Job Title: Head of Business Development – Commercial
Department: Business Engagement & Partnerships
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: £44,362 per annum (Fixed)
Annual Leave: 36 days per annum plus statutory Bank Holiday
Pension: NEST Pension Scheme
The Role
We are seeking an ambitious Head of Business Development within our Commercial sector to lead our employer engagement and commercial training strategy, playing a pivotal role in delivering sustainable apprenticeship growth and supporting outstanding learner outcomes. In this senior leadership role, you will oversee a high-performing team, manage key employer accounts, and drive a robust sales pipeline, ensuring opportunities are identified, converted, and maximised. Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will shape and deliver strategies that align with regional skills priorities and organisational goals, while providing expert guidance to employers on funding, workforce development, and training solutions.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the commercial team and oversee the employer pipeline.
- Manage key accounts and build strategic partnerships, including MOUs.
- Drive apprenticeship growth in priority sectors through strong employer engagement and account management.
- Support delivery of income targets through a more joined-up commercial approach.
Please find the full job description here – Head of Business Development - Commercial
Qualifications
- Degree or equivalent professional qualification, or substantial senior experience in a relevant field.
- GCSE Mathematics & English (or equivalent)
Experience
- Proven experience of leading, managing and developing staff teams.
- Demonstrable experience of delivering against challenging targets and performance measures.
- Experience of developing and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders internally and externally.
- Experience in business development, account management & professional networking.
Skills & Personal Qualities
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate a team to achieve targets.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to interpret, analyse, and use data to inform decision-making.
- Ability to manage a demanding workload and work effectively to tight deadlines.
Why Join Us?
- Substantial annual leave entitlement plus holiday purchase scheme.
- Health & Wellbeing; free gym membership, 24/7 counselling for you and your family
- Family-friendly policies: flexible hours and a supportive work environment
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): confidential support including counselling, legal and financial advice.
- Professional development: extensive training, mentoring, and career progression opportunities
- Funded CPD opportunities, regular staff development training, and paid volunteering days
- Access to discounted hair and beauty treatments at our onsite salon.
- College benefit scheme – College Extras:
- Up to 15% cashback at top retailers & restaurants
- Discounted gift cards for big brands
- Home & tech upgrades via salary sacrifice
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Discounted onsite car parking.
To learn more about working at Middlesbrough College, please visit our Work For Us page.
For further details, please contact Matthew Telling, Group Business Development Director, Business Engagement & Partnerships on [email protected]
Safeguarding Our Students
Middlesbrough College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students. All staff are expected to share this commitment. If you’re successful, you’ll be required to complete thorough pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. All roles within the College carry safeguarding responsibilities, including promoting student welfare, reporting any concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and modelling safe and appropriate conduct in line with College policies.
All posts at Middlesbrough College involve regulated activity and are therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (amended 2013 and 2020)) mean that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications, related exceptions and further information.
Please be aware that it is a Criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children.
As part of our shortlisting process, we will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates to identify any safeguarding or reputation‑related concerns (as required by KCSIE).
Right to work
Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Recruitment Process
Applications are shortlisted for interview as they are received, and so early application is encouraged. We reserve the right to commence the interview process and close the vacancy prior to this date.
Equality & Diversity
Middlesbrough College is an equal opportunities employer, committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is valued. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and make recruitment decisions based on skills and experience. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively support applicants with disabilities.
