Business Development Manager – Apprenticeships & Employer Training Full Time NEW

Business Development Manager – Apprenticeships & Employer Training

Permanent

Full Time, 37 hours per week

£54,758 to £64,421 per annum

Location: Countywide

Working Style: Fixed-base worker

Closing Date: 24th May 2026

Adult Community Learning (ACL) Essex is Essex County Council’s provider of lifelong learning experiences for Essex residents. ACL Essex 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, as well as providing high quality apprenticeship training and assessment for those in employment in across Greater Essex. ACL Essex learners have access to a diverse range of accredited and non-accredited courses which encourage creativity, healthy lifestyles, social inclusion and engagement.

The Business Development Manager sets the commercial strategy and leads delivery that grows participation, income and employer collaboration across apprenticeships, funded and full-cost programmes. The role strengthens ACL’s brand, develops market insight and partnerships, and ensures data led campaigns convert interest into enrolments, supporting the council’s priorities on inclusive growth and skills.

The post holder will bring strong strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams to deliver measurable growth. They will need excellent communication, influencing, and relationship building skills to engage employers, partners, and internal stakeholders. Operating in a competitive and fast- changing environment, the role requires creativity, resilience, and the ability to balance short-term targets with long-term market development.

Responsible for driving growth with full ownership of £300k+ business development, marketing and sales budgets, this role leads a high‑performing team of 10–12 and manages key suppliers to maximise impact. You’ll shape and deliver activity that boosts engagement and drives service‑wide learner growth across both funded and commercial income streams.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Education

Accountabilities

• Lead and manage ACL’s integrated business development, marketing and sales plan to deliver year-on-year growth across apprenticeships, adult education budget (ASF) and commercial, and Learning Loans income aligned to the council’s growth and skills priorities.
• Plan and develop campaigns and content that build brand awareness and evidence ACL’s impact, ensuring all materials and channels meet the council’s brand and accessibility standards.
• Build and manage effective employer and community partnerships to expand ACL’s footprint, co-design offers and convert opportunities into sustained revenue and progression for learners.
• Own the customer relationship management (CRM) and data-led funnel management, from lead generation through conversion and retention, using analytics to target priority cohorts and optimise return on investment.
• Collaborate with curriculum and area leaders so that product development, pricing and promotion are responsive to labour market intelligence and local need, as well as fees policy.
• Manage market insight and funding opportunities and translate into business growth propositions, bids and commercial partnerships that diversify income and reduce dependency on single streams.
• Oversee the production calendar for web, social, print and PR, ensuring timely delivery, consistent tone of voice and measurable outcomes.
• Provide confident people leadership for business development, sales and marketing colleagues, setting clear objectives, coaching performance and ensuring safeguarding, General Data Protection Regulation and Health and Safety compliance.
• Contribute to ACL’s self-assessment and quality improvement, aligning recruitment activity to retention, achievement and positive destinations.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to RQF Level 6 (or equivalent by experience) in marketing, business or a related field, with evidence of continuing professional development.
• Proven track record leading business development, marketing and sales in an adult learning, FE or training context, delivering measurable growth in participation and income.
• Strong understanding of apprenticeships, ASF and commercial funding, employer engagement and account management, with the ability to shape compelling propositions.
• Advanced data literacy, including use of CRM and analytics to drive targeting, conversion and retention, and to evaluate return on investment.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and partnership skills, with the credibility to influence senior stakeholders and co-design offers with employers and community partners.
• Experienced people leader with objective setting, coaching and performance management skills, and a commitment to inclusion, accessibility and digital best practice.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone’s Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR)) on our careers site

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.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

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

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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