Head of Partner Relations

The Prime Minister wants this government to work differently, putting partnership at the heart of everything it does, whether with civil society, businesses, trade unions or local government. In July, the Prime Minister launched the Civil Society Covenant, an enduring commitment that recognises the value of civil society and sets out the foundations for a more meaningful partnership.

To fulfil the promise of the Covenant, a new Civil Society Council will meet quarterly in 10 Downing Street. This Council will be supported by a dedicated Civil Society Team, which will use the reach of No10 to drive implementation of the Covenant across government and civil society. This role is an exciting opportunity in a new team that will be uniquely positioned to shape the way this government works with civil society, taking a leading role in the delivery of the Prime Minister’s priorities.

As the Head of Partner Relations, the postholder will work across a broad network, building trusted relationships with the full range of partners from government and civil society. This will require skilful navigation of internal and external stakeholder groups to ensure that civil society is heard and represented across government - be that in policy development, delivery or communications.

Responsibilities will include:

• Driving impact by building trusted relationships with the full range of partners across government and civil society
• Collaborating with different partners to amplify diverse and underrepresented voices, removing barriers to their participation
• Creating an open channel of communication into the heart of government, while respecting the independence of civil society and preserving space for constructive disagreement
• Forming mini-project teams, including working across multiple government departments, to conceptualise and deliver initiatives in partnership with civil society
• Leading civil society engagement around major government announcements, and using this to inform policy design, delivery and communications
• Wider leadership contribution to the shape and direction of a new team in Downing Street
• Work closely with the Civil Society Council to action best practice and drive a strong dynamic relationship between Government and Civil Society.