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- Tasks: Join us as a Business Planner, coordinating and delivering strategic plans for our organisation.
- Company: Brandon Trust empowers individuals of all abilities to create opportunities and live fulfilling lives.
- Benefits: Enjoy remote work options and a supportive, inclusive workplace culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by improving business processes and supporting leadership accountability.
- Qualifications: Strong organisational, analytical, and communication skills are essential; data literacy is a plus.
- Other info: This is a fixed term role for up to 12 months, perfect for gaining valuable experience.
We're looking for a Business Planner to play a key role in delivering our corporate business plans. They interpret annual plans, develop milestones, and support the Wider Leadership Team (WLT) in being accountable for delivery. This includes coordinating and consolidating WLT plans into one cohesive organisational plan, identifying dependencies, and integrating resource and budget considerations. The role ensures clear accountability for deliverables by coordinating, monitoring, and reporting progress to the Executive Leadership Team, Board of Trustees, and internal boards (Social Impact, People, and Digital). It also involves identifying and improving ineffective business processes. Strong organisational, analytical, and communication skills are essential to align plans and processes across the organisation. This role is a fixed term / secondment of up to 12 months.
The Objectives of the role:
- Annual planning and alignment: Design and coordinate a planning process that produces comprehensive, cohesive, and strategic-aligned annual plans from each WLT member. Ensure all departmental plans are integrated into a single organisational plan aligned with strategic objectives and the three-year medium-term plan. Embed specific, measurable goals across all dimensions of the annual plan.
- Milestone and delivery accountability: Embed accountability within the WLT for delivery of milestones and commitments. Provide structured support and challenge to the WLT to ensure delivery remains on track. Create visibility of team milestones for internal boards (e.g. People Board) and Executive Boards, achieving 100% on-time, correctly formatted reporting.
- Resource and capacity management: Identify and address cross-organisational dependencies in planning and delivery. Coordinate resource management, reviewing project plans for capacity risks and escalating issues to the ELT for resolution. Work with department heads to allocate resources effectively and realistically.
- Reporting and governance: Develop and maintain reporting mechanisms that track and highlight progress, achievements, risks, and contingencies. Provide timely, accurate updates to the WLT, ELT, internal boards, and Board of Trustees. Collaborate with the Governance and Impact Manager to implement a clear, consistent reporting and assurance cycle.
- Process and performance improvement: Identify business processes that are unfit for purpose and develop improvement plans with clear ownership and outcomes. Implement business control enhancements to improve performance and support goal achievement. Ensure planning and reporting activities meet organisational policies and regulatory requirements.
- Tools, capability and adoption: Drive the organisation-wide adoption of Brandon’s Project Toolkit to support consistent implementation of plans and projects. Provide guidance and expertise to stakeholders using the toolkit to improve project planning and delivery outcomes.
The core skills we're looking for:
- Data Literacy
- Digital Skills
- Governance and compliance
- Good financial awareness
- Health & Safety
- Brandon Values
- Excellent planning and organising
- Great Stakeholder management with great influencing skills and ability to network
- Analytical skills with the ability to write and produce reports
- Good understanding of commercial awareness
- Critical thinking along with great systems knowledge
If you are interested please submit your application by Thursday 8th May 2025. Brandon Trust work alongside people of different ability so they are able to create opportunity and feel empowered to live the life they want. We are an Equal Opportunities employer and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. Remote working/work at home options are available for this role.
Business Planner - Bristol/Hybrid employer: Brandon Trust
Contact Detail:
Brandon Trust Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Planner - Bristol/Hybrid
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific tools and methodologies mentioned in the job description, such as Brandon’s Project Toolkit. Understanding how to effectively use these tools can set you apart during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of StudySmarter or similar organisations. Engaging with them can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable during your application process.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with cross-organisational dependencies and resource management. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully coordinated projects and managed stakeholder expectations in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your analytical skills by preparing to discuss how you've identified and improved ineffective business processes in previous roles. Highlighting your problem-solving abilities will demonstrate your fit for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Planner - Bristol/Hybrid
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly read the job description for the Business Planner position. Understand the key responsibilities and required skills, such as organisational, analytical, and communication skills.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to highlight relevant experience and skills that align with the job requirements. Emphasise your ability to coordinate plans, manage resources, and improve business processes.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your understanding of the role and how your background makes you a suitable candidate. Mention specific examples of past experiences where you've successfully managed projects or improved processes.
Highlight Relevant Skills: In your application, be sure to emphasise your data literacy, digital skills, and stakeholder management abilities. These are crucial for the Business Planner role and should be clearly articulated in both your CV and cover letter.
How to prepare for a job interview at Brandon Trust
✨Understand the Role Thoroughly
Before the interview, make sure you have a solid grasp of what the Business Planner role entails. Familiarise yourself with the key responsibilities such as coordinating WLT plans and ensuring accountability for deliverables. This will help you articulate how your skills align with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Given the emphasis on analytical skills in the job description, prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully used data to drive decisions or improve processes. Be ready to discuss how you can apply these skills to enhance business planning at the company.
✨Demonstrate Strong Communication Abilities
As the role requires clear communication with various teams, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Prepare to discuss how you've effectively communicated complex information in previous roles, especially in reporting progress to leadership teams.
✨Prepare Questions About Their Processes
Show your interest in the company by preparing insightful questions about their current planning processes and how they measure success. This not only demonstrates your enthusiasm for the role but also gives you a chance to assess if their working style aligns with your own.
