Senior Business Development Manager

Association of Colleges

Hours
Full-time 37.5 Hours per week

About the Organisation

Association of Colleges (AoC) is the national voice for further education, sixth form, tertiary, and specialist colleges in the UK. It represents and promotes the interests of its member colleges at both a national and regional level, working to influence government policy, funding, and legislation that impact the further education (FE) sector.

AoC aims to ensure that colleges play a central role in transforming lives, strengthening communities, and driving economic growth by providing high-quality education and training opportunities. Membership is open to all FE, sixth form, and specialist colleges across the UK, offering access to lobbying efforts, professional development resources, networking opportunities, and expert guidance on sector-related issues.

About the role

Senior Business Development Manager at the Association of Colleges (AoC) plays a pivotal role in driving income generation and fostering strategic partnerships to support the organization's mission of representing and promoting the interests of colleges in England. This position is integral to the Business Development team, contributing to the delivery of AoC's strategic objectives and assisting member colleges in achieving excellent outcomes for students.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of further education by driving strategic initiatives that support colleges across England. The successful candidate will be instrumental in shaping AoC's business development efforts, ensuring the organization continues to provide high-quality professional support to its members.

Responsibilities

Accountabilities & Responsibilities:

• Work with the Head of Business Development to deliver a consistent approach to business development, income generation, and partnership working across the organization, in line
• with AoC’s strategic plan.
• Responsible for sourcing, applying for, and securing project funding for activities across the organization that:
  •  In line with AOC's strategic plan and sector priorities; and
  •  Meet the financial target set by the AoC Board.
• Manage the full tender process, with responsibility for writing applications and tender response documents, completing budgets and meeting funder due diligence requirements.
• Maximise commercial growth opportunities across AoC by identifying existing commercial assets and supporting the creation of new opportunities including assessing the financial viability, risks, benefits, and operational and resource requirements of new and existing services.
• Engage and build strong relationships with external stakeholders and delivery partners.
• Identify relevant partners, sponsors, and funders to generate sustainable income for AoC
• including AoC Sport, the Charitable Trust, and AoC Services.
• Provide regular reports on the status of business development and partnership opportunities.
• Work with staff in the Projects team to ensure high-quality implementation from funding application to project delivery. Review project outcomes and impact and feed these into future bidding activity.
• Build collaborative internal relationships, consulting with senior colleagues to assist with identifying new funding streams and partnerships.
• Carry out weekly searches of funding opportunities to ensure all relevant leads are identified early. Develop a pipeline of opportunities that support the team to meet financial targets in the years ahead.
• 10. Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of the further education sector priorities.
• Full line management responsibility for people, including planning resource needs, recruiting, and training staff, and developing team members to maximize their full
• potential.
• Set up budgets for projects and develop pricing for commercial assets.
• Meet with external funders and partners and attend sector networking events.
• Any other duties that may reasonably be requested by the Head of Business Development.

Skills, Competencies & Experience

• Experience working in the further education and skills sector with a strong understanding of public sector operating models
• Proven ability to build relationships with key decision-makers, secure external funding, and drive income generation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including expertise in funding applications, report writing, and confident presentations
• Experience in effectively managing people, including setting clear objectives, providing guidance and support, fostering professional development, and ensuring team productivity and engagement
• Strong relationship management skills with a collaborative approach to teamwork and idea generation 
• Strategic mindset with financial and commercial awareness and the ability to generate and identify business opportunities and solutions
• Effective time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines, maintain accuracy under pressure, and solve problems creatively
• Computer confidence, good skills, and knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook,
• Excel and PowerPoint, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system
• Demonstrates respect for equality and diversity and works actively
• promote an inclusive work environment and good working relationships with colleagues 

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree

Compensation & Benefits

• Attractive Benefits Package
• Other Benefits

Working locations

• Home-based

How to apply

• Send an email to [email protected] with a CV and a cover letter by 5th March 2025 at 10 AM

Interviews

• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. The interview will be held on 17th March 2025

Policies

• AoC is committed to providing equal opportunities and embracing diversity. We encourage applications from everyone and will not discriminate against any applicants based on age, disability, sex, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

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