Provincial Partnership Manager

SmartStart; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A national NGO network in Johannesburg seeks a Provincial Partnership Manager to enhance early learning access. The role involves managing relationships with government and partners while fostering community engagement. Key qualifications include extensive public sector experience, a degree in Education or related, and skills in partnership development. The role supports educational initiatives and requires substantial local travel, emphasizing collaboration to overcome systemic barriers.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in partnerships or public sector engagement.
• Track record of working with government bodies.
• Experience managing multi-sectoral partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with provincial education departments.
• Support and capacitate branches to implement plans.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders for effective engagement.

Skills

Partnership development

Public sector engagement

Education systems knowledge

ECCE/ECD understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Education or related field

Job description

Johannesburg, South Africa | Posted on 01/21/2026

SmartStart is a successful national network of NGOs and partners that is realising quality, affordable early learning for all children aged three to five. We are achieving this by scaling a network of and building a platform for providers, achieving specific ecosystem transformations with governments and partners, and promoting early learning as a priority societal cause.

Job Description

Job Purposes:

TheProvincial Partnership Manager is responsible for supporting the SmartStartnetwork to build and manage strategic relationships with provincial anddistrict government, municipalities, and key ecosystem partners to enableSmartStart’s mission of expanding access to quality early learning.

The roleacts as a systems enabler, ensuring alignment between national policyintentions, provincial implementation realities, and community-level delivery.It works closely with SmartStart Branches, Franchisors, Programme Leads, andthe Network Support Team to create coherent, joined-up approaches toprovincial, district and community partnership building.

Key Responsibilities

Work closely with Franchisors and branches tosupport and capacitate them to:

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with ProvincialEducation Departments (PEDs).
  
• Support joint planning processes by sharing spatial data, mappinganalysis, and community insights to guide provincial prioritisation ofunderserved areas.
  
• Strengthen collaboration on the Bana Pele Blueprint, massregistration, compliance pathways, and red-tape reduction.
  
• Develop and maintain provincial partnership agreements, MoUs, andimplementation frameworks.
  
• Represent SmartStart at provincial intersectoral forums, ensuringearly learning is recognised as a provincial priority and thatSmartStart’s model is understood and valued.
  
• Surface systemic barriers (registration, subsidy access,infrastructure constraints) and co-develop solutions with PEDs.
  

Support Franchisors and Branches to work with District DBE officials toembed SmartStart’s value proposition at district level, including support forinformal ELPs and the registration and subsidy pipeline.

• Collaborate closely with Branches, Programme Leads, and the NetworkSupport Team to ensure consistent and effective approaches to district andmunicipal engagement
  
• Support the role out of SmartStart’s community engagement protocolas a norms shifting tool to enable Franchisors and branches to buildstructured and long-term partnerships with municipalities which expandaccess to early learning programmes and address regulatory barriers
  

Build capacity of the network (Branches,Franchisors, Programme Leads) to engage municipalities effectively and presentunified, contextually relevant proposals.

4.Ecosystem Engagement & Local Partnerships

• Support ongoingecosystem mapping to ensure we can build the right partnerships with RTOs,NGOs, CBOs, local ECD Forums, faith-based structures, and communitystakeholders to strengthen local Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)ecosystems.
  
• Support thedevelopment of infrastructure, nutrition and other strategic partnershipsaligned to SmartStart’s orchestrator/enabler model.
  
• PositionSmartStart as a trusted partner in community-level ECCE planning andproblem-solving.
  

5. Internal Coordination & Support

• Collaborate closely with SmartStart Branches, Franchisors,Programme Leads, and the Network Support Team to ensure partnershipengagements translate into operational improvements and local systemchange.
  
• Provide guidance, tools, templates, and messaging to supportBranches/Franchisors in navigating provincial and municipal relationships.
  
• Feed provincial insights into national-level strategy, includingadvocacy priorities and policy opportunities.
  
• Support MEL processes by documenting partnership performance,systemic changes, and lessons learned.
  

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

· Essential experience

· 7+ years in partnerships, public sector engagement, ECCE/ECD, educationsystems, or development sectors.

· A track-record of success working with government (provincial, district,municipal).

· Experience managing complex, multi-sectoral partnerships with NGOs,RTOs, CBOs, and community-level actors.

· Desirable: Understanding of ECCE/ECD policy frameworks and provincialimplementation dynamics.

· Bachelor’s degree in Education, Public Policy, Development Studies,Social Sciences, or related field (postgraduate preferred).

· Driver’s licence and willingness to travel extensively across thecountry.