Regional Partnerships Manager
About us
Teach First is a charity that understands that for a child growing up in poverty, all too often their future is already written. We know that education can flip the script. We find and train teachers to work in the schools that need them most, we equip school leaders with evidence-led training, we support local teacher training providers, and we plug education leaders into supportive professional networks. We’re at the centre of a movement, rewriting the future within the classroom and beyond, ensuring every child, no matter their background, gets the opportunities they need to thrive
About the team
This role sits within the Regional Partnerships team. They are accountable for developing a regional partnerships strategy to secure positive change for schools, meeting programme recruitment targets and supporting them to meet the needs of the communities they serve. This will include growing our partnerships to recruit schools for our work, as well as managing our partnerships to ensure success-full delivery of our programmes delivered via Delivery Partners.
The team sits within the Education Partnerships directorate. This directorate is responsible for providing Design and delivery of high quality, high volume, impactful programmes for delivery through partnerships – including SCITT, ECF, NPQ along with quality assurance of all of programme content and delivery. This is done through establishing, managing and retaining strong, productive delivery partner relationships that deliver commercial benefit as well as charitable impact.
About the role
The Regional Partnerships Manager will be accountable for developing a regional strategy to secure positive change for schools, meeting programme recruitment targets and supporting them to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
In this role you will:
• Build and maintain a visible presence across the region, spending the majority of time in the field developing strategic partnerships with multi-academy trusts, teaching school hubs, and other organisations that support the Teach First mission.
• Create and implement a regional strategy that drives place-based change and enables the achievement of organisational targets.
• Lead national school recruitment across the ECTE, NPQs, Leading Together, Initial Teacher Training programmes, and Training Programme placements.
• Build and maintain effective strategic relationships with senior and executive stakeholders, embedding yourself within local education system leadership networks.
Understand stakeholders’ needs and local contexts to provide effective support, tailored solutions, and an excellent customer experience.
• Support the Head of Regional Partnerships in managing the most significant strategic relationships, deputising when required and leading key partnership activity as directed.
• Manage relationships with Delivery Partners to maximise recruitment outcomes and ensure long-term partnership retention.
• Identify and recommend schools and Delivery Partners to support wider Teach First priorities, including fundraising, ambassador engagement, research, policy development, and marketing activity.
• Develop regional strategies that strengthen partnerships, drive growth opportunities, and support long-term organisational success.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Education Partnerships and the wider organisation to ensure school recruitment targets are met or exceeded across the region.
• Create and deliver a local school placement strategy, managing the pipeline of school vacancies and trainee placements and allocating trainees to appropriate schools and multi-academy trusts to achieve local recruitment targets.
You will report into:
• Head of Regional Partnerships
You will work closely with:
• Regional Partnerships Managers
Implementation and Design Managers
• Regional Partnerships Coordinator
• Delivery Partner Data & Process Manager
• Colleagues in Programme Talent, Transformational Programmes, Ambassadors and Audiences and Fundraising
About you
To be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and experience.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with senior and executive stakeholders, demonstrating strong influencing, negotiation and communication skills to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Demonstrated commitment to delivering excellent customer service, with the ability to understand stakeholder needs, build trust and loyalty, and maintain a strong organisational reputation.
• Knowledge of the regional and national education landscape, with the ability to apply sector insight to establish credibility, identify opportunities and effectively engage a range of education stakeholders.
Commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion, with the ability to champion inclusive practices and ensure a positive and equitable experience for all stakeholders.
Experience of working within the education sector, with a strong understanding of the challenges and priorities facing schools, trusts and senior educational leaders.
• Proficient in analysing and interpreting data, with the ability to use data-driven insights to inform decision-making, monitor performance and deliver recruitment and partnership objectives.
Track record of delivering results through effective stakeholder engagement, demonstrating the ability to balance competing priorities and achieve targets in a relationship-driven environment.
Capability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences, adapting approach and messaging to influence, engage and build confidence among internal and external stakeholders.
Knowledge of and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, with experience of embedding inclusive approaches into professional practice and decision-making.
At Teach First, we’re committed to building a diverse, high‑performing team. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented groups; and whose socioeconomic background reflects that of the pupils we work with.
If you’re excited about this role but don’t tick every box, we still encourage you to apply. You may be exactly what we’re looking for — for this role or another.
Working for us
At Teach First, we want you to thrive because when you’re at your best, our mission moves forward. We offer pay, benefits and flexibility that support your wellbeing, and in return we ask you to bring your energy, commitment and passion to helping every child reach their potential. Find out more
Our culture: We live by our values. They underpin our culture and identity. And inform everything we do.
• Purpose: Ending educational disadvantage guides us - We stay focused on our mission and strive to get better every day.
Community: We are a movement for change - Together we are stronger, we support and learn from one another, working with and through the diverse communities we serve.
• Bravery: Change requires courage - We take bold risks and aren’t afraid to try, fail and learn in pursuit of our vision.
• Innovation: We will succeed through new ideas - We are restless for impact and creative with our solutions.
Diversity and inclusion: We want to be a place where everyone can perform, learn and contribute with the confidence to be themselves. We are passionate about building a work force that reflects the community we serve, and our employees are expected to contribute to advancing diversity and inclusion within the charity. Find out more
Safeguarding: Safeguarding children is at the heart of our work and a non‑negotiable part of every role at Teach First. All colleagues must complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting. We follow safer recruitment practices and expect our employees to share our commitment to keeping children safe.
Agile working: Our agile way of working gives you flexibility. Need to start late or finish early? Our Agile Working policy focuses on outcomes, not presenteeism. Find out more
Flexible Working: We are happy to consider flexible work patterns for our roles where they align with the needs of the charity. So, if you want to discuss a set and regular working pattern, let us know in your application. Find out more