Ufi Project and Partnerships Manager

• Working in a grant giving organisation, managing or supporting the grant giving process
• Working with educational, training or learning design organisations
• Building and maintaining excellent relationships with stakeholders
• Monitoring projects and programmes, and holding delivery partners to account
• Thoughtful contributions to collaborative working and external events
• Using digital tools (incl MS Office and project management tools) for oversight and running projects
• Experience working with databases, excel or grant management systems
• Reporting to a senior team or equivalent

• Experience of managing data relating to social impact
• Interest in technology solutions and/or education
• Interest in AI and working knowledge of Co-pilot

• Ability to build strong collaborative working relationships with partners at all levels
• Knowledge of good practice in grants management processes and techniques
• Understanding the techniques for evaluation of the impact of funding
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to adapt style to the audience

• Friendly, co-operative and diplomatic, whilst able to be a ‘critical friend’
• Practical and rigorous with good attention to detail
  Creative thinker – presents practical solutions rather than problems
• Positive and resourceful in spotting opportunities and dealing with obstacles
• Organised, able to plan and schedule activity, with proven ability to prioritise and manage time effectively
• Comfortable with remote working and being part of a virtual team
• Ability to build and maintain relationships in a virtual world
• Collaborative and a team player – as well as motivated to work independently

You will help deliver Ufi’s grant funding and partnership activity. With colleagues you will manage a diverse project and partnership portfolio, building and maintaining strong relationships with projects, partners, stakeholders, the Ufi grants team, and external consultants to foster collaboration and learning. You’ll also co-ordinate grant calls, and you will be working with colleagues across Ufi to support the development, administration, and delivery of partnership activity.

This is a responsible, fast-paced role. We are looking for someone who thrives on variety and will become a rock-solid member of the Grants team. Creativity and enthusiasm supported by practical delivery skills are essential.

Working closely with the Associate Director of Grants, manage and help develop a portfolio of grant funding calls, projects and partnerships. The role holder will be the day to day point of contact for a range of Ufi grant funded projects and partnerships. The role will balance responsibilities including monitoring performance via regular reports and catch ups, providing support from within and beyond the Ufi team, supporting peer learning between Ufi funded projects and partnerships and seeking to ensure that lessons, PR opportunities and experience across Ufi grant programmes are maximised.

Run a portfolio of projects/partnerships 

• Manage a diverse project and partnership portfolio aligned with Ufi’s aims, including contracting, onboarding, and effective closure of projects.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with projects, partners, stakeholders, the Ufi grants team, and external consultants to foster collaboration and learning.
• Support the Director of Strategic Engagement as necessary by following up on exploratory conversations with key stakeholders, assessing potential opportunities, and progressing them into actionable next steps where appropriate, and ensuring we maximise the potential impact of the strategic partnership programme as a whole.
• Monitor and report on project and partnership performance, ensuring progress against milestones, accurate grant claims, and clear communication with senior management.
• Maintain robust records and financial oversight, working closely with Finance to track budgets and claim forecasts.
• Coordinate expert support and resources, leveraging Ufi’s external consultant panel to address specific project needs.
• Represent Ufi at VocTech events and opportunities, sharing insights and promoting programme objectives.

Programme management of specific funding calls 

• Deliver the process of planning, launching and opening grant funding calls
• Facilitate collaborative learning and events, drawing insights from projects to promote good practice and peer support.
• Develop shared solutions for common challenges, working with colleagues and the Associate Director of Grants to create tools and resources.
• Provide reporting and governance support, drafting papers for the Senior Leadership Team and ensuring effective administration.
• Enhance programme impact and improvement, capturing learning, case studies, and PR, and identifying opportunities for development. Support external project managers and wider organisational goals, ensuring smooth delivery and alignment with Ufi’s objectives.

We are a small, multi-disciplinary charity with a mission built around our belief in the potential of technology to unlock skills for work. We believe in supporting practical solutions to clearly identified skills challenges or problems, where there are solid benefits for learners and employers.

Our work culture is open and collaborative. We embrace innovation and see the value in a seed of an idea. We actively encourage the thoughtful use of digital tools, including AI, to support better communications, smarter workflows and innovation. We work virtually and leanly, and we want new team members to feel that they belong.

Ufi does not have an office, so our team works remotely, dispersed across the UK. This means you will need to have access to a place in the UK to work from, either your home or another suitable location in the UK. We make remote working successful through regular and clear communication, personal ownership of our work, and a professional, supportive work culture.

The role will also require some travel within the UK, particularly our annual showcase event in March (VocTech Showcase). We also organise in-person meetings (usually at least quarterly) to help us stay connected as a team.

At Ufi VocTech Trust we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture, with flexible working practices, where everyone is able to reach their full potential.

We encourage applications from anyone with suitable skills and believe that a diverse workforce will help us to achieve our mission sooner. If you are thinking of applying and require any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview please get in touch.

Ufi VocTech Trust is committed to being an inclusive employer. This means we believe that everyone in society is entitled to a fair deal. We therefore monitor all job applications to see how effective our policies are and make changes if required.

Please help us by completing the monitoring form which will become available after you submit your application. The information requested is confidential and anonymous and will be used purely for monitoring purposes. It will not be used as part of the selection or recruitment procedure.

When people thrive in work, everybody benefits, so at Ufi we champion the power of technology to improve skills for work and deliver better outcomes for all. Our vision is a future where technology transforms how we learn and drives systemic change, supporting people, business and the UK economy to thrive.

We deliver on our mission by providing grant funding, direct investment, partnership and advocacy for the development and adoption of vocational technology across all parts of the UK skills system. To date we have provided over £38m in grant funding and direct investment to more than 250 organisations across the UK.

We have a particular role in unlocking potential in the communities, sectors, skill levels and places currently underserved by mainstream provision, helping ensure everyone is included and no one is left behind.

• Find out more about Ufi
• Explore our Strategy: 2025 – 2030
• Watch some of the sessions from the Week of VocTech 2026
• Browse the VocTech Directory of everything we have funded
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads