Head of Commercial Partnerships and Sales

At Croydon College Group our staff are passionate and committed to achieve the very best outcomes for our students. We believe it is through our people that an excellent student experience will be delivered, and this will have a positive impact in our local community. Our visions and values ensure that we put our students first and value our staff as our greatest asset.

We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a passion for sales, apprenticeships and education to establish and maintain strategic partnerships, secure and maintain a recurring sales pipeline to deliver our ambitions to meet skills needs in the Borough and beyond. The successful candidate will drive our mission to position Croydon College as a Skills Provider of choice in South London. The School/Department is an exceptional place to work, with staff working collaboratively to ensure the very best outcomes for our students.

This role involves securing contracts, negotiating agreements, and ensuring successful collaboration to achieve our ambitious growth plans. This role extends to learner find and recruitment services and securing high quality work placements for students.

Duties will include:

• Developing and implementing sales strategies: Create and execute strategies that align with growth targets and objectives, including identifying new markets and opportunities.
• Managing commercial partnerships: Establish and maintain strategic alliances with businesses to drive sales and growth.
• Sales and pipeline planning: Ensure a robust and recurring sales pipeline for apprenticeships. Develop and implement strategies to grow and enhance the apprenticeship programs through commercial partnerships.
• Stakeholder relations: Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders, including employers and community partners.
• Contract negotiation: Secure contracts and negotiate agreements to facilitate successful collaborations.

The successful candidate will have:

• Strong knowledge of the skills landscape and understanding of the wider social-economic context of the need to bring employers and learners together.
• Knowledge of local labour market opportunities and of local/national trends.
• Experience of working in and leading a team in a sales and target driven environment.
• Experience of apprenticeship sales both with large and small employers is essential.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to a variety of audiences in a variety of settings and situations.
• Ability to work under pressure and to prioritise, set and achieve own targets without direct supervision.

Apart from our great location, our wonderful staff and positive culture, we also offer a range of other staff benefits, including generous annual leave and defined benefit pension schemes. We also value staff development and have 7 days a year planned for staff development, including elements of team development, socialisation and staff wellbeing.

If you are as passionate about making a difference, we look forward to receiving your application and joining our great college group. The College is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive learning community, where we value inclusivity and treat our staff and students as individuals. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and welcome applications from a diverse range of individuals.

For successful applicants, the post is subject to enhanced DBS check and other onboarding requirements in line with the Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidelines.

Application Closing Date: 16th June 2025

Interview / Selection Date: week commencing 23rd June 2025

NOTE: Candidates will be expected to prepare a 10-minute presentation to demonstrate the key points of the job description.