Responsibilities

• Own and develop strategic growth opportunities across children’s social care and education.
• Identify emerging markets, services, commissioning models and revenue opportunities.
• Research and understand changes within the social care and education landscape and translate these into potential growth opportunities.
• Identify opportunities arising from government policy, funding changes, legislation, local authority strategies and regional commissioning developments.
• Develop strategies for entering new markets and geographical areas.
• Identify opportunities that may not yet have developed into conventional placement or commissioning opportunities.
• Monitor emerging trends and developments across children’s services, education, health and wider public services.
• Develop strategic propositions that create new routes to market and strengthen the organisation’s long-term market position.
• Develop and maintain long-term strategic partnerships with Local Authorities, schools, colleges, charities, parent groups and forums and other relevant organisations.
• Identify organisations and stakeholders where strategic relationships could create mutual value.

Requirements

• Significant experience in business development, partnerships, strategic relationships or commercial growth.
• Strong understanding of children's social care and/or education.
• Proven experience building relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Experience working with Local Authorities and/or public sector organisations.
• Strong understanding of commissioning and public sector decision-making.
• Demonstrable ability to identify and develop new business opportunities.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Ability to operate confidently at senior and strategic levels.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• Ability to develop and maintain a substantial external network.

Preferred

• Experience working with Mayors, Combined Authorities or regional commissioning structures.
• Experience across multiple areas of children's social care.
• Experience within education, health or the voluntary/community sector.
• Experience developing innovative partnerships or new service models.
• Experience working within changing regulatory, policy or commissioning environments.
• Existing senior-level network across children's social care and/or education.