Strategic Relationships Manager

National Council for Voluntary Organisations

Hours
35 hours per week

Length of contract
12 month

Salary
£50,076 - £52,711 per year

About the Organisation

For over 100 years, NCVO has stood shoulder to shoulder with communities, championing and celebrating voluntary action. Our membership is made up of over 17,000 voluntary organisations across England, from small, grassroots community groups and social enterprises, to large, far-reaching charities. We believe that communities are strengthened by voluntary action. We therefore want charities to thrive and be empowered to deliver for people and communities.

​We focus on empowering charities and volunteers by ensuring they have the knowledge, tools, and resources they need. We advocate for and with our members, giving voice to those not often heard, and harnessing the collective power of partners to ensure the voluntary sector is valued. We bring charities together so they can learn, connect, and create a greater impact.

​As the voluntary sector and volunteering adapt to new challenges and a changing context, so must NCVO. We are therefore prioritising work to evolve as an organisation to ensure we live our values of ambition, inclusion, openness, and collaboration in everything we do internally and externally. ​We have around 80 staff and an income of more than £7m per year. With our members at the heart of everything we do, our mission is to unite to champion the remarkable role of charities and volunteers because stronger charities make for stronger communities.

About the role

We are looking for a Stakeholder Relationships Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping NCVO’s strategic influence and reach. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with deep voluntary sector knowledge, excellent stakeholder mapping skills and the confidence to connect with leaders across civil society.

The successful candidate will lead the way in identifying, mapping, and strengthening our most important relationships, from infrastructure bodies and policy influencers to members and strategic partners. You will bring structure and insight to how we engage, using data and intelligence tools (including CRM systems) to ensure we act with clarity, purpose, and impact.

This role will also convene and connect stakeholders around key sector issues, sometimes at short notice, enabling NCVO to act with agility and authority. You will support colleagues across the organisation to build confidence in stakeholder engagement, embedding a culture of collaboration and shared ownership.

We are seeking someone who is proactive, strategic, and highly networked, with a proven track record of building trusted partnerships that deliver results. If you thrive on connecting people, shaping strategy, and influencing change, we would love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Strategic stakeholder leadership: lead and coordinate strategic stakeholder relationships across NCVO, prioritising infrastructure bodies and key sector partners. Embed mutual benefit, shared purpose, and member-centred engagement into all relationship-building activities. Support others to lead relationships, embedding the core principles of good stakeholder management across the organisation. 
• Stakeholder mapping and intelligence: identify, map, and segment stakeholders using CRM and other systems, ensuring accurate, up-to-date data informs targeted engagement and strategic decisions. Regularly review and update leadership. 
• Cross-functional enablement: act as a connector and enabler across NCVO, supporting SMT and teams to understand, utilise, and grow relationships with key stakeholders, amplifying partner voices and integrating their insights into NCVO’s work.
• Agile convening: operate with both planned and reactive agility to convene stakeholders around emerging issues, strategic priorities, and sector challenges. Facilitate purposeful dialogue, sometimes at short notice, to maintain momentum and relevance.
• Team leadership: manage and develop the strategic relationships team. Cultivate an inclusive, high-performing, values-driven culture that champions collaboration, reflection, and continuous learning.
• Partnership innovation and growth: seek and develop opportunities for partnerships that extend NCVO’s reach, enhance brand reputation, and contribute to income growth (through a number of channels and opportunities), leveraging NCVO’s platform to uplift local and subsector leadership.
• Change leadership: Navigate and influence shifts in traditional partnership dynamics, encouraging stakeholders to lead and co-create, rather than defaulting to being served. Ensure stakeholder relationship work is part of ongoing strategic and business planning. 

Skills, Competencies & Experience

Experience:

• Substantial experience in identifying, managing, and developing strategic partnerships, ideally within a cross-sector or networked environment.
• Proven experience of using CRM and stakeholder management systems to improve engagement and track impact (Dynamics preferred).
• Experience of convening diverse stakeholders around strategic issues at pace.
• Demonstrable success in leading change, particularly in evolving organisational culture or stakeholder engagement approaches.
• Track record of collaborative working across teams and departments.

Skills:

• Excellent strategic planning, stakeholder mapping, and relationship-building skills.
• High-level communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility across diverse audiences.
• Strong influencing and facilitation skills, with emotional intelligence and political judgment.
• Ability to lead through complexity and ambiguity, maintaining focus and flexibility.
• People management and team development skills with a coaching and inclusive leadership style.

Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of the voluntary sector, including the ecosystem of infrastructure, policy influencers, funders, and grassroots organisations.
• Knowledge of strategic relationship and partnership management, including stakeholder segmentation and journey mapping.
• Understanding of CRM systems and their role in building data-informed engagement strategies.
• Familiarity with agile ways of working, planned and responsive engagement practices.
• Sound understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion and its implications for stakeholder engagement and culture.

Compensation & Benefits

• 25 days’ Annual Leave and office closure between 25 December and 1 January inclusive. 
• ​2.5 extra ‘wellbeing’ days off during the year
• ​Enhanced pay for sick/maternity/adoption leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Season ticket loan
• Monthly homework allowance for permanent homeworkers
• Monthly office worker allowance 
• Generous employer pension contribution of 8.5% of salary,
• Pension scheme (linked to employee contribution)
• Training and development opportunities.
• Hospital Saturday Fund health cash plan
• ​24-hour free and confidential employee assistance programme

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• Application form1
• Application form2
• Please complete both parts of the application, quoting the reference SDM, and email it to [email protected]
• If you have any queries regarding our vacancies or experience any issues downloading or submitting your application form, please email [email protected].

Interviews

• Shortlisting date: Thursday 25th September 2025
• Interviews: Thursday 2nd October 2025.

Policies

NCVO is fully committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in our sector. We want this to be reflected in the diversity of our employees, and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and identities.

We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups in the voluntary sector and those with diverse lived experiences. As part of our commitment to employing disabled people, all disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirement for all competencies on the person specification will be guaranteed an interview.

Please let us know if you have access needs or require reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process.

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