Head of Business Engagement and Growth

Role: Head of Business Engagement and Growth

Location: Bedford 

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £47,972 and £62,099 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 35 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, Local Government Pension Scheme, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week / 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Full time, permanent

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have theRight to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Head of Business Engagement and Growth to join our Employer Partnerships and Business Engagement department at The Bedford College Group.

As a Head of Business Engagement and Growth, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Strategic Business Development - Lead and implement an ambitious business development strategy to grow apprenticeships, commercial income, work placements and employer partnerships in line with Group priorities.
• Employer Engagement & Skills Development - Build strong relationships with employers and stakeholders, using labour market intelligence and employer feedback to identify skills needs and ensure provision responds to local, regional and national priorities.
• Commercial Growth & Opportunities - Identify and secure new business, funding, bids and tender opportunities, while strengthening the Group’s position as a leading provider of skills, training and workforce development solutions.
• Team Leadership & Performance - Lead and develop the Business Engagement team, setting clear objectives and targets, managing performance and supporting recruitment, development and succession planning to achieve strong results.
• Financial, Quality & College Responsibilities - Manage budgets, forecasts, CRM pipelines, KPIs and employer satisfaction, ensuring compliance with funding and organisational requirements while supporting safeguarding, EDI, health and safety, College events and continuous professional development.

About you:

• Qualifications & Professional Development - Level 5 or above qualification in Business Management, Leadership or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience, with Level 2 English and Maths; leadership, project management or professional business development qualifications are desirable.
• Business Development & Sector Experience - Significant experience in employer engagement, securing new business and partnerships, achieving income and growth targets, and ideally working within the skills, training, apprenticeship or FE sector.
• Leadership & Commercial Skills - Proven ability to lead and manage teams, with strong commercial awareness, influencing, decision-making, project management and customer relationship skills, including experience using CRM systems and managing sales pipelines.
• Communication, Analytical & Digital Skills - Excellent communication, interpersonal, organisational and prioritisation skills, with strong numeracy, analytical ability and proficiency in Microsoft Office and other relevant IT systems.
• Professional Attributes & Flexibility - Results-focused, adaptable and committed to continuous improvement, safeguarding, EDI and TBCG values, with the ability to work under pressure, maintain professional boundaries, travel between campuses and employer locations, and adapt working hours when required.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 6th November 2026

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisationalVISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About Bedford College

Bedford College has a number of sites across the town and surrounding areas, these include our main Cauldwell Street campus in the heart of the town, our hair and beauty salon on the High Street, the advanced automotive centre on Brunel Road and the gas and technology plumbing centre in Kempston.

About The Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.