Strategic Business Partnerships Manager - Sectors

Field-based with travel to Central London

We are the national body for careers education in England, delivering support to schools and colleges to deliver modern, 21st century careers education.

The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) is a great place to work. We operate within a fast-paced and collaborative environment. We are brought together by one thing: our passion to ensure young people get the best possible start in life and are supported to find their best next step.

Do you want to be part of a mission-driven team focused on transforming young people's lives? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The role will focus on the engagement of business sectors and their representatives in delivering careers education outreach that addresses sector skills gaps and pathways. Including to influence and support sectors and their leading employers to use CEC's quality frameworks - Employer Standards and equalex to deliver modern work experience at scale. Ensuring that we can support and challenge employers to have the most impact for their business and young people.

The main responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Act as the lead contact for engaging sector partners with our universal offer, including account managing relationships with representative bodies.
• Deeper engagement with business sector and industry bodies, with current project commitments for:
  • Defence
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Clean Energy
• Work with the Senior Manager for sectors to maximise relationships with sectors/business bodies. Including events covering equalex and Employer Standards, sector specific comms and resources, and generating external comms opportunities.
• Background in corporate relationship management/account management - able to build relationships at all levels and sell propositions to organisations.
• Proposition development - demonstrable ability to articulate the employer offer.
• Significant experience of managing multiple clients/stakeholders and projects to time and budget, managing risk, and maintaining a high-quality service level.
• Experience working with sector/trade bodies is desirable.

Essential criteria:

• An excellent communicator with good interpersonal skills, confident working with individuals at all levels, presenting to a variety of audiences, and with the ability to influence others.
• Solutions-orientated individual who can mobilise people to deliver results.
• Analytical, detail-orientated individual who can use data to influence pipelines and projects.

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button.

Closing date: 18 October 2026 (Midnight)

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE THIS ADVERT EARLY SHOULD WE RECEIVE SUITABLE APPLICATIONS

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

At the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) we are committed to fostering a culture of belonging. We know that engagement at work relies on feeling included and valued. Inclusion is both a choice and a practice, for us as an organisation and for individuals within our team. We aim to drive inclusion through every aspect of our work and we understand that diverse teams are essential for innovative careers education and are central to our mission and impact. CEC values the visible and invisible qualities that makes each member of our team who they are. We are a disability confident employer and if you need any help or support through the application process, please contact the HR team and details can be found on our website.