Job description

£35,000-£45,000 PRO RATA AND SUBJECT TO EXPERIENCE

Mainly remote (at least initially), with in-person attendance required at monthly team meetings and in-person membership related events which may take place at differing locations, across the UK.
First-round interviews will be held online on Tuesday 12th August. Second round interviews will be in person in London on Friday 15th August.
We are willing to wait for the successful candidate to work through a notice period, but that candidate will be able to start from 1st September 2025 or as soon as available thereafter.

ABOUT US

Formed in 2021, the School Partnerships Alliance (S.P.A.) is an independent, non-politically aligned membership and delivery organisation which supports and promotes impactful, sustainable and mutually beneficial cross-sector school partnerships. We promote and develop best practice, commission research, provide training and offer a wide range of partnership brokering and audit support. We wholeheartedly support the delivery of the strongest pupil outcomes for all children and our national programmes and initiatives are informed by research and experience and driven by impact.
The S.P.A.’s ambition is to become the leading, evidence-led, trusted voice on school partnerships in the UK. Working as a force for school improvement, our vision is for independent-maintained school partnership work to embed itself into the fabric of the national school system; one which is both self-improving and sustainable. We work to enrich both public and policymaker understanding of the benefits of cross-sector school partnerships through research, targeted initiatives and impact analysis.
Our long-term goal is for all UK schools to partner in some form, to improve both their own and their partner schools’ performance and deliver benefits to all pupils, particularly those attending schools in under-resourced areas. We want to work with a wide range of organisations and individuals who share our vision for a fairer future for all children and build a national strategy for school partnerships. A future where all schools work together for meaningful, mutual benefit to support the educational and emotional needs and aspirations of the next generation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Passionate advocate for young people and a commitment to the School Partnerships Alliance’s central mission.
• A minimum of 3 years non-profit membership/communications/fundraising experience in a relevant role would be desirable.
• A proven track record of securing membership subsidies and/or donations from trusts and foundations, corporate partners and major donors.
• Excellent relationship and people management skills, varying your style to the needs of the audience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent team skills, strong listening and problem-solving abilities with a positive attitude.
• Excellent organisational skills, and the ability to work to deadlines.
• Proficiency in CANVA/In Design and MS PowerPoint to create impactful digital communications.
• Thorough knowledge of structured CRM systems and support tools, all MS Office including Excel.
• Strong understanding of account management and relationship management.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Membership & Communications Manager is a new part time role at the School Partnerships Alliance, reporting to the Chief Executive and working closely with our Executive Assistant. You will join us at an exciting time as we develop our new organisational strategy and expand our current school membership offer. As this is a new position this post does not currently have direct reports, but there may be an opportunity to recruit additional team member(s) as the organisation continues to grow over the next 12-18 months. You will be required to work closely with both our CEO and Director of Programmes and Research to lead on the development and delivery of the membership strategy, both stewarding and growing our membership base year on year. You will also be required to manage our new website, provide support with our social media, and ensure that all member communications align with both our brand values and guidelines.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and deliver a new, robust membership strategy that supports the S.P.A.’s key objectives. This will include new member acquisition, current member retention and ensuring that stewardship of school members is effective and fit for purpose. You will work with the Director of Programmes and Research to help deliver a credible school partnerships CPD programme and collaborate with the wider S.P.A. team to create a tangible, attractive membership offer (both on and off-line) that will bring schools together, challenge existing partnership practice and support new thinking.
• Actively identify, solicit and enrol new schools as members, building and maintaining an evolving pipeline of new membership prospects.
• Plan and prepare for meetings with current and potential members and accompany CEO and/or Director of Programmes and Research to cultivation meetings where appropriate.
• Be the first point of call for all members and with the support of the Executive Assistant to the CEO, oversee the processing of all new membership applications, renewals and invoices and ensure all enquiries from existing and prospective members are responded to in a timely manner.
• Work with the wider team to confirm a calendar of membership events across the school year. These will take place both online and/or in locations across the UK, so occasional travel will be required.
• Oversee the membership budget and provide quarterly income forecasts and reports to the CEO and Trustees, monitoring and reporting against income targets.
• Build and maintain partnerships with wider S.P.A. stakeholders to include external school membership organisations, MATs and S.P.A. trustees.
• Empower S.P.A. staff and our trustee board to support membership development, utilising their talents and networks effectively.
• Lead on the preparation of high-quality digital membership communication and related marketing and event materials.
• Oversee the establishment of an appropriate administration system to ensure effective membership tracking, due diligence, and to ensure that the S.P.A. has a robust, professional approach to member stewardship.
• Ensure all membership delivery complies with our internal protocols and all external regulations.
• To attend relevant S.P.A in person events.
• To be an active ambassador for the organisation and carry out any other related duties deemed commensurate with the requirements of the role.