Head of Public Sector Partnerships, Senior Manager Mid Senior level

Role: Head of Public Sector Partnerships, Senior Manager

Start Date: Immediate

Employment Type: Full time, 2-Year Contract (Renewable)

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Reporting Line: Chief Executive Officer

Role Purpose

This role builds and strengthens Teach For Malaysia's strategic partnerships with the public sector—particularly the Ministry of Education—by advocating for the organisation, securing programme buy-in, policy support, and enhancing its credibility and influence at both federal and local levels.

Principal Accountabilities

The Head of Public Sector Partnerships reports to the CEO and has a matrix reporting relationship to the Head of Program Duta Guru. This role will also manage the respective Stakeholder Engagement managers for the Fellowship and Program Duta Guru functions.

• Develop and implement public sector stakeholder engagement and partnership strategies, including building clear synergies for stakeholder engagement and partnership work across TFM's functions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers in the government and education policy experts to advocate effectively for the buy-in to TFM across all stakeholders.
• Identify and cultivate new government funding opportunities to secure funding and resources from public sector sources.
• Represent the organisation in public forums, interviews and media, including but not limited to:
• Communicating the organisation's work and impact to the public sector through close collaboration with the Research, Design and Impact manager to craft our impact narrative.
• Support the CEO in preparing speeches, press releases, narratives and other public-sector / government-related communications and forums.
• Identify and secure new strategic opportunities whether with government, embassies or other entities which will support the furtherance of TFM's collective impact.
• Matrix-manage stakeholder engagement managers in the organisation to ensure the overall approach and work is aligned with TFM's public sector partnership strategy and success in each pillar's stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Stay informed and contribute to organisational knowledge on current education policy issues by tracking policy developments and regulatory changes and using the information to inform our work engagements, strategy and growing org-wide knowledge on education policy matters.

Role Requirements

Competencies required for the role

Technical/ Functional competencies:

• Deep understanding of Malaysia's education policies, public sector structures, and government processes.
• Knowledge of how to influence policy, legislation, and regulation.
• Possesses a strong network of public sector/government stakeholders and can activate those relationships to further TFM's cause.
• Expertise in mapping, managing, and influencing high-level stakeholders (e.g., MOE, state departments, related agencies).
• Skilled in crafting compelling policy briefs, position papers, and communication tailored for government stakeholders.
• Understanding of how to align organisational programmes with national education priorities
• Competence in writing proposals and reports for government funding or strategic initiatives.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills for high-stakes advocacy.

Leadership competencies:

• Proactive self-starter with the ability to manage multiple streams of work, and independently prioritise tasks
• Strong desire to learn new things and grow professionally
• Ability to be adaptable in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and dynamic environment
• Resourceful and can work under tight deadlines and high-pressure situations.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with all levels of employees and stakeholders
• Proven ability to initiate, build, and sustain strategic partnerships
• Ability to lead and manage team members, develop team members, and foster a culture of collaboration and accountability.
• Demonstrates strategic planning and execution by aligning the team on a vision of success, planning strategically and monitoring progress systematically

Experiences & qualification

• At least 6 years of working experience.
• Experience working in government relations, advocacy, or stakeholder engagement and partnerships is highly preferred.
• Qualification in public policy, government relations, education, or a related field is advantageous.
• Bachelor's Degree in any field.
• Strong written and verbal skills and excellent proficiency in English and Bahasa Malaysia
• Having prior experience using technology platforms such as Google Suites, Confluence, Salesforce, Zoom is a plus.
• Ability to travel, work on some weekends, and other times as needed.