Jobs in Manchester, United Kingdom

Managing Director

Sector : Apprenticeships (Experience in the apprenticeship market is essential)

Salary : £120,000 – £130,000 + executive package

Location : Home-based (UK)

Travel : Quarterly business reviews in London, plus ad hoc stakeholder meetings

We are working with a well‑established, privately owned UK skills and training organisation to appoint a Managing Director with full P&L ownership.

The business delivers a portfolio of government‑funded training programmes, operates nationally, and employs c.160 people. It has strong foundations, a “Good” quality rating, but is now entering a critical phase of change, stabilisation and performance improvement.

This role offers genuine autonomy, clear accountability, and the mandate to reset and reposition the organisation for sustainable growth.

• c.160 employees
• National delivery
• Multi‑programme provision (Apprenticeships, Bootcamps, ASF)
• Revenue c£6.5m
• Established leadership team (6 direct reports into the MD, with c150 indirect)
• Quality rated “Good”

This is a hands‑on, P&L‑owning Managing Director role , responsible for leading the next phase of the organisation’s development.

• Reset the operating model
• Improve performance and outcomes
• Strengthen delivery quality
• Build momentum and culture
• Balance commercial ambition with regulatory and quality excellence

You will have full accountability and authority to drive change

Scope & Accountability

The Managing Director will have end‑to‑end responsibility for :

• Delivery & Operations
• Performance, outcomes and success rates
• Quality, compliance and regulatory assurance
• Product, curriculum and programme development
• Commercial strategy, sales and marketing
• Financial performance and full P&L ownership

• Improve learner outcomes and achievement rates
• Lead a people and performance reset across the organisation
• Strengthen leadership capability, accountability and culture
• Ensure robust funding compliance and regulatory assurance
• Define and deliver a clear growth and commercial strategy
• Operate effectively within a group‑owned structure while retaining entrepreneurial leadership

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Proven Managing Director / Business Unit Director experience with full P&L ownership
• Strong background in UK education, skills or training
• Experience across government‑funded provision (e.g. apprenticeships, adult skills, bootcamps or similar)
• Demonstrable success in turnaround, stabilisation or performance improvement
• Deep understanding of quality frameworks, funding compliance and inspection
• Experience leading multi‑disciplinary leadership teams
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of balancing quality and profitability

• Hands‑on, decisive and resilient
• Credible with delivery teams and senior stakeholders
• Comfortable leading change in stretched environments
• Able to operate with high autonomy and accountability

• True end‑to‑end MD remit
• Clear mandate for change and improvement
• Opportunity to reshape and future‑proof a national provider
• High‑impact role with visibility at group level