The Access Project
University Partnerships Manager
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Salary: £20,004 pro rata (£33,340 Full Time Equivalent). The salary is £21,804 (£36,340 FTE) if your home-location is in a London Borough.
Reporting to: Director of Fundraising and Communications
Contract: Fixed Term Contract until 31st December 2027, part-time 3 days a week (22.5 hours per week)
Location: Remote (within England, Scotland, Wales). The role holder must be available at the London office bimonthly for in-person team meetings and as required for external or internal meetings and events, with occasional travel to partner universities (reasonable business travel costs are covered).
Closing date: Friday 25th September at midday
Benefits:
- 25 days annual leave p.a (15 days pro rata), Bank Holidays and Winter closure (5 days).
- PerkBox – offering nationwide shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, learning and much more.
- Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff.
- Paid wellbeing day.
- Online Medical assistance – access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day.
- Interest-free travelcard loans.
- Cycles scheme loans.
- Two paid Volunteering Days.
- Employer’s pensions contributions (3%).
- CPD options with a business case aligned with strategic objectives.
About the organisation
We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and make the most of their education. We’re passionate about reducing the educational barriers our students face, helping them to pursue a career in their chosen field and follow their dreams.
Our mission is to support students from under-resourced backgrounds to access top universities, through a unique combination of tuition and in-school mentoring. We work with them to make good applications, get the grades and transition to university.
The programme combats educational inequality and improves social mobility by raising students’ grades and supporting them to understand the pathway to a top university. Young people on our programme are 50% more likely to place at a top university compared to statistically similar students.
Safeguarding Statement
The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our safeguarding system is underpinned by a range of policies and procedures which encourage and promote safe working practice across the organisation.
Why work at The Access Project
People who work at The Access Project are motivated by the desire to create a fairer society. We all play an active part in achieving the mission to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds access top universities. At The Access Project, we’re a friendly, collaborative, supportive and inclusive team, with passionate people working together in Delivery, Sales and Partnerships, Strategy, Finance and Operations to achieve our mission.
The vision of our people strategy is to enable and inspire all employees to achieve, grow, succeed and thrive. We regularly have opportunities for people to share their ideas in various working groups, generating strong teamwork across the organisation.
We value every individual who works at The Access Project and we have a wide range of benefits that make this a rewarding place to work. In our last staff engagement survey, over 90% said their ideas and opinions count.
Our values
- Empowerment
We support students and our people to develop the skills and knowledge to accomplish their goals. - Courage
We encourage our students and our people to be authentic, innovative and ambitious in order to reach their full potential and deliver our mission. - Impact
We evolve our programmes through an evidence-led approach, supporting our students to achieve their best outcomes. - Inclusion
We respect and value individuality and engage diverse voices to achieve our mission. - Ownership
We hold ourselves accountable in all our actions and efforts. We ask “What can I do to improve my results?”
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About the Role
Purpose of the role
The Access Project has a growing portfolio of university partnerships built around shared aims: widening access to top universities for students from under-resourced backgrounds and supporting universities to advance their own access and participation commitments. These partnerships are central to our long-term growth and impact.
Partnership stewardship
The Universities Partnership Manager will steward these funder relationships, ensuring partners receive excellent account management, timely communication and high-quality impact reporting. The role will also ensure The Access Project delivers on its commitments to funders while identifying opportunities to deepen and develop each partnership.
This role will suit someone who combines strong interpersonal and account management skills with an entrepreneurial approach. The successful candidate will enjoy building relationships, communicating with a range of stakeholders and producing clear, engaging reports. They will also bring a good working knowledge of the higher education landscape and relevant policy areas.
What you will bring
We are looking for a dynamic relationship manager with excellent communication skills, sound judgement and a collaborative mindset. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of a growing organisation committed to educational equity.
Key Responsibilities
Account management and stewardship
- Account manage a portfolio of university partnerships, ensuring excellent stewardship and impact reporting and timely responses to enquiries.
- Work effectively across The Access Project to pool knowledge and connections to universities, consulting relevant stakeholders on decisions about funding and volunteering opportunities.
- Maintain a database of all our university partnerships and key project milestones.
- Work with colleagues across the organisation to plan and deliver high-quality events, engagement opportunities and cultivation activities that strengthen supporter relationships and contribute to income growth.
- Act as an ambassador for The Access Project, building and maintaining strategic relationships with key external partners, networks and influencers.
- Support the renewal process for university partnerships, working proactively with partners to demonstrate impact, address challenges and secure continued or increased funding.
Develop expertise
- Keep up to date with Higher Education and Widening Participation policy and landscape.
- Monitor sector trends and maintain a strong external network to identify emerging opportunities and best practice.
Proposal development
- Work with the Director of Fundraising and Communications to develop university fundraising offers and proposals.
- Support the CEO and Director to identify, research and qualify prospective university partners, developing targeted approaches to build new relationships and generate income.
Lead generation and awareness raising
- Raise The Access Project's presence in the Widening Participation and Access sector, working with our communications team to create and identify opportunities to raise our profile. This would include monitoring sector news and helping to develop relevant content to increase awareness of The Access Project within the higher education sector
- Work with the Director of Fundraising & Comms and the Communications team to create materials, both on and offline, that will reach and attract university widening participation audiences.
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Cross-organisational contribution
- Model the tone and behavioural expectations of The Access Project amongst staff
- Manage significant cross-team projects
- Contribute to the achievement of the charity’s wider organisational goals
- Work collaboratively across regions as required
Governance, Compliance and Reporting
- Ensure all fundraising activity is compliant with UK regulations and sector best practice.
- Maintain accurate records of university income and pipeline activity to contribute to regular forecasting and reporting.
- Champion the effective use of the donor CRM system and data-informed fundraising practices.
Person Specification
Essential
- Good knowledge of Widening Participation issues and higher education policy landscape.
- Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders within and outside of The Access Project.
- Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and stakeholder relationships effectively
- Influencing and negotiation skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop compelling cases for support.
- Passionate about educational equity and the mission of The Access Project.
- Proven experience of developing partnerships, generating income or achieving successful fundraising/sales outcomes
Desirable
- Experience working in fundraising for a charity.
- Experience working in higher education.
- Experience of representing an organisation externally and building partnerships that contribute to organisational growth and impact.
- Experience of monitoring and reporting on impact.
- Experience with fundraising databases (e.g. Salesforce) and CRM best practice.
Personal Qualities
- Inclusive and collaborative individual who values diversity and equity.
- A confident and credible relationship-builder who enjoys networking and developing meaningful connections.
- An externally focused individual who will act as a strong ambassador for The Access Project and its mission.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, change-oriented environment.
Additional Information
Occasional travel across the UK may be required.
Equal Opportunities Statement
The Access Project aspires to represent the diversity of communities across the UK at all levels of the organisation and proactively takes steps to support this. We are committed to creating a culture where the experiences and voices of people from marginalised backgrounds are listened to and valued; where their skills are appreciated; and where their talents are nurtured and encouraged.
The Access Project is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. If you believe you have most of the skills to fulfil the role we encourage you to apply. Amongst staff at our organisation, there is under-representation of people who are Black, Asian or people from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled, care-experienced, from low socio-economic backgrounds, and who are LGBTQIA+ . We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience in reference to our mission.
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