Strategic Partnerships Manager

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About the role

Join Dorset Council as a Strategic Partnerships Manager and play a central role in shaping the future of local government. Working within the Chief Executive's Office, you will operate across the organisation and beyond it, supporting senior leaders to build, maintain and coordinate the council's most important strategic relationships.

The role has a strong emphasis on regional partnership working, supporting collaboration across councils and public sector partners as devolution proposals develop. You will help align shared priorities, contribute to regional discussions, and support the development of a clear, credible South West voice-ensuring Dorset plays an active and constructive role within emerging regional arrangements.

This is a high-profile, relationship-focused role requiring sound judgement, political awareness and the confidence to work effectively with senior stakeholders. It offers the opportunity to work across organisational boundaries, support major strategic agendas, and help position Dorset Council as a trusted and influential partner within a changing regional landscape.

What you can expect to be doing

As Strategic Relationships Manager, you will lead and coordinate Dorset Council's approach to strategic relationship-building, working at the heart of the organisation within the Chief Executive's Office. You will operate across directorates and with external partners to support senior leadership engagement on priority agendas.

You will:

• Lead the development and coordination of Dorset Council's strategic relationships at local, regional and national levels, ensuring consistency, clarity and purpose.
• Support the council's engagement in the emerging Devolution agenda, working with regional partners to shape effective collaboration and governance arrangements across the South West.
• Act as a key point of coordination between the council, regional partnerships and wider public sector bodies, helping align shared priorities and approaches.
• Prepare and provide high-quality briefings, advice and narrative for senior officers and elected members to support engagement in regional forums and discussions.
• Represent the council, as appropriate, in regional partnership meetings, working groups and networks.
• Work closely with directorates to understand service priorities and ensure these are reflected coherently in external relationship management and partnership activity.
• Support the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team on high-profile strategic issues, ensuring strong governance, clear accountability and effective coordination.
• Operate confidently in a matrix environment, leading and influencing work across organisational boundaries on complex, cross-cutting agendas.

About you

We are looking for someone who brings strong strategic judgement and experience of working in complex, politically aware and partnership-based environments. You will be comfortable operating at senior levels, able to build effective relationships, and skilled at balancing collaboration with clear organisational focus and accountability.

You will bring:

• A degree or equivalent experience, with evidence of continued professional development.
• Significant experience of working at a strategic level within local government or the public sector, including engagement with senior officers, members and external stakeholders.
• A strong understanding of regional partnership working and the evolving local government and devolution context.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to brief clearly, build trust and manage complex relationships.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to synthesise complex information into clear advice and narrative for senior decision-makers.
• Political awareness and confidence working in a fast-paced, high-profile and sensitive environment.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.
• Good IT skills and the flexibility to travel as required.

Experience of working across organisational boundaries or with regional and national partners would be highly advantageous.

Further Information

If you would like to find out more about the role, please contact:

Strategy and Policy Lead: Rachel Anderson-Holson, [email protected]

The role requires a minimum one day a week office attendance at County Hall, Dorchester. There may also be a requirement for other national travel on an ad hoc basis.

This post requires you to have access to sensitive information. It will be subject to a Basic Criminal Records Check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

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At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you're passionate about making a difference, we'd love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.