Applicant Portal

We at Best Practice Network share the belief that every child, regardless of their background, should benefit from an excellent education. To achieve that, we support and train the educational professionals who work alongside them to be the best they can be, so in turn, they can transform the lives of children and young people.

 

We’re a friendly, DfE accredited, Ofsted outstanding training company providing apprenticeships, professional development and the DfE’s ‘Golden Thread’ (trainee teachers to school Executive Leaders). We are adaptable, collaborative, and genuinely value the work we do to support the education sector, as much as our trainees do.

 

Our people are at the heart of our business and our passion and commitment to education is what drives us. As a result, we have seen incredible growth over the last few years both nationally and internationally.

 

We aim to be an employer where everyone can be themselves, do their best in an inclusive working environment and where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

To secure and grow corporate partnerships that provide Apprenticeship Levy Transfer funding for our education sector clients, including multi-academy trusts, schools, and early years groups.

This role is responsible for building a network of corporate levy partners, creating long-term relationships that deliver funding opportunities and strategic value across the education sector. The Corporate Partnerships Manager will work with employers to identify available levy funding, secure transfer commitments, and ensure these funds are directed to support workforce development across our client base.

The role is not simply about sourcing levy funds. It is about creating mutually beneficial partnerships that deliver meaningful social value, support corporate ESG and CSR objectives, and strengthen relationships between employers and the education sector.
The Corporate Partnerships Manager will play a key role in the success of our Levy Exchange platform.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate partnership development

• Identify, engage and secure new corporate partners with Apprenticeship Levy funds available for transfer
• Build a sustainable pipeline of levy transfer opportunities across a range of sectors and employer sizes
• Develop relationships with senior stakeholders including HR Directors, Talent Leaders, Learning & Development teams and CSR leads
• Create compelling partnership propositions that align employer objectives with education sector workforce development needs

Levy transfer sourcing and management

• Act as the lead contact for corporate levy transfer partnerships from initial engagement through to agreement
• Maintain visibility of available levy funds, transfer commitments and future opportunities
• Work closely with education sector clients to understand funding requirements and match suitable levy partners
• Ensure a smooth and compliant transfer process in collaboration with internal apprenticeship and funding teams

Levy Exchange platform support

• Support the growth and adoption of the Levy Exchange platform by onboarding and engaging corporate funding partners
• Encourage repeat usage and long-term commitment from organisations using the platform
• Provide market insight and feedback to support ongoing platform development and improvement
• Help establish the platform as a trusted route for employers to maximise the impact of unused levy funding

Partnership value creation

• Design and develop initiatives that create value for corporate partners beyond levy transfer activity
• Build opportunities for partners to contribute to social value, community engagement and workforce development objectives
• Develop programmes that support employers' ESG, CSR and talent strategies while benefiting education sector organisations
• Identify opportunities for thought leadership, employer recognition and shared success stories

Account management and stakeholder engagement

• Manage relationships with existing corporate partners to maximise retention and long-term value
• Regularly review partnership performance, future funding potential and development opportunities
• Coordinate activity across sales, marketing, apprenticeship operations and client relationship teams
• Act as an ambassador for the organisation, representing the business at events, networking activities and partnership meetings

Market insight and reporting

• Monitor apprenticeship funding developments, levy policy changes and market trends
• Maintain accurate pipeline, partnership and funding records within CRM systems
• Produce regular reporting on levy funding secured, partnership activity and future opportunities
• Share market intelligence that supports wider business growth and partnership strategy

Key Measures of Success

• Achievement of levy transfer funding targets
• Growth in available funding opportunities for education sector clients
• Successful utilisation of levy funding through the Levy Exchange platform
• Growth in partnership-led social value and ESG initiatives
• Quality of stakeholder relationships across corporate and education sectors
• Positive collaboration and engagement across internal teams

Skills and Experience
Essential

• Proven experience in business development, sales, partnerships or account management
• Strong track record of building and managing senior stakeholder relationships
• Experience identifying and securing new commercial opportunities
• Knowledge of apprenticeships, apprenticeship funding or levy transfer arrangements
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills
• Ability to manage a complex pipeline and work towards ambitious targets
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Experience working with CRM systems and performance reporting
• Commercially minded with a consultative approach to relationship management

Desirable

• Experience within education, skills, training or workforce development sectors
• Understanding of ESG, CSR and social value initiatives
• Experience developing strategic partnership programmes
• Knowledge of the education sector, including schools, trusts and early years organisations