At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead business development and drive commercial growth in our Consulting practice.
- Company: ImpactEd Group, a social enterprise focused on education and sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, professional development, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Join a supportive team with opportunities for growth and connection.
- Why this job: Shape the future of education while making a real impact in the community.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in consulting and business development within the education sector.
The predicted salary is between 63023 - 70400 € per year.
For full information on this role, including the key responsibilities and person specification, please view the job pack here.
Expected earnings of £75,056-£92,720 (base salary: £63,023-£70,400) with opportunities for performance related pay and annual profit share, dependent on company performance. We are happy to discuss part-time working options. Applications close at 23:59 on Sunday 7th June 2026.
The Organisation
ImpactEd Group supports education and purpose-driven organisations to maximise and realise their potential. We do this by helping our partners to be consistently impactful and operationally sustainable. Drawing on our domain expertise and technical skills in these areas, ImpactEd Group aims to be the first port of call for leaders across the education ecosystem.
This role exists as a senior leader in our Group and leads the business development and commercial growth of our Consulting Practice. ImpactEd Consulting (IEC) supports school groups, education organisations and government agencies in the following specialist areas:
- Strategy, governance and strategic projects
- Data and AI advisory
- People and culture
- Fundraising and philanthropy
Partners include the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the Department for Education, Oasis Community Learning, Careers and Enterprise Company, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, The Economist Educational Foundation, Star Academies, Get Further, Reach Foundation and more.
The Opportunity
We are excited to be recruiting for a Principal Director to lead business development and commercial growth within our Consulting practice. This is a new role within the practice. Reporting to our Group Directors, the Director will work as part of a practice leadership team that will oversee all aspects of the Consulting team's work, with a focus on partnership development, retention and growth.
You will provide strategic leadership, represent the organisation both internally and externally, and be responsible for driving the commercial performance of the practice, ensuring that ImpactEd Consulting is positioned well as first port of call for schools and social purpose organisations who want to achieve greater impact and sustainability. You will lead a number of sales and marketing campaigns, develop key propositions for our partners, provide high level guidance and advice, scan and respond to relevant tenders and work closely with a team of consultants to ensure we are able to continue to bring accessible expertise to our work and partners.
The role would be ideal for a proven leader with deep understanding and networks across the education sector, a track record in consulting and business development, and the ambition to shape the direction of a growing social enterprise.
About you
As a team focused on research and evaluation, we would also expect roles at this level to demonstrate:
- Values and people: Alignment with our values and ability to demonstrate them in your work. You will facilitate conversations about professional development for your direct reports and act as a coach and role model for other members of the team.
- Partnership management: Modelling of excellence in partnership management, particularly on proactive driving of partnerships forward, scope management and stakeholder engagement.
- Sales and scope design: Leadership of business development for consultancy engagements to support high-complexity partnerships and support our partners to deliver against their knottiest challenges.
- Proposition development: Understanding of our sector and ability to combine that with our offers as a practice to create propositions that can drive partnership and business development opportunities.
- Reporting and improvement: Ability to listen to and synthesise partner needs to tailor advice and guidance, quality assure others' outputs, and help partners take action off the back of our work.
Our Head Office is in London, and we have satellite offices in Leeds and Lincolnshire, but our team work from across the country; we are happy to support remote, hybrid or office-based working. For this role we anticipate there to be weekly attendance in London, ad-hoc attendance at sector events and three in-person offsites per year.
Why Us?
As well as a commitment to the organisations we work with, we have a commitment to our people and developing the next generation of leaders within the social enterprise, education and evaluation sectors.
Our employee experience is organised around four themes:
- Trust: we support hybrid working, provide flexible hours, and provide responsive management.
- Shared ownership: we are an employee owned organisation and look to increasingly share ownership with our employees, including in terms of governance and culture, and realise this in a number of ways such as ownership awards, and transparent governance including an Employee Voice board.
- Connection: we pay for your travel, provide termly company offsites, support informal clubs and societies, and provide opportunities for in-person and digital connection between colleagues.
- Health and fulfilment: we have an extensive professional development programme, provide an annual books and development budget allowance and offer 3 days of CPD leave per year in addition to annual leave. We offer all employees access to a MediCash plan and wellbeing advice, including free therapist support.
Principal Director in London employer: IMPACTED GROUP
ImpactEd Group is an exceptional employer that prioritises the growth and well-being of its employees while making a significant impact in the education sector. With a strong commitment to flexible working arrangements, shared ownership, and extensive professional development opportunities, employees are empowered to thrive both personally and professionally. The collaborative work culture fosters connection and innovation, making it an ideal environment for those looking to lead meaningful change in education.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Director in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the education sector. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential partners or mentors. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job opportunities!
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! When you’re chatting with folks, make sure to highlight your experience in business development and partnerships. Share success stories that demonstrate your impact and how you can help organisations grow. This will set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out to organisations you admire, like ImpactEd Group, and express your interest in working with them. A well-timed email can open doors you didn’t even know existed!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing applications come directly from our site. It shows you’re genuinely interested in joining us. Plus, it’s a great way to stay updated on any new roles that might fit your skills and ambitions.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Principal Director role. Highlight your understanding of partnerships and business development in the education sector, as this will show us you’re a great fit for our team.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a senior leader, it’s crucial to demonstrate your leadership style and how you’ve successfully managed teams or projects in the past. Share examples that illustrate your ability to drive commercial growth and foster strong partnerships.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the heart of your experience and how it relates to the role. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the position.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. This ensures that your application is received directly by our team and allows us to process it more efficiently. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at IMPACTED GROUP
✨Know Your Impact
Before the interview, dive deep into the mission and values of ImpactEd Group. Understand how they support education and purpose-driven organisations. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals and how you can contribute to maximising their impact.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Principal Director, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership capabilities. Prepare examples from your past where you've successfully led teams or projects, particularly in business development or consulting. Highlight your ability to drive partnerships and manage stakeholder engagement effectively.
✨Prepare for Strategic Discussions
Expect questions around strategy and commercial growth. Brush up on your knowledge of the education sector and be ready to discuss how you would approach developing key propositions for partners. Think about potential challenges and how you would address them.
✨Engage with Their Values
ImpactEd Group places a strong emphasis on values and people. Be prepared to discuss how you embody these values in your work. Share experiences that showcase your commitment to professional development, coaching, and fostering a positive team culture.
