The Role
As Business Development Manager, you will:
Strategic Business Partnering
- Act as a strategic partner to Regional Operations Teams to drive sustainable service growth and improve occupancy
- Align business development activity with operational capacity and regional priorities
- Provide market intelligence, commissioner insights, and regulatory guidance to support service planning and delivery
- Support regional teams to maximise placement opportunities and maintain competitive service offers
Placements & Referral Management
- Lead and manage the Placements Team, ensuring responsive handling of high-volume referrals
- Oversee the end‑to‑end referral and matching process across all schools
- Ensure placements are appropriate, needs‑led, and aligned with operational availability and quality standards
- Monitor conversion rates, placement activity, and referral pipelines, providing insight and recommendations
Market Development & Growth
- Identify, develop, and secure new business opportunities across the education and children’s services sector
- Conduct market and competitor analysis to support strategic decision‑making and service positioning
- Drive business growth through proactive relationship management and opportunity development
- Build and maintain strong relationships with local authority commissioners, housing partners, and sector stakeholders
- Represent the organisation at sector forums, meetings, and networking events
- Promote services and identify collaborative opportunities that support organisational growth and positive outcomes for young people
Compliance & Regulatory Leadership
- Maintain expert knowledge of Ofsted regulations and sector developments
- Ensure all placements and service developments remain fully compliant
- Provide internal guidance and updates to ensure regulatory standards are embedded across business development and operational delivery
Reporting & Performance Insight
You will develop and deliver weekly executive reporting and trading packs for Managing Directors and the COO, providing clear insight into:
- Referral volumes and conversion rates
- Occupancy across all schools
- Placement pipelines and business opportunities
- Market trends and competitor activity
- Risks, patterns, and growth opportunities
You will use data to provide actionable recommendations that support strategic and operational decision‑making
About You
We are looking for someone who can combine commercial thinking with sector expertise and relationship‑led leadership
You will have:
- Extensive experience in business development, commissioning, or strategic leadership within education and/or children’s social care
- Experience within education sector
- Proven success partnering with operational teams to align growth and service delivery
- Experience managing placements functions or handling high‑volume, complex referrals
- Strong relationships with local authorities, commissioners, and key sector stakeholders
- Commercial awareness and a proven ability to identify and develop growth opportunities
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship‑building skills
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities
- Experience interpreting data, market intelligence, and regulatory developments
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities
- Understanding of commissioning frameworks, procurement processes, and funding pathways
- Experience supporting service design or redesign in response to sector change
- A relevant qualification in Social Care, Business Development, Housing, or a related field
Why Join Us?
This is more than a business development role – it is an opportunity to shape services that improve outcomes for children and young people while supporting the strategic growth of a values‑led organisation
If you are passionate about making a difference, thrive in a collaborative environment, and have the expertise to drive growth in regulated children’s services, we would welcome your application
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