Business Development Manager

Are you an experienced Business Development Manager with a strong background in the apprenticeship, skills or further education sector? Do you have a proven track record of developing commercial partnerships and driving business growth?

We are recruiting for an exciting opportunity to join a leading Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation at a pivotal stage of its growth. This newly created senior role will play a key part in expanding market presence, developing new partnerships and driving the continued success of high-quality apprenticeship assessment services.

If you have experience working with training providers, employers, Awarding Organisations or End-Point Assessment Organisations (EPAOs), this could be the perfect opportunity to take the next step in your career.

Location: Didcot, Oxfordshire (with UK-wide travel)
Salary: £40,000 - £44,000 per annum

The ideal candidate will:

• Have proven experience in sales, business development or commercial growth at management level
• Have experience within the apprenticeship, further education or skills sector
• Have knowledge of Apprenticeship Assessment (formerly End-Point Assessment), Awarding Organisations or related education and training services
• Be confident developing relationships with employers, training providers and senior stakeholders
• Have excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills
• Be commercially focused with the ability to develop and implement growth strategies
• Have experience managing sales pipelines, forecasts and business performance
• Be confident representing an organisation at networking events, conferences and industry meetings
• Have strong analytical skills with a data-driven approach to business development
• Hold a full UK Driving Licence and have access to a reliable vehicle, as regular UK travel is required

The role will include:

• Developing and delivering the organisation's business development and sales strategy
• Identifying new commercial opportunities across apprenticeship standards and emerging markets
• Building long-term relationships with employers, training providers and key sector stakeholders
• Securing new assessment contracts and commercial partnerships
• Managing the full sales cycle from lead generation through to contract negotiation and onboarding
• Monitoring sales activity, forecasts and growth performance
• Working collaboratively with operational, quality and marketing teams to deliver an outstanding customer experience
• Providing market intelligence and competitor analysis to support business growth
• Delivering presentations to employers, providers and industry partners
• Representing the organisation at events across the UK

Benefits:

• Salary of £40,000 - £44,000 per annum
• 22 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and a 3-day paid Christmas shutdown
• Pension scheme (5% employee / 3% employer contribution)
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Reward Gateway Employee Discount Platform
• Specsavers voucher
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Opportunity to join a growing organisation where you can directly influence future commercial success

Due to the high volume of applications Recruited UK receives, we will make every effort to respond with feedback, although this is not always possible. If you have not been contacted within 5 working days, unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion. However, we may keep your details on file and contact you regarding future suitable opportunities.

If you're ready to use your apprenticeship sector expertise to help shape the future of assessment, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today with your most up-to-date CV.