Strategic Partnership Lead

This Strategic Partnership Lead role sits within the Business Development Team at Head Office in Islington, covering Lower Holloway. Working 35 hours per week, with part-time working available, the salary is £50,000 to £70,000 per annum depending on experience. The postholder leads their area, building and maintaining commissioner and stakeholder relationships, identifying and shaping opportunities, and overseeing the end-to-end business development process. This spans strategic positioning, service design, bid writing, tender management and commercial assessment. Benefits include annual leave rising to 30 days, a pension contribution of up to 8%, life assurance and discounts.

We're looking for a hardworking and determined of Strategic Partnership Lead to join our Business Development Team located at Head Office in Islington.

-50,000.00 - £70,000.00 (depending on experience) per annum, working 35 hours per week.

Open to part-time working

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x Pensionable Salary (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway- and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Free DBS

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

The postholder will be the lead for their area, building and maintaining commissioner and stakeholder relationships, identifying and shaping opportunities, and overseeing the end-to-end business development process from strategic positioning and service design through to bid writing, tender management and commercial assessment.

What you'll do:

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

• Area Leadership and Relationship Management: Lead commissioner and stakeholder engagement in a dedicated geographic area, building strong relationships across supported accommodation, health and social care for all relevant client groups, including learning disabilities, mental health, homelessness and young people.
• Commercial Business Partnering: Act as the business development lead for the designated patch, working with operational colleagues to manage contract extensions, renegotiations and new growth opportunities.
• Tender Management: Lead, monitor, manage and draft high-quality submissions for local authorities, health trusts, frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems within the designated geographic area, while contributing to wider team tender exercises where required.

About you:

• A genuine interest in housing and social care and a commitment to Look Ahead's mission
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, particularly in terms of working under pressure and responding to multiple and competing demands on your time
• Imaginative and resourceful - able to contribute to the development of new ideas for services

What you'll bring:

Essential

• Eligible to live and work in the UK
• Educated to degree level or equivalent work experience
• Extensive business development, fundraising or sales experience
• Experience of bid writing

Desirable

• A qualification in social care/psychology/policy would be an advantage
• Specific knowledge of mental health, learning disabilities, homelessness, young people and complex needs would be a distinct advantage
• Ability to be able to understand complex financial breakdowns would be an advantage.

About us:

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.