At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead business development in education services and build strategic partnerships.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on children's social care and education.
- Benefits: £55,000 salary, 10% bonus, hybrid work, and significant influence on service development.
- Other info: Opportunity for career advancement and collaboration with leadership teams.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives while driving business growth.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in business development or commissioning within children's services or education.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 55000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid, with frequent travel to schools and occasional travel to the organisation's head office
Salary: £55,000 per annum
Bonus: 10% performance-related bonus
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to lead business development activity across a portfolio of regulated education services. The successful candidate will have a strong background in children's social care and/or education, ideally with experience of independent specialist education provision. You will bring a strong understanding of the regulatory environment, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), commissioning processes and the wider sector landscape. This is a key role focused on identifying new opportunities, developing strategic partnerships with local authorities and commissioners, and ensuring services are aligned with both regulatory requirements and the evolving needs of young people.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Business Partnering: Partner closely with regional operational teams to drive service growth, improve occupancy and align business development activity with operational capacity. Provide market intelligence and insight into commissioner requirements, regulatory developments and local demand. Support operational teams to maximise placement opportunities and ensure service offerings remain competitive and responsive to market needs.
- Placements & Referral Management: Lead and manage a placements function, ensuring referrals are handled effectively and responsively. Oversee the end-to-end referral and matching process, ensuring the needs of young people are appropriately assessed and placements align with availability, quality and service requirements. Monitor referral activity, conversion rates and pipeline opportunities. Provide regular analysis and insight to operational teams and senior leadership.
- Market Development & Growth: Identify, develop and secure new business opportunities within the education and children's services sectors. Undertake market and competitor analysis to inform strategic decision-making. Identify emerging opportunities and support the organisation's positioning within the market.
- Commissioner & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with local authority commissioners and other key stakeholders. Develop partnerships and identify opportunities for collaboration and service growth. Represent the organisation at relevant sector events, forums and strategic meetings.
- Compliance & Regulatory Guidance: Maintain strong knowledge of the regulatory framework applicable to regulated education services. Provide guidance and updates to internal stakeholders on relevant regulatory developments. Ensure business development activity and placement processes reflect appropriate regulatory and quality standards.
- Reporting & Performance Insight: Develop and deliver regular trading reports and dashboards for senior leadership. Provide clear insight into referral volumes and conversion rates, occupancy levels, placement and business development pipelines, market trends and competitor activity, commissioner engagement. Analyse data to identify trends, risks and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations. Ensure reporting is accurate, timely and aligned with operational KPIs and growth objectives.
About You
You will ideally have:
- At least 3 years' experience in business development, commissioning or strategic leadership within children's social care or education.
- Experience within independent specialist education or a closely related environment.
- Proven experience of partnering with operational teams to align commercial and growth strategies with service delivery.
- Experience leading or managing a placements/referrals function, particularly involving complex or high-volume referrals.
- A strong track record of developing relationships with local authorities, commissioners and other key stakeholders.
- Strong commercial awareness and the ability to identify and convert business growth opportunities.
- Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to interpret data, market intelligence and regulatory developments.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
- Experience working closely with operational leadership teams in children's services, social care, education or related support services.
- An understanding of commissioning frameworks, funding pathways and procurement processes within children's services.
- Experience supporting service design or redesign in response to regulatory changes or changing commissioner requirements.
What We Offer
- £55,000 salary
- 10% performance-related bonus
- Hybrid working
- A senior role with significant influence over business growth and service development
- The opportunity to work closely with operational and executive leadership teams
- A role with a direct impact on improving access to appropriate services for young people
If you have the commercial expertise, sector knowledge and relationship-building skills to drive growth within regulated education and children's services, we would be keen to hear from you.
Business Development Manger - Care & Education in Bradford employer: LJ Recruitment Limited
As a Registered Manager at our children's residential home in Walsall, you will be part of a supportive and nurturing work culture that prioritises the well-being and development of both staff and children. We offer competitive salaries, including a generous welcome bonus, along with ample opportunities for professional growth and training to enhance your skills in this rewarding field. Join us in making a meaningful impact in the lives of young people while enjoying a fulfilling career in a vibrant community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manger - Care & Education in Bradford
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We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manger - Care & Education in Bradford
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.
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Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at LJ Recruitment Limited, 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 LJ Recruitment Limited
✨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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✨Portfolio of Projects
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✨Know their business model
Get familiar with LJ Recruitment Limited’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.
