Business Development Executive

Association of Accounting Technicians; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization in the UK is seeking a driven Business Development Executive to secure B2B sales and promote qualifications and apprenticeships. This role involves building relationships, identifying growth opportunities, and collaborating with teams to support client engagement. The position offers a hybrid work model, with 1-2 days in the office, and includes a comprehensive benefits package such as annual leave, pension scheme, and health plans. Join us in our mission to enhance career opportunities for all.

Benefits

25 days annual leave, increasing with service

Health cash plan

Great pension scheme

Cycle2Work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience in business development, ideally within the education or training sector.
• Strong understanding of apprenticeships and professional qualifications.
• Self-starter with a collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

• Proactively identify and engage business prospects to generate qualified leads.
• Manage inbound enquiries and convert them into business opportunities.
• Attend industry events and support business development meetings.

Skills

Business development experience

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Relationship-building skills

CRM systems proficiency

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

At AAT it’s our mission to make it possible for more people to experience the opportunities a career in finance brings, through our accessible qualifications and supportive community.

We are the UK’s leading qualification and professional membership body for vocational accountants. We pride ourselves on providing practical qualifications that meet the needs of both employers and employees, as well as products and services to support our members and customers throughout their careers.

Term: Permanent

Location: We have hybrid working in place, with 1-2 days per week, in our office in Canary Wharf.

We’re looking for someone driven, proactive and commercially sound individual who thrives on building relationships and identifying growth opportunities. You will be confident in engaging with decision-makers, passionate about education and training, and motivated by helping organisations unlock the value of AAT qualifications and apprenticeships.

What exactly will you be doing?

As a Business Development Executive, you will be fully focused on securing B2B sales and play a key role in growing AAT’s reach and impact by promoting our qualifications, apprenticeships and training solutions to employers and partners. You will be part of a collaborative team focused on driving revenue, building strategic relationships and supporting the development of future talent.

You will work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to identify opportunities, convert leads and deliver outstanding customer experiences.

Major objectives

Your major objectives will include:

• Proactively identifying and engaging business prospects to generate qualified leads.
• Managing inbound enquiries and converting them into new business opportunities.
• Supporting business development meetings and attending industry events.
• Providing market insights to inform product development and marketing strategies.
• Maintaining accurate CRM records and reporting on lead conversion and market trends.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless client onboarding and engagement.

What are we looking for?

• Proven experience in business development, ideally within the education or training sector.
• Strong understanding of apprenticeships and professional qualifications.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple leads and projects with a customer‑centric approach.
• Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office tools.
• A self‑starter with a collaborative mindset and a positive, can‑do attitude.
• Knowledge of the accounting profession or AAT products is desirable.

What are the benefits?

At AAT we believe in treating our staff well and this is reflected in our wide‑ranging benefits, which include:

• Hybrid working (1-2 days per week in our London office) and opportunities for further flexible working.
• 25 days’ annual leave, increasing one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days plus bank holidays.
• Great pension scheme, life assurance and critical illness cover.
• Health cash plan.
• Enhanced maternity and shared parental leave contributions of up to 6 months’ full pay depending on the length of service.
• Regular wellbeing initiatives.
• Cycle2Work scheme and much more.

Closing Date: The planned closing date for this role is 4 January 2026 at 17.00, however, we reserve the right to close the role earlier than planned.

It’s an exciting time to join AAT and we would love you to join us on our journey. In 2023 we achieved one‑star company status in the Best Companies survey and we have recently launched our strategy to 2030.

We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work. We encourage applications from diverse candidates and make recruitment decisions based on skill and experience. We have a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Champions group, which leads on our D&I strategy and organise events to celebrate and raise awareness. We are a disability‑confident committed employer and have signed up to the Race at Work Charter. We have also signed up for the Women in Finance Charter and in 2022 we exceeded our target for appointing females into senior positions.

Come and help us to make AAT an even better place to work!