Relationship Manager Salary: £66,556 - £72,917 Location: Bristol Plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension About us The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education in England – we regulate higher education on behalf of all students. Our mission is to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers About the role The OfS is seeking a dynamic Relationship Manager to act as the key liaison between our organisation and key data providers, including the D esignated D ata B ody (DDB), E ducation and S kills F unding A gency (ESFA), UCAS, and S tu d ent Loans C ompany (SLC). In this role, you will ensure the effective, timely, and robust delivery of data to meet our regulatory requirements. You'll challenge and manage both external data providers and internal stakeholders, making critical data-related decisions that align with our strategic objectives. You’ll also ensure we keep tr ack of any issues and escalate them accordingly with both internal stakeholders and third parties. This is a new role to the organisation so you’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact. If you have excellent communication and management skills, and a drive to make a difference in the education sector, we want to hear from you Key responsibilities for the role include: Relationship Management : Establish and maintain strategic and operational relationships with key data providers (DDB, ESFA, UCAS, SLC). Collaborate with internal OfS teams to set clear expectations for data providers, ensuring alignment with regulatory needs. Monitor and mitigate risks related to data provision, ensuring smooth and consistent data flows. Expectations Management : Work with internal stakeholders to define and set clear expectations for data delivery and performance from third-party providers. Track and assess performance against these expectations, ensuring that data is provided in a timely, accurate, and usable format. Regularly report on progress, challenges, and risks related to data delivery and provider performance. Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting : Maintain, develop and implement a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy and action plan. Monitor the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement activities, identifying opportunities for improvement or closer coordination with other teams. Act as the primary point of contact for OfS colleagues and external parties regarding data-related issues, including Designated Data Body publications and reporting. Key Performance Metrics (KPMs) and Reporting : Develop and refine Key Performance Metrics (KPMs) to measure the performance of third-party data providers. Coordinate and manage required reporting processes, including the production of triennial reports for the Designated Data Body (DDB). Cross-Functional Collaboration : Collaborate with other teams within the OfS to ensure the smooth delivery of data and alignment of priorities. Support internal teams in managing data supply risks, providing advice and guidance on third-party interactions. Flexibility & Agility : Operate flexibly across different teams and projects, adapting to emerging priorities and working to deliver impactful outcomes within the agreed timescales. About you Essential experience : Proven experience in managing relationships with diverse external stakeholders, ideally including data providers, government bodies, and internal teams. Demonstrated track record of managing and improving third-party relationships, including contract management and negotiations. Strong understanding of risk management practices, particularly related to data provision, and the ability to proactively mitigate risks. Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage with senior stakeholders (including C-suite executives) and present complex information clearly and persuasively. Experience in governance structure development and coordinating across teams to ensure alignment and effective execution of data-related initiatives. Experience in collaborating with external and internal teams to manage plans, risks, and deliverables. Desirable experience : Familiarity with regulatory data environments, particularly in higher education or public services. Knowledge of project management principles and tools, with experience in delivering projects involving multiple stakeholders. Personal attributes : Ability to anticipate challenges and take initiative to resolve issues before they impact data delivery or relationships. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and credibility with external partners and internal teams alike. Comfortable working in a dynamic and agile environment, managing multiple priorities, and adapting to changing demand Application process: There is also one application question to complete online. Working for us: The OfS values diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do. We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. We love working flexibly because we know that it helps us all to do our best work. We’ve created a set of principles to shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams then use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. This would usually mean working from the office for two or three days in a typical week. To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants, flexible working, for example job share and part time working, apply to these roles. Closing date: Monday 17 March at noon