actively contribute to the Council’s ambition to improve lives and raise the aspirations of adults across Greater Lincolnshire. You will be a strategic thinker with proven leadership skills with the ability to influence senior leaders in stakeholder organisations and demonstrable experience of working with a range of partners to tackle worklessness.

Ideally you will have:

• Experience of delivering successful change management programmes across organisational boundaries.
• Experience in communicating complex information to a range of audiences
• The ability to design, develop, interpret and implement strategies and policies
• The ability to lead teams and contribute to teams led by junior colleagues
• The ability to motivate organisations to contribute to tackling worklessness

About the team

You will be joining the Council’s well established Economic Development team, who are well embedded in the community and business networks. We have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience and are keen to welcome new members in our aspiration to deliver positive outcomes to residents and support economic growth. Together our vision is to help people to get good jobs, grow productive businesses and create a thriving and successful region. 

About Our Offer

Along with a competitive salary we are offering:

• “Green book” Local Government terms and conditions
• Access to Local Government Pension scheme (contribution rate of approx. 24%)
• Comprehensive benefits package including salary sacrifice for cars, cycles, plus excellent discount schemes
• 37 hour working week (as full time) including flexible and hybrid working
• A generous leave entitlement with a minimum of 28 days plus bank holidays and the option to buy more
• Free financial wellbeing advice

Further details can be found here: Rewards and benefits – Lincolnshire County Council 

If this sounds like the role for you, then please read through the full Job Description, before clicking apply!  If you would like to know more about Lincolnshire County Council and our current vacancies then click on over to  www.lincolnshire.gov.uk. 

Applications close 22/04/25 and interviews will be held on or around 08/05/25

For a confidential and informal discussion about the role please contact:

Jenny Riordan - Principal Officer for Learning and Skills via email jenny.riordan@lincolnshire.gov.uk

or Thea Croxall - Adult Learning and Skills manager thea.croxall@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Best of luck with your application

All candidates are advised to read the attached job information pack prior to making an application.

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. 

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

A Smarter Working Employer

We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary.  Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.

Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.

Fluency Duty 

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.