Corporate Strategy Manager in Cheltenham

Backed by TDR Capital, BPP (part of Lyceum Education Group) is a leader in the UK higher education and professional training sector, empowering people worldwide to build and transform their careers. Over the past three years, BPP has accelerated its growth through multiple acquisitions and successful entry into the Canadian and Australian markets, establishing a truly international footprint. With a bold digital and technology agenda and a clear vision for internationalisation, BPP is shaping the future of education by combining academic excellence with cutting edge innovation.

An opportunity has arisen for a Corporate Strategy Manager to join BPP as a key member of the Strategy & Transformation team. In this role, you will be responsible for supporting the development and execution of company and business unit strategies.

Why work for BPP? It is a great time to join BPP as we have enjoyed a sustained period of growth, offering a wealth of opportunities to our staff, students and clients. There are many more great reasons to join BPP such as:

• Brilliantly, you can study any of our courses for free – be it a professional qualification or full degree.
• With hybrid working available, you’ll be able to split your time between one of our centres and wherever you choose to call home.
• We also provide a generous annual leave entitlement of 30 days, and there’s a rewards package that includes retail discounts and much more.
• Other key benefits include our Group Personal Pension Plan, dedicated private healthcare and dental plans that offer additional assurance to look after you and your family.

What you’ll be doing: This role combines strategic analysis, insight generation, business case development, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure that strategic initiatives are effectively planned, monitored, and delivered. As Corporate Strategy Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Strategic Execution & Support
  • Support execution of strategic initiatives across business units through financial and non-financial modelling, performance analysis, and scenario-based modelling.
  • Establish and maintain strategic planning cadences, including quarterly business reviews (QBRs), templates, reporting structures, and cross-functional alignment.
  • Collaborate with business units to gather updates, monitor progress against strategic objectives, and provide actionable recommendations.
  • Provide analytical support for department-led projects, including scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, and commercial assessments.
  • Identify opportunities to use AI agents, automation frameworks, and LLM‑based workflows to enhance efficiency, insight generation, and strategic execution.
• Strategic Insight & Market Intelligence
  • Own and maintain a strategic insight hub covering market, competitor, and customer trends, with a focus on innovation in education and adjacent sectors.
  • Produce regular briefs and updates on emerging trends, disruptive technologies, and market dynamics (e.g., AI in assessment, learning platform disruption, corporate training spend trends).
  • Apply LLMs and AI‑enabled research tools to accelerate insight generation and synthesise large datasets into clear, strategic implications.
  • Develop structured, data‑rich insight packs that inform company‑wide and BU‑specific strategy development.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence
  • Act as a liaison between Strategy and key stakeholders, including PMI, PMO, M&A, and Project Management teams, facilitating the flow of strategic information.
  • Drive adoption of AI‑enhanced analytical tools, automated reporting, and intelligent agents across cross-functional teams.
  • Independently manage small-to-medium strategic workstreams, delivering findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
  • Influence decision-making across the organization, promoting strategic initiatives and ensuring adoption without formal authority.
• Long-Term Vision & Strategic Planning
  • Contribute to defining and articulating the long-term strategic vision for the organisation and its business units.
  • Support leadership in identifying growth opportunities, operational improvements, and market expansion initiatives.
  • Champion a culture of experimentation and responsible adoption of AI, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation.
  • Actively support the professional development of junior strategy staff and contribute to the continuous improvement of strategic processes and frameworks.

What we’re looking for: To be successful in this role you will need:

• 4-6 years’ experience in strategy consulting, internal strategy, corporate development, or equivalent.
• Experience across multiple industries and strategy project types (corporate strategy, growth strategy, market entry, operating model, commercial due diligence).
• Demonstrated experience using or implementing LLMs, AI agents, machine-learning–powered insight tools, or workflow automations in a strategic or operational context.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyse financial and non-financial performance drivers.
• Proficient in financial modelling, data analysis, and preparing executive-level presentations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Highly organised, proactive, and capable of managing multiple priorities and workstreams simultaneously.
• Interest in education sector trends preferred, AI transformation in learning, etc.

As a Disability Confident employer, BPP is committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process. Candidates are encouraged to share any adjustment requirements ahead of interview so these can be considered and accommodated. BPP actively promotes equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates. BPP will select candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience.

Please note that for those posts that are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a DBS check in addition to BPP undertaking any necessary online searches. This is deemed appropriate and necessary from a safeguarding perspective, and in line with BPP safer recruitment practices. BPP reserves the right to amend or withdraw this advertisement at any time prior to the closing date, should we receive a high volume of applications or if business needs change.