Business Development and Partnerships Manager, Essex

The Business Development & Partnerships Manager will report to the VP for Commercial and Employer Led Learning. They are responsible for both the procurement and management of subcontracting and partnership arrangements and for generating and maintaining new business opportunities to meet ambitious income targets across ACL. They will increase sales, seek new funding opportunities and develop innovative business cases that meet skills needs across Essex. They will manage the procurement of subcontractors and oversee the management of partners, liaising with relevant managers and teams to ensure compliance.
This is a countywide position, with responsibilities across the whole of Essex. The postholder will be based at one of eight ACL centres, selected based on proximity to their home. As part of this role you will however be expected to work across all of our centres and attend external meetings and events. There is flexibility to work from home 1-2 days per week.
The Service
Adult Community Learning (ACL) is ECC’s provider of lifelong learning experiences for Essex residents.
ACL offers qualifications to help people move nearer to, enter or progress within the workplace or gain skills to enhance life chances. The service focuses many of its programmes and activities on the hardest to reach communities within Essex. ACL learners have access to a diverse range of accredited and non-accredited courses which encourage creativity, healthy lifestyles, social inclusion and career progression.
Accountabilities
The role involves the development and implementation of new, innovative projects, including drafting business cases with financial modelling, research, and data collection. The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring that all projects, partnerships, and subcontracting arrangements meet key milestones, are delivered on time, and stay within budget. A key responsibility will be conducting sectoral research and horizon scanning to identify new business opportunities from both internal and external funding sources and writing and submitting bids to secure new income streams.
Additionally, the role involves building and maintaining professional networks with both internal and external stakeholders to enhance sales and identify new opportunities for expanding the curriculum offer. Effective collaboration with curriculum and finance teams, senior leaders, politicians, and business leaders will be essential. The role also includes leading the overall sales strategy for the organisation, particularly in increasing revenue from apprenticeships and employer-led learning opportunities.
The role will also oversee the procurement and management of external partnerships and subcontractors, collaborating with the ECC procurement team to conduct procurement competitions, evaluate submissions, and manage supplier relationships.
People Management
Line management of the Project and Partnerships Coordinator, Project Leads, and Apprentice and Employer Engagement Lead
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
· Educated to RQF level 6 (Bachelor’s degree) in Business management or similar, or equivalent by significant experience.
· Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant business area. Project Management or CIPS qualification desirable.
· Extensive experience in successful Bid and Business Case Writing.
· Experience of procurement practice and management of subcontractors or equivalent
· Demonstrable experience of successful project design and implementation, financial modelling, and budgetary management.
· Proven track record of successfully delivering against sales and income targets in an education setting or similar.
· Proven track record of leading a successful sales or business development team in an education setting
· Excellent working knowledge of ESFA funding rules
· An innovator who possess excellent communication skills and demonstrable experience of building successful working partnerships.
Application process and next steps
Please click the apply button which will link to the Working for Essex website. When prompted to submit a supporting statement please outline how you meet the role criteria and person specification for this position highlighting your professional experience to date of:
• Successfully securing new income streams both capital and revenue
• Leading and managing a sales/business development team
• Employer led partnership and account management
• Implementation and management of projects and work programmes
• Financial modelling and budget management
• Programme development that supports local, regional and national skills deficits
This should be no more than 2000 words.
To read more about us please visit Economy, Investment and Public Health
Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.
We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
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Source ⇲
fecareers.co.uk