Regional Director Partnerships

Witherslackgroup; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading special education provider in the UK is looking for a Regional Director of Partnerships to lead local authority relationships and oversee commissioning within Greater London. The ideal candidate will have proven leadership skills, strong analytical abilities, and experience in developing strategic partnerships. A commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children is essential. Attractive salary up to £70k, extensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth are offered in this role.

Benefits

Salary: £65,000 – £70,000 plus annual bonus

7 weeks’ holiday

Flexible benefits package

Wellbeing tools and advice

Medical cover

High-street discounts

Beautiful working environments

£1,000 recommend-a-friend scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience within local authority or public sector.
• Demonstrable success in nurturing and converting business.
• Understanding of local authority commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Lead local authority relationships and commissioning activities.
• Manage Partnerships Managers and oversee delivery standards.
• Drive impactful delivery methods and placement success.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Strategic relationship development

Customer service excellence

Flexibility and energy

Job description

We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate even the little things. We are looking for someone who has the right skills and leadership style to be our new ‘Regional Director of Partnerships’.

As Regional Director of Partnerships, you’ll lead on local authority relationships, commissioning and placement activity across the region, playing a pivotal role in our continued success. You will have a clear, proactive plan to ensure local authorities are fully aware of our sector‑leading offer, showcased through our highly specialist, inspirational environments. You’ll be committedطور to demonstrating placement success and positive outcomes for young people through a range of impactful delivery methods—from facilitating inspiring, influential discussions with commissioners to producing clear, robust written data that meets local authority commissioning requirements and evidences value for money.

Aymbol gift with a Witherslack Group school delivers a significant social return on investment for commissioning bodies. We need you to help bring this message to life—clearly, credibly, and compellingly.

Get out what you put in

In this role, you will provide clear, confident leadership to a dedicated team of Partnerships Managers, setting high standards of delivery and ensuring a well‑managed, responsive referral process that supports a strong and sustainable pupil pipeline across the South region. You will take strategic ownership of account management and new business activity, building and maintaining influential relationships with local authorities at all levels, while ensuring robust forecasting of pupil numbers and planned regional growth.

You will identify and capitalise on opportunities within the SEND landscape and associated funding routes, using insight, data and relationships to drive long‑term impact. Working in close partnership with the Group Partnerships Director and Chief Commercial Officer, you will help shape andnyere deliver the regional strategy, supporting local authority engagement through tenders, frameworks and targeted partnership activity.

Collaboration will be key. You will work alongside the Head of Marketing to ensure high‑quality, compelling collateral is in place and contribute to tactical marketing activity that supports growth and market positioning. As a senior representative of the organisation, you will confidently represent Witherslack Group at events, lead promotional activity, and speak at key opportunities. You will also support quality monitoring within schools and provide leadership cover for Partnerships Managers when required.

What we do for you

We know you’re going to do great things. 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:

• Salary: £65,000 – £70,000 plus annual bonus and long‑term incentive plan
• Holiday: 7 weeks’ holiday
• Flexible benefits package: you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance – check out our benefits here
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover: you can claim back the cost of things like an optician’s 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

Bring your whole‑self to work

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;

• The desire and capability to be a great leader
• The ability to develop strategic relationships and identify and manage new opportunities
• Demonstrable success in identifying, nurturing and converting business and then providing outstanding customer service thereafter
• Proven experience of developing successful relationships within local authority / public sector markets
• An understanding of local authority commissioning (or relevant experience with transferable skills)
• Strong analytical skills, with a good attention to detail
• A flexible, highly energetic approach and the ability to thrive in a business with a fast‑changing, collaborative, delivery culture
• Preferable – a detailed knowledge and experience of the SEND and children’s care sector
• A passion for the education and care of vulnerable children and young people

Join the UK’s best special education and care provider

For a full job description please click here.

To view our ex‑offenders policy please click here.

Our young people deserve the best possible future and we feel the same about our teams. You deserve to have the career you want, with a purpose‑led employer, in an environment that allows you to be yourself.

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.

To discuss this role, please contact: Matthew Carbutt (Group ‑ Partnerships Director) on 07776 651 072.