At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic partnerships to drive revenue growth and integrate learning solutions.
- Company: Join Kaplan Professional, a leader in education and training.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, and comprehensive benefits.
- Other info: Dynamic role with potential for team leadership as partnerships grow.
- Why this job: Shape the future of education through impactful partnerships and innovation.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in commercial leadership and partnership development.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 100000 £ per year.
We are looking for an entrepreneurial commercial leader to build Kaplan Professional Education's strategic partnership ecosystem. Rather than focusing on direct sales, you will create high-value alliances that enable organisations to embed Kaplan's learning solutions within their own propositions, creating scalable, sustainable revenue growth.
You will focus on how we build strategic alliances to "sell-through" organisations—integrating our services into the value propositions of consulting partners, membership bodies, and referral networks to generate commercial revenue. You will serve as the primary engine for driving non-linear growth through partner led revenue channels, identifying and forging high-value alliances across our core subject areas - Accountancy, Tax, Digital, AI, and Technology.
As Kaplan's strategic partnerships lead, you will act as a senior individual contributor and strategic advisor to the Executive Leadership Team, shaping alliance strategy, identifying emerging market opportunities, and influencing how partnerships support Kaplan's long-term commercial growth and market position.
What you’ll bring to the role
- Essential
- Senior Commercial Leadership: Demonstrable success in senior commercial roles (Sales/Partnerships) with a proven ability to lead complex, high-value alliance strategies in the UK skills/training market.
- Partnership & Consultancy Mindset: A proven track record in forming high-trust, strategic links internally and externally, with the ability to see opportunity where others see boundaries.
- Analytical & Commercial Acumen: Extensive experience in developing revenue models (referral fees, joint ventures, etc.) and leveraging data to drive strategic decisions and partnership ROI.
- Strategic Stakeholder Management: Ability to engage at the C-suite and director levels within partner organisations, acting as a bridge between technical/educational teams and commercial leadership.
- UK Market Awareness: Deep understanding of the UK skills and apprenticeship landscape (including the apprenticeship levy and funding rules), with the ability to discuss these topics confidently with technical experts.
- Communication: Exceptional written and presentation skills, with the ability to present complex commercial solutions to internal executives and external partners alike.
- Desirable
- Leadership Potential: Although this is currently an individual contributor role, we are looking for candidates with the ambition to scale this function. As we successfully grow our partnerships, there is an intention to build and lead a team; therefore, prior leadership and team management experience is highly desirable.
- Experience in the EdTech, professional services, or consultancy sectors.
- Experience in high-growth B2B environments.
- Experience in mapping and leveraging international/global partnerships.
What we offer
- 28 days annual leave + option to purchase more
- Season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
- Big discounts on Kaplan courses for you and your family
- Private medical, income protection, and life insurance
- 24/7 confidential helpline providing counselling and other support services
- Company pension contributions
- Maternity, Adoption, Shared Parental and Paternity/Partner pay which is well above statutory levels
How to apply
To apply for this role please submit a CV along with a Cover Letter detailing how you meet the requirements of the role no later than 11pm on Wednesday 29th July 2026. Note, we recommend that you apply at the earliest as we reserve the right to close the role before the closing date if we have gathered a suitable shortlist.
Kaplan is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. This role involves working with learners who are under 18 years old and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Recruitment checks are undertaken in accordance with our background checking policy. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure (including children’s barred list) via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to confirm their suitability to work with children and young people.
As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role as per the job description and any screening or testing stages.
Head of Commercial Partnerships in London employer: KP UK
Kaplan Professional is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and development, offering a supportive work culture where integrity and collaboration thrive. With competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and flexible working arrangements, employees are empowered to succeed while contributing to a mission of providing equal access to education. Joining Kaplan means being part of a diverse global organisation that values creativity and fosters meaningful career progression in the finance and education sectors.
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Commercial Partnerships in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at KP UK, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
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How to prepare for a job interview at KP UK
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
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Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
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✨Know their business model
Get familiar with KP UK’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.
