Senior Lead Business Engagement & Retention

Swindon Borough Council; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Swindon Borough Council seeks a Senior Lead Business Engagement & Retention to drive corporate engagement, KAM and retention strategies, prioritising Swindon’s top employers, anchor institutions and scale-ups.

You will lead business intelligence, convene CEO roundtables, and broker cross-department solutions to unblock growth, including apprenticeship expansion and SME procurement. Applicants should build trusted, senior relationships and translate talks into action.

Qualifications

• Experience building relationships with senior business leaders.
• Ability to influence at C-suite level and navigate complex issues.
• Experience in retention and growth of local employers.

Responsibilities

• Lead Swindon’s corporate engagement, Key Account Management (KAM) and retention strategies.
• Identify barriers from commercial premises, lease renewals, skills gaps and infrastructure to safeguard local jobs.
• Lead business intelligence gathering and convene strategic forums and CEO roundtables.
• Broker internal Council solutions across planning, licensing and highways; champion inclusive growth with employers.

Skills

Relationship building

Strategic influence

Account management

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Senior Lead Business Engagement & Retention

Ref: 196467

Salary: £60,290 p.a. plus benefits

37 hours per week

Swindon Borough Council are on an exciting journey to transform service delivery. We want our town to be the best it can be. Our ambitious vision in the new Swindon Plan is supported by realistic transformation programmes, with the people of Swindon at their heart. Because that’s who we’re doing it for – the communities and businesses that make our town great. As part of the Council, you’ll support a friendly local authority making decisions with real impact. It’s all for better public services. Better processes. And a better quality of life, for everyone. Join us, and Swindon will be better with you.

Your next role

Swindon’s commercial vitality is driven by a vibrant, high-output business ecosystem. As the Borough accelerates its economic growth, safeguarding existing enterprise, unlocking scale-up opportunities, and bolstering our major commercial anchors is critical to our long-term prosperity.

Operating as the primary senior conduit between the private sector and Council leadership, as Senior Lead Business Engagement & Retention you will spearhead Swindon’s corporate engagement, Key Account Management (KAM), and retention strategies. You will lead strategic relationships across Swindon’s Top 100 employers, anchor institutions, and high-growth scale-ups, identifying operational barriers—from commercial premises and lease renewals to skills gaps and infrastructure—to safeguard local jobs and prevent relocation outside the Borough.

In addition to account management, you will lead the Council’s business intelligence gathering, convene strategic forums and CEO roundtables, and broker internal Council solutions across planning, licensing, and highways. Crucially, you will champion our inclusive growth pledges by working with employers to expand apprenticeship pipelines, adopt the Real Living Wage, and embed local SME procurement across major supply chains.

About you

You will be an experienced relationship-builder with the commercial judgement and credibility to work confidently with senior business leaders, major employers and strategic partners.

You will understand the pressures that influence whether businesses stay, invest and grow – from property and workforce challenges to supply chains, infrastructure and operating costs – and know how to turn those conversations into practical solutions.

We are looking for someone who can spot risk early, unlock opportunity and bring the right people together to make things happen. You will be comfortable influencing at C-suite level, navigating complex issues and balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery.

Above all, you will know that strong business engagement is not about maintaining contacts – it is about building trust that leads to action, retention and growth.

The ability to travel throughout the Borough will be required, with access to a car/transport to conduct regular site visits and attend business forums across Swindon.

The team operates a hybrid working model with all practitioners expected to be in the office for a minimum of two days per week.

You must be fluent in the English language (as a requirement of Part 7 of the Immigration Act for the effective performance of a customer‑facing role).

Your next package

Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer for more details.

As an employee, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work life balance.

You will join us at an important point in our growth journey, with the freedom to bring commercial insight, strengthen relationships with Swindon’s business community and help employers overcome barriers to growth. The reward is the opportunity to make a lasting economic impact – retaining key employers, safeguarding jobs and creating the conditions for businesses to invest, grow and succeed in Swindon.

Please see our Vision and Values page for more details and our new Swindon Plan.

Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from a diverse range of communities, and in particular disabled people and people from ethnic minorities. Read ourstatement of commitment to equality & inclusion.

For further information or an informal discussion about the role, please contact Andrew Wells, Head of Inward Investment & Inclusive Economy, at [e-mail]

If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your application, please email [e-mail]

Closing date: 13 November 2026

Interview date: w/c 23 November 2026