At the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), we believe teaching is a fundamental societal good, a privilege and a responsibility. Our mission is to improve the quality of teacher and leader development across the system, supporting schools and trusts to build the expertise, confidence and capacity that children and young people deserve. We are now looking for an ambitious and relationship-driven Associate Head of Partnerships to join our South and West campus teams, working across the Birmingham and Bristol areas.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in growing and strengthening partnerships across a diverse and dynamic region. You will help connect schools, trusts and education leaders with programmes that support excellent teaching, leadership and professional development, ensuring that our work has meaningful and lasting impact in classrooms.

The role is hybrid, with the opportunity to work from home and from one of our campuses. It will be based at either of the South West Campus', either the NIoT’s newly refurbished Birmingham campus at Oasis Woodview (B15 2HU) or to our Bristol campus, currently based at The Greenway Centre, Southmead (BS10 5PY).

The number of days spent on campus and/or visiting schools will vary during the year, with fewer days typically required during school holidays and more during key periods of term-time delivery. On average, this is likely to be around one to two days per week. Applicants should live within a commutable distance of either the Bristol or Birmingham campus and be prepared to travel across the wider region, with travel expenses claimable in line with the NIoT’s expenses policy. The NIoT also brings colleagues together for an annual all-staff away day, which all staff are expected to attend and which usually includes an overnight stay.

As Associate Head of Partnerships, you will lead partnership activity across the region, helping us recruit schools and trusts to the full range of our core programmes, including Initial Teacher Education, the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications. You will nurture and deepen relationships with existing partners, including schools, trusts and our network of Associate Colleges, while also identifying and developing new partnerships that respond to regional need.

You will also help maximise the regional potential of NIoT’s national programmes, our growing research activity and the future opportunities created as we move towards full Degree Awarding Powers. This includes championing the value of working with the NIoT, listening carefully to the needs of schools and trusts, and ensuring that our partnerships are purposeful, responsive and rooted in shared ambition for the education system. The role will line manage our Regional Recruitment Manager and ITE Administrator, both based at the Bristol campus. In January 2028, our Bristol campus will move to a new, purpose-built site in the heart of the city at Oasis Academy Temple Quarter, creating further opportunities to extend our regional impact.

We are looking for a confident networker, communicator and problem-solver who enjoys building trusted relationships with senior education stakeholders and leading a small, committed team. You will join the South and West senior leadership team: a close-knit, supportive and highly motivated group working together to achieve ambitious regional goals. If you are excited by the opportunity to strengthen teacher and leader development, grow meaningful partnerships and contribute to work that reflects the privilege and responsibility of teaching, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Please note that applications should be written by the candidate. Where we have reason to believe that an application has been generated or substantially written by artificial intelligence, we reserve the right to reject it.

Closing date: 26 August 2026

First round interviews are likely to take place on 8th or 10th September via Teams with second round in-person interviews currently scheduled for Thursday 17th September.

Corporate Responsibilities 

• To ensure that the responsibilities of the role are carried out in a way which reflects the mission and the values of the NIoT.  

• To be aware of and observe all policies, procedures, working practices and regulations, and in particular to comply with policies relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, Confidentiality, Data Protection and Financial Regulations, reporting any concerns to an appropriate person.  

• To comply with all reasonable management requests. 

Main Duties & Responsibilities 

• Developing and maintaining relationships with Trusts, schools and Teaching School Hubs in the region, including the South and West Founding MATs (Oasis and Star) in order to recruit to the golden thread programmes we run out of our two campuses in Bristol and Birmingham. 

• Strengthening relationships with our five Associate Colleges that recruit and deliver our programmes in other parts of the South West and West Midlands. 

• Ensuring all recruitment targets across the golden thread are achieved through either Associate College delivery or through campus delivery. 

• Identifying schools and Trusts that could benefit from working with us and cultivating them as partners. 

• Building and maintaining effective strategic relationships with key senior and executive education stakeholders, including attending key sector and networking events e.g. the CST conference and regional forums. 

• Identifying opportunities for strategic partnerships and maximising the unique opportunities that working with the NIoT provides schools e.g. research activity involvement in key areas such as the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools. 

• Line management of the team to ensure the delivery of the region’s growth strategy, including ensuring our regional budget for trainee and school attraction is used effectively. 

• Leading the trainee placement strategy for campus ITE and ensuring all our incoming trainees have suitable ITE placements. 

• Supporting the account management of our Associate Colleges, ensuring their contractual requirements are met for recruitment and collating data on participant engagement and satisfaction for account meetings. 

• Working with Programme Managers to resolve escalated issues raised by our partners quickly and professionally. 

• Offering a solutions-focused approach to the challenges our school stakeholders face, ensuring their voice is heard within the organisation. 

• Working closely with the national Partnerships team at the NIoT, managing marketing and communications to schools, Trusts and Teaching School Hubs in the region. 

• Understanding your Safeguarding obligations and the protection of children and young people. 

Person Specification

Essential Criteria 

• A commitment to the aims of the National Institute of Teaching 

• Ability to maintain relationships, influence and negotiate at a strategic level 

• A pro-active, entrepreneurial approach and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment 

• Excellent customer service, putting our stakeholders at the heart of our decision making, resulting in greater customer loyalty and retention and a strong reputation in the marketplace 

• Understanding of the regional and national education landscape and the ability to apply context to gain trust and credibility 

• Senior leadership experience within a school or senior education leadership experience

Desirable Criteria

• Line management experience 

• Hold Qualified Teaching Status

• Communications and marketing experience 

• Strong data interpretation skills 

• An established education network across the South and West

Working at the National Institute of Teaching 

Contract: Full time and permanent

Salary: £56,677 per annum, pay award pending. Plus benefits.

Key benefits: 

• Highly competitive pay and pay progression opportunities. 

• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working and flexible start and end working times. 

• At least 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays) rising to 33 days after five years’ service. 

• Entry to the Local Government Pension Scheme 

• A stimulating, supportive and rewarding working environment with a dedicated team of likeminded professionals. 

• Excellent opportunities to develop your skills and experience and to progress your career 

 Further information    

We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities.  

 Notes:   

• To ensure a fair and robust selection process, we expect all application responses to be based on your own original thoughts, skills and experience. Our system includes functionality to identify AI-generated content, and applications where responses appear not to be the candidate’s own work may be disregarded.

• We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. 

• Candidates must already have the right to work in the UK, as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

• This post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with a Children’s Barred List Check and Occupational Health Check is required as a condition of employment . 

• This document is an overview of the role.

• The responsibilities will include but will not be limited to those listed above and it is anticipated that the role will evolve over time and as such the duties may change.