Overview

Senior Manager – Sector Partnerships & Skills Planning – Reading, Berkshire, RG7 4PR

Job Type: Full-Time

Salary: Negotiable

AWE is currently recruiting for a Senior Manager – Sector Partnerships & Skills Planning, to play a pivotal role in shaping the organisation’s future workforce by identifying current and future skills needs across sectors and industries.

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking. Plans to relocate role to Green Park (Reading), from December 2025.

Package: Starting from £61,040 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Ready to play your part?

At AWE, it’s not just a job, it’s far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Could this role be the opportunity for you to play your part?

As the Senior Manager for Sector Partnerships & Skills Planning, you will lead strategic partnerships with government bodies, industry stakeholders, and external partners to address skills gaps, build robust talent pipelines, and ensure the organisation has the capabilities required to deliver on its programmes and long-term objectives. As part of your role, you will:

  • Conduct sector-wide analysis to identify current and emerging skills gaps, and develop a comprehensive skills intelligence framework to inform strategic workforce planning.

  • Work closely with the Strategic Workforce Manager, Workforce Planning Manager, Talent teams, and external partners to align skills planning with business needs and co-develop training, upskilling, and reskilling programmes.

  • Represent the organisation in external forums, align with national and regional skills initiatives, and influence policy and funding opportunities.

  • Ensure visibility of talent supply and demand, lead initiatives to address critical skills shortages, and monitor the effectiveness of skills development programmes, recommending improvements as needed.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a candidate with proven experience in workforce planning, skills strategy, or developing sector partnerships, ideally within complex or regulated industries. A strong understanding of labour market trends and national skills policy, along with experience working collaboratively with government or public sector stakeholders.

The ideal individual will be able to translate strategic workforce insights into actionable plans that support long-term talent development and business resilience.

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we’d like you to have experience in some of the following:

  • Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.

  • Ability to analyse complex data and translate insights into actionable plans.

  • Proficiency in predictive modelling, statistics, and workforce analytics.

  • Familiarity with human capital trends and business strategy.

  • Ability to analyse complex workforce data and trends.

  • Develop long-term workforce plans that align with organisational goals.

  • Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders.

  • Strong collaboration and communication skills to work effectively with various departments.

You’ll need to have the ability to work calmly and constructively in a priority changing environment and be able to manage your own workload. You will also have initiative, enthusiasm, a flexible approach, and ability to work to tight deadlines.

Some reasons we think you’ll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

  • 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.

  • Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).

  • Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave – 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave – 4 Weeks Full Pay.

  • Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.

  • Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.

  • Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).

  • Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.

  • Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

The ‘Working at AWE’ page on our website is where you can find full details in the ‘AWE Benefits Guide’.

Hybrid working is available for this role on an informal, non-contractual basis. Typically 3 days onsite per week.

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