Partnership Development Coordinator

Arts, Culture & Leisure Service - Sport and Physical Activity Team

Lead Partnership Working and System Change Across Wakefield

Wakefield Council is seeking an experienced and ambitious Partnership Development Coordinator to lead partnership development and place-based delivery for Move More Wakefield, our whole-system approach to increasing physical activity and reducing health inequalities across the district.

Are you passionate about building strong partnerships and tackling the complex causes of inactivity?

Do you have experience of leading complex multi-partner programmes and driving change across organisations and systems?

Do you enjoy working strategically and operationally with communities, organisations and decision-makers?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

This is a key leadership role within a high-profile programme, supporting delivery across Featherstone & Streethouse, Eastmoor & College Grove, and Knottingley & Ferrybridge, where partners are working with residents and communities to tackle inequalities and create the conditions for people to move more.

About the Role

Working within the Sport and Physical Activity Team, you will lead the operational partnership and place-based delivery of Move More Wakefield's Place Expansion programme.

You will play a central role in coordinating partners, commissioned organisations and communities, ensuring that activity across the system is aligned, insight-led and focused on reducing barriers to physical activity.

You will:

• Lead the delivery and coordination of the Move More Wakefield Place Expansion Programme.
• Build and sustain strong partnerships across the council, health, VCSE, education, leisure, business and community sectors, with a particular focus on our priority hyperlocal areas and resident-led approaches.
• Provide leadership on whole-system approaches to tackling inactivity and reducing inequalities.
• Oversee planning, commissioning, partnership development, performance management and risk across place-based initiatives.
• Lead performance management of commissioned partners and providers, ensuring delivery meets agreed outcomes.
• Use insight, data and learning to inform strategy, delivery and investment decisions.
• Represent Move More Wakefield at strategic, policy and multi-agency forums locally and regionally.
• Facilitate collaborative working groups, communities of practice and partnership forums.
• Coordinate workforce development, training and capacity-building activity across partners.
• Support consistent communication, narrative and identity across the Move More Wakefield partnership.
• Influence how organisations, communities and residents work together to create lasting change, ensuring physical activity becomes part of everyday life across Wakefield District.

Funding and Contract Information

This post is funded through Sport England's Place Expansion investment, alongside matched partner contributions, and forms a key part of Move More Wakefield's long-term ambition to create a more active, healthier and fairer district.

Please note: this post is funded until 31 March 2029 through Sport England's Place Expansion investment and matched partner contributions.

The role will play a vital role in leading partnership delivery, system coordination and place-based implementation, helping to shape the future sustainability and impact of Move More Wakefield beyond the current funding period.

About You

You will be:

• Passionate about physical activity, movement and tackling health inequalities.
• Experienced in partnership development, programme delivery and/or system-wide change.
• Confident leading complex multi-partner programmes and influencing at different levels.
• Able to build credibility and influence with senior leaders, delivery partners, communities and decision-makers.
• Skilled in project management, commissioning and performance management.
• Comfortable working strategically and operationally in community and organisational settings.
• An effective communicator, able to translate complex issues into clear, compelling messages.
• Organised, motivated and able to manage competing priorities and budgets.

Experience of systems thinking, co-production, community development and/or large-scale place-based programmes would be particularly valuable.

Recruitment Process

• Closing Date for applications- Monday 7th December 2026 at 12:00 noon
• Assessment Centre

Date: Wednesday 13th January 2027

Venue:
CRT Knottingley Hub
Hill Top
Pontefract Road
Knottingley
WF11 8ER

Candidates who successfully progress through shortlisting will be invited to the assessment centre, which will provide candidates the opportunity to demonstrate the skills and behaviours required for success in the role through a range of practical exercises reflecting the challenges of partnership development and place-based working.

Interview(s)

Candidates who successfully progress from the assessment centre will be invited to attend a formal interview panel

Dates: Thursday 21st January 2027 and/or Friday 22nd January 2027

Venue:
Wakefield One
Burton Street
Wakefield
WF1 2EB

Interested?

This is an exciting opportunity to influence how organisations, communities and residents work together to create lasting change, helping more people across Wakefield District to move more, live well and enjoy active, healthy lives.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

Alastair Wood
Sport and Physical Activity Development Manager
📞 07917 559286
✉️ alastairwood@wakefield.gov.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.

What can I expect?

• A competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement with the option to buy up to 10 extra days of annual leave
• Hybrid working (subject to role suitability)
• Access to high-quality training programs to advance your career to the next level.
• We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of our staff. We recognise that resilient teams need good work life balance as well as supportive leadership.
• Discounted and subsidised public transport (Arriva Bus Annual Travel Ticket, Northern Trains Limited (NTL), MetroCard).
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and a Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) scheme providing a tax efficient way to increase our pension.
• Great range of benefits including an Employee Assistant Programme, discounted membership to our excellent leisure facilities with free 12 weeks exercise program, discounts for a range of retail, entertainment, health and leisure providers, a cycle to work scheme, and many more

Safeguarding

Wakefield Council is wholly committed to ensuring children and vulnerable adults are fully supported and safe. We are dedicated to the safeguarding of all children and vulnerable adults whilst promoting their welfare. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this responsibility.

DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service)

The successful applicant will be required to complete a Disclosure Application Form and to provide criminal conviction information.

Probation

In accordance with the Council Probation Procedure, this post is subject to a 6-month Probationary Period.

Fluency Duty

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), public facing roles will be subject to the Fluency Duty.

Diversity

Having a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve helps us to achieve the best outcomes for all. We encourage applications from everyone and actively seek to ensure that everyone feels included in the workplace so that we can make the most of our differences.

Why Wakefield

To find out more about the benefits of working at Wakefield Council, click here.