SalaryUH9 £58,225pa to £69,488pa by annual increments on achieving designated skills and experience
Contractual hours37
BasisFull Time
Job category/typeProfessional/Technical
Job referenceREQ000588
Post Title: Senior Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes)
SBU/Department: Office of the Vice-Chancellor/Lifelong learning & Student Success (Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes)
FTE: 1.0FTE (working 37 hours per week)
Duration of Contract: Permanent
Annual Leave: 30 days plus standard public holidays and an additional 4 days including the closure of our office between Christmas and New Year
Location: Enterprise Hub, de Havilland Campus/College Lane - Hybrid
The University of Hertfordshire is seeking an ambitious and commercially focused Senior Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes) to lead the growth of our Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes portfolio. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving income generation through higher and degree apprenticeships, short courses, CPD, technical provision and bespoke workforce development solutions. Working across industry sectors regionally and nationally, the Senior Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes) will strengthen employer partnerships, enhance the University’s reputation and develop innovative skills solutions aligned to policy, employer demand and economic priorities.
You will lead a team of Business Development Managers and work collaboratively with academic schools, marketing, careers and professional services to translate institutional expertise into commercially successful partnerships. The Senior Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes) will play a key role in bids, tenders and strategic employer engagement initiatives.
Main duties and responsibilities You will develop and deliver a national sales plan for Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes that is effective in attracting employer partners and turning these into sales and income recognising synergies across the Department Teams or skills and workforce solutions. The role will involve building relationships with external businesses, public services, third sector and wider communities to facilitate new partnerships and to increase the University’s reputation and commercial income.
You will horizon scan for commercial opportunities through bids and tenders, working closely with the Head of Bids & Project Management to identify, promote and broker opportunities for commercial skills provision and apprenticeships. Working closely with academic and professional teams, you will ensure an excellent employer journey and strong reputation of the university.
The role includes managing CRM pipeline activity, analysing markets, producing reports and working with marketing to promote the University’s services. You will also represent the University at networking and industry events, showcasing expertise and leading employer engagement initiatives such as activity for National Apprenticeship Week.
You will line manage Business Development Managers, overseeing performance, development and workload allocation, ensuring a professional high-quality credible service and supporting the achievement of departmental income targets.
Skills and experience required You will have proven experience of operating in a business development environment within the education sector and a proven track record of income generation activity within the education sector. You will have experience of pitching and presenting in a commercial and/or academic environment and strong client relationship skills with the ability to negotiate and conclude satisfactory commercial deals and contracts. You will have sound knowledge of and interest in skills, short courses and apprenticeships provision.
The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator with excellent networking skill, good organisation skills, and the ability to prioritise time effectively. You will have proven line management experience, be highly self-motivated and be an excellent team player who is able to work collaboratively with colleagues. You will also have excellent knowledge and understanding of different sales techniques and when to use them and show a commitment to the University’s equality and diversity objectives and continuous improvement.
Qualifications required You will be educated with a minimum of a Degree or equivalent or proven relevant experience.
Please view the job description and person specification for a full list of the duties and essential criteria. Please attach a personal statement showing clearly how your skills and experience match the Person Specification.
Internal applicants – please ensure you apply via your employee self service portal. An appointment to this role may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.
We regret that we are unable to offer UKVI sponsorship for this post; applicants will either hold UK Right to Work or demonstrate access to UK Right to Work before an offer is made.
Contact Details/Informal Enquiries: Celeste Jones, Associate Director Apprenticeships & Professional Programmes,
Closing Date : 11 March 2026
Interview Date: 01 April 2026
Reference Number: REQ000588
Date advert placed: 25 February 2026
Our vision is to transform lives: UH is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and building a diverse community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of their protected characteristics, and recognise there are different ways applicants may achieve the criteria in this document. We offer a range of employee benefits including generous annual leave, flexible location opportunities within the UK, discounted Sports Village memberships and free Active Staff sessions, personal and professional development and family-friendly policies. #GoHerts
