Careers Partnership Lead

Job Title: Careers Partnership Lead
Reporting to: Head of Research, Careers, Inclusion and Policy
Location: Hertford/Hybrid
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 pa depending on experience
Benefits: Excellent!

Role Profile

Purpose of Role
The Careers Partnership Lead plays a pivotal role in promoting the automotive sector as an attractive, inclusive, and future-ready career destination. The role helps shift public perception and inspire both young people and adult career changers to consider opportunities in the industry.
This position is responsible for developing, managing, and enhancing strategic partnerships with employers, education providers, government agencies, and other stakeholders. The goal is to support the sector through high-quality careers information, work experience, outreach, and skills development initiatives.
The role ensures that all career-related activities reflect societal diversity and support a workforce that is inclusive and representative. It requires cross-functional collaboration to align career-focused initiatives with labour market trends, educational reforms, and the wider policy agenda of the organisation.
Key Responsibilities

• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with employers, education providers, careers organisations, and sector bodies to facilitate career entry into the automotive industry.
• Design and support initiatives that connect employers with emerging talent through outreach resources, events, and campaigns.
• Expand access to meaningful work experience opportunities, especially for under-16s and underrepresented groups, in line with national frameworks and employer needs.
• Lead the coordination of perception-shifting campaigns in collaboration with marketing and digital teams.
• Commission or co-create careers guidance tools and content aligned with research, campaign goals, and stakeholder needs.
• Advance diversity and inclusion by identifying ways to increase participation of underrepresented groups in early-career initiatives.
• Align careers initiatives with national and regional skills strategies, including the Gatsby Benchmarks and Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs).
• Translate labour market intelligence, research, and partner insights into actionable delivery plans and policy recommendations.
• Develop joint projects and pilots with key partners to integrate automotive career pathways into regional and national skills infrastructure.
• Act as a liaison with key national and regional organisations such as the Department for Education, Careers & Enterprise Company, and Local Enterprise Partnerships.
• Monitor and evaluate the reach and impact of careers campaigns and partnerships, contributing to performance reports.
• Embed equity, diversity, and inclusion principles throughout all career-focused initiatives and campaigns.
• Represent the organisation on advisory boards, forums, and external networks to shape policy and raise the profile of the automotive sector.
• Stay abreast of careers policy developments, education reforms, and employment legislation to identify strategic opportunities.
• Contribute to consultation responses, policy briefings, and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams including research, marketing, policy, and member engagement to ensure cohesive messaging and aligned delivery.

Person Specification
Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Experience delivering or managing careers programmes, campaigns, or partnerships.
• Strong track record of stakeholder relationship management across sectors.
• Understanding of the UK careers and skills policy landscape.
• Background in public engagement, policy influence, or workforce development.
• Competence in using labour market data or research to inform strategy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with an ability to adapt content for various audiences.

Desirable Knowledge & Experience

• Prior experience within the automotive, education, or professional standards sectors.
• Familiarity with public sector partnerships, national campaigns, or government-funded initiatives.
• Involvement in policy consultations or parliamentary engagement.
• Understanding of inclusive outreach and its role in technical career pathways.

Qualifications
Essential:

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience in careers, education, skills development, or public policy.

Desirable:

• Qualifications in careers guidance, public affairs, or project management.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel across the UK for external meetings and events.
• Flexibility for occasional evening or weekend engagements as required.