Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Skills)

S Knights Recruitment; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

S Knights Recruitment’s client, a well-established training provider, seeks a Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Skills) to expand employer partnerships and grow apprenticeship starts across the East and West Midlands.

The role requires generating new business, building strong employer relationships, and promoting funded training solutions, while managing the full sales cycle from prospecting to account management and ensuring an excellent employer experience.

Qualifications

• Proven business development experience within Apprenticeships or Skills.
• Strong track record of securing new employer partnerships.
• Knowledge of Apprenticeships, Adult Skills Fund (ASF), ESFA funding, and Apprenticeship Levy.
• Experience selling training, workforce development, or funded learning solutions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong commercial awareness with a target-driven approach.
• Experience managing regional sales pipelines and CRM systems.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with internal teams.
• Existing employer network across the Midlands would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Generate new business opportunities across the Apprenticeships and Skills sector
• Build long-term relationships with employers across multiple industries
• Promote Apprenticeship, Adult Skills, and workforce development programmes
• Manage the full sales cycle from lead generation to account management
• Identify employer skills gaps and recommend tailored training solutions
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective employer partners
• Achieve business development, revenue, and apprenticeship growth targets
• Maintain accurate CRM records, forecasts, and sales activity reports
• Keep up to date with ESFA funding, Apprenticeship Levy, and sector developments
• Collaborate with delivery and learner engagement teams to ensure an excellent employer experience

Skills

Business development

Employer partnerships

Communication

Negotiation

CRM systems

Sales pipeline management

Independent work

Midlands network

Job description

Business Development Manager (Apprenticeships & Skills)

Location: West Midlands (Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Worcester)

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000

Contract: Full-time | Permanent

Are you an experienced Business Development Manager, Employer Engagement Manager, Business Development Executive, or Apprenticeship Sales professional with a proven track record in the Apprenticeships and Skills sector? Do you thrive on building employer partnerships, winning new business, and promoting funded training solutions that deliver real workforce impact?

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing training provider where you'll play a key role in expanding employer partnerships, increasing apprenticeship starts, and driving commercial growth across the East and West Midlands.

About the Organisation

Our client is a well-established training provider delivering high-quality Apprenticeships, Adult Skills, Workforce Development, and Employability programmes to employers across a range of sectors.

Working closely with businesses to identify skills gaps and develop tailored training solutions, they have built a strong reputation for quality, employer engagement, and learner success. You'll be joining a collaborative organisation that values innovation, rewards performance, and offers genuine opportunities for career progression.

Benefits

• Competitive salary of £35,000 - £40,000
• Supportive leadership and collaborative culture
• Opportunity to manage your own regional business pipeline
• Career development and progression opportunities
• Work with a respected Apprenticeship and Skills provider
• Make a direct impact on employer growth and learner success

The Role

As Business Development Manager, you'll be responsible for generating new business opportunities, developing employer partnerships, and promoting apprenticeship and workforce development solutions across the East and West Midlands.

You'll work consultatively with employers to understand their recruitment and skills needs while managing the full sales lifecycle from prospecting through to successful account management.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate new business opportunities across the Apprenticeships and Skills sector
• Build long-term relationships with employers across multiple industries
• Promote Apprenticeship, Adult Skills, and workforce development programmes
• Manage the full sales cycle from lead generation to account management
• Identify employer skills gaps and recommend tailored training solutions
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective employer partners
• Achieve business development, revenue, and apprenticeship growth targets
• Maintain accurate CRM records, forecasts, and sales activity reports
• Keep up to date with ESFA funding, Apprenticeship Levy, and sector developments
• Collaborate with delivery and learner engagement teams to ensure an excellent employer experience

The Ideal Candidate

We're looking for an ambitious and commercially driven Business Development Manager, Employer Engagement Manager, Apprenticeship Sales Consultant, Business Development Executive, or Employer Partnerships professional with experience within the Apprenticeships, Employability, Further Education, Adult Skills, or Training Provider sector.

You'll ideally have

• Proven business development experience within Apprenticeships or Skills
• Strong track record of securing new employer partnerships
• Knowledge of Apprenticeships, Adult Skills Fund (ASF), ESFA funding, and Apprenticeship Levy
• Experience selling training, workforce development, or funded learning solutions
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
• Strong commercial awareness with a target-driven approach
• Experience managing regional sales pipelines and CRM systems
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with internal teams
• Existing employer network across the Midlands would be advantageous