Partnerships Manager

The Politics Project is looking for an experienced and strategic Partnerships Manager to grow and strengthen relationships across the youth, education and democracy sectors.

ABOUT THE POLITICS PROJECT

The Politics Project supports young people to use their voice by providing them with outstanding democratic education. We work with young people, teachers, youth practitioners and politicians to help them learn, teach and engage in democracy. We are a non-partisan organisation working across the UK. 

ABOUT DEMOCRACY CLASSROOM

Democracy Classroom is a partnership of over 100 civil society organisations from the youth, education and democracy sectors working together to support young people to engage in elections and democracy. 

The network is supported by the Democracy Classroom Platform, which brings together over 1000 free educational resources for teachers and youth practitioners.

Democracy Classroom is a non-partisan, UK-wide initiative and a leading voice for the sector, reaching teachers and youth practitioners in 95% of the UK’s parliamentary constituencies. It coordinates the collective voice of organisations committed to democratic education, including through its joint submission to the Department for Education’s Curriculum and Assessment Review and the publication of The Roadmap to Votes at 16, a collaborative vision for the implementation of Votes at 16.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for an experienced and strategic Partnerships Manager to strengthen and grow our connections across the youth, education and democracy sectors. You will play a key role in expanding and deepening the Democracy Classroom Network, helping to increase its reach, visibility and impact on democratic education across the UK.

The role will support organisations to prepare for and collaborate on upcoming changes in democratic engagement and education - such as the introduction of Votes at 16 - ensuring the sector is coordinated, informed and ready to respond collectively.

This is a dynamic, people-focused role supporting more than 100 partner organisations to collaborate, share learning and deliver joined-up support for teachers and youth practitioners. You will combine excellent relationship-building with the ability to think strategically, spot opportunities and translate them into practical action.

You will work closely with the Head of Communications and Networks, the Communications Lead, and colleagues across The Politics Project to ensure that partners are supported, connected and able to collaborate effectively. The role blends strategic relationship management with hands-on coordination and communication.

Key responsibilities include:

Partnership management

• Build, maintain and strengthen relationships with over 100 existing civil society partners.
• Act as the main point of contact for partner queries, feedback and support.
• Identify and onboard new organisations to join the Democracy Classroom Network.
• Facilitate partner input into planning, decision-making and shared problem-solving.

Strategic development and coordination

• Identify new opportunities for collaboration, policy influence and sector engagement.
• Advise senior colleagues on partnership trends, risks and emerging opportunities.
• Develop and deliver partner communication strategies, ensuring information and opportunities are shared clearly and consistently.
• Coordinate effectively with internal teams to ensure joined-up delivery and coherent partner messaging.

Engagement and representation

• Plan and deliver Democracy Classroom meetings, training sessions and networking events.
• Represent The Politics Project at external meetings and events, acting as an ambassador for our collaborative and non-partisan approach.

Monitoring and reporting

• Track partner engagement, feedback and satisfaction to inform continuous improvement.
• Support monitoring, evaluation and reporting to demonstrate the impact of the network.

This is a fast-paced role in a small but growing team. The post includes a six-month probation period and is fixed-term until March 2027, with potential for extension depending on funding. Occasional travel within the UK and some evening or weekend work will be required.

BENEFITS

• 33 days’ annual leave including Bank Holidays (inclusive of 3 days’ leave between Christmas and New Year).
• 4% employer pension contribution.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Friendly, inclusive and supportive working environment.

ABOUT YOU

You are passionate about democratic engagement and committed to supporting the growth and impact of The Politics Project and the Democracy Classroom Network. You are a proactive self-starter who can think strategically while delivering operationally. You can identify opportunities, develop partnerships and turn ideas into practical outcomes. You’ll have excellent communication and organisational skills, confidence working across sectors, and a track record of building effective, long-term relationships.

Above all, you are an effective relationship-builder able to network, negotiate, persuade and problem-solve, and motivated by the challenge of leading a high-profile national partnership.

In accordance with our Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures, this position requires an enhanced DBS check (provided by The Politics Project).

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Proven experience in partnership or stakeholder management, ideally within civil society, education or government sectors.
• Demonstrable ability to think strategically and identify opportunities for collaboration or growth.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
• Excellent project management and organisational abilities.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Confident working with, and understanding of, the education and youth sectors (teaching or youth work experience not required).
• Knowledge of and interest in UK politics and democratic engagement.
• IT literate, with strong working knowledge of Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive etc).
• Self-motivated, resilient and solutions-focused.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings/weekends and travel within the UK.

Desirable

• Experience managing databases or CRM systems.
• Experience monitoring and evaluating partnership impact and producing reports.

TO APPLY

Please submit your CV and a covering letter (maximum one side of A4) via the CharityJob website.

Closing date: 11:30 pm, Sunday 9th November 2025

Interviews: Week commencing Monday 17th November 2025