Business Development Executive

Thrive; Devon and Torbay; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday + bank

Family leave

Medical plan

Life insurance

Pension

Discounts

Flexible benefits

Learning & growth

Volunteer days

Job summary

Thrive is seeking a high-energy sales professional to join our Exeter team, selling Thrive’s Apprenticeships and related services to schools and education settings. You’ll plan and manage your pipeline, convert leads, and close deals, working with Marketing, Bookings, Regional, and Apprenticeships colleagues to maximise opportunities and revenue.

The role requires a target-driven, resilient self-starter with excellent communication and a genuine interest in education.

Qualifications

• Sales passion and target-driven mindset.
• Ambition to grow within a fast-paced environment.
• Resilience in handling rejection and persistence.
• Tenacity to follow up and close deals.
• Coachability and openness to feedback.
• Self-starter who takes initiative.
• Strong communication, concise and engaging.
• Knowledge of schools sector and Apprenticeships is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Proactively sell Thrive's Apprenticeships to schools by phone, email, and digital channels.
• Manage full sales cycle from prospecting to closing with excellent customer care.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of qualified opportunities.
• Collaborate with Marketing to convert campaign leads.
• Support Regional Development Managers on larger opportunities.
• Meet and exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets.
• Maintain CRM records and report sales performance.
• Drive applicant conversion and long-term customer planning.
• Coordinate with sister companies to promote Thrive.

Job description

About Us :
Supporting Education Group is the UK's leading education services platform, providing the technology, expertise and resources that help schools, trusts and education organisations deliver high‑quality learning for all. Our Qualifications & Training practice plays a central role in this mission by delivering high‑quality training, qualifications and professional development for educators across the UK and internationally.
Through evidence‑informed programmes spanning teacher development, leadership training and vocational pathways, the team equips staff with the skills, confidence and support they need to progress in their careers and thrive in the sector. By strengthening professional capability and enabling continuous growth, we help build a resilient, skilled education workforce prepared to make a positive impact on learners.

About the role :
This is a high-energy sales role designed for someone who loves working in a fast-paced environment. You'll directly sell Thrive’s products and services to schools and other settings, with a specific focus on growing our Apprenticeships pipeline and converting leads. You'll be responsible for identifying prospects, engaging decision-makers, and closing deals that bring Thrive’s transformative approach into more classrooms.
Working closely with our Marketing, Bookings, Regional and Apprenticeships teams, you will plan your time to maximise every opportunity - identifying prospects, qualifying leads, and booking conversations with potential customers and learners. Your primary focus will be managing your pipeline and driving revenue growth through Apprenticeships sales.
We are a proud member of the Supporting Education Group, combining cutting‑edge technology with deep education expertise to create high‑impact, scalable solutions. We work in partnership with our sister companies to deliver outstanding value to the education sector. This role will benefit from collaboration with colleagues from other companies within the group.

Main Duties

Sales

• Proactively sell Thrive's range of products and services - with a focus on Apprenticeships - to schools via phone, email, and digital channels.
• Manage the full sales cycle from prospecting to closing, maintaining exceptional customer care throughout.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Business Development colleagues to convert campaign leads into new learners.
• Work alongside Regional Development Managers (RDMs) to support larger opportunities and strategic accounts.
• Consistently meet and exceed ambitious monthly, quarterly and annual sales targets.
• Maintain accurate records in the CRM and report on sales performance.

Business Support

• Work closely with colleagues, in particular the Thrive Marketing and Bookings teams, to ensure outstanding customer experience.
• Drive applicant conversion to help maximise cohort numbers.
• Support with long-term customer planning, including managing post-completion next steps and progression.
• Work in tandem with RDMs to understand and assist with their strategic approach to developing sales to larger and multi-sited settings.
• Collaborate with other Supporting Education Group sister companies, such as Best Practice Network, to promote Thrive more effectively, and to ensure smooth processing of apprenticeship sales administration.
• Identify possible weaknesses in current methodology to drive continuous improvement within the team and across the wider business.

This is an ambitiously targeted and well-rewarded sales role. You are therefore an ambitious and resilient individual, motivated by forging a lucrative sales career. If this sounds like you, we welcome an application.

What We're Looking For:

• Sales Passion: You love selling and are motivated by targets and commission.
• Ambition: You're hungry to succeed and grow within a fast-paced sales environment.
• Resilience: You handle rejection with grace and keep pushing forward.
• Tenacity: You're persistent, proactive, and never afraid to follow up.
• Coachability: You're eager to learn and open to feedback.
• Self-Starter: You take initiative and excel in a performance-driven culture.
• Communication: You’re a natural communicator - you have an engaging manner on customer calls and you write in a concise, compelling way.
• Knowledge: You know, or are keen to learn, about the schools sector, education sales and Apprenticeships programmes.

The successful candidate will need to be comfortable with flexible working patterns, and will be required to come into our Exeter office 2-3 days per week - the rest of the time you can work from home.

Benefits that actually make a difference

• 28 days' holiday + bank holidays plus an extra day for every year you stay (up to 33) and option to buy up to 5 more days (all pro-rata for part time roles)
• Enhanced paid family leave (after probation pass) to help new parents and long-term carers
• Medical cash plan (after probation pass) making contributions towards everyday health costs such as dental, optical and prescriptions
• Life insurance from day one (up to 4x salary) PLUS free wellbeing support with access 24/7 GP, counselling, medical second opinions, physiotherapy and lifestyle coaching
• Pension contributions from both of us (after 3 months)
• Discounts access to different options to help your money go further
• Flexible benefits you choose such as extra holiday, healthcare, bikes, gym, electric cars & Give As You Earn (after probation pass)
• Learn & grow with us we invest in your development with ongoing learning, training and career growth opportunities
• Volunteer days 3 paid volunteer days each year, with two dedicated to education

Employment offers are subject to satisfactory vetting checks. These checks will be run in line with the latest guidance and legislation. You will need to already have the right to work in the UK, as we are not able to offer any sponsorship(s) for visa applicants.