Job Description

Reconnect Partnership Manager - East of England
Location: UK
Salary: Competitive
Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time
Closing Date: 24th September 2025
RECONNECT is a flagship NHS programme designed to address health inequalities faced by people leaving prison. It provides a bridge between prison and community healthcare, ensuring individuals can access the health and care support they need both before and after release. This service represents the largest investment in Health & Justice services in the past six years and plays a vital role in improving rehabilitation and resettlement outcomes across the region.
As Partnership Manager, you will act as the strategic link between Forward Trust teams and key stakeholders, ensuring seamless collaboration across prisons, probation, voluntary, and community health services.
You'll be the single point of contact driving partnership development, supporting frontline teams, and ensuring that service delivery meets high standards. Your role will be crucial in ensuring clients leaving custody can access holistic, person-centred support.
Key responsibilities include:

• Mapping and improving access to existing community services while identifying gaps in provision.
• Supporting voluntary sector partners to work effectively and safely within the prison environment.
• Developing and strengthening partnerships with CRCs, probation, healthcare, and community organisations.
• Acting as an advocate for clients and ensuring equitable access to services inside and outside prison.
• Contributing to quality standards, audits, and reporting requirements, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement.
• Providing guidance, supervision, and support to teams across the East of England.

This is a dynamic and varied role requiring a strategic mindset, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build strong working relationships at all levels.
What We're Looking For
We're seeking someone who is not only motivated by making a difference but also brings the skills and experience to thrive in this strategic role.
Essential criteria include:

• Strong IT and project management skills to support effective service delivery.
• Flexibility to adapt to the evolving needs of the service.
• Proven experience in developing service level agreements (SLAs) with multiple providers.
• Knowledge of community-based support organisations.
• Ability to represent Forward Trust with professionalism and credibility.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders in different settings.

If you are passionate about reducing health inequalities, strengthening partnerships, and helping people leaving prison access the support they need, we'd love to hear from you.
About Us
We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often-interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.
We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme - Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years' service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please proceed through the following link to be redirected to their website to complete your application.

Skills Required