Business Development Manager - Early Years
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Company Description
Shaping Lives purpose is clear, to shape the next generation of early years educators, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and passion needed to inspire young minds. Our apprenticeships don't just provide qualifications-they empower educators to grow in their careers, while making a lasting impact in nurseries.
Our goal is to make learning engaging, accessible, and transformative, developing and equipping educators with the skills, knowledge and confidence to fulfil their potential, make a positive impact and to inspire others in their turn.
Position
Location: Remote - Southeast
Salary: £35,000 plus a generous commission scheme
Due to further expansion in our Early Years commercial sector, we are looking for driven, forward-thinking, enthusiastic and experienced sales professionals to join our remote based team as a Business Development Manager (BDM) and bring our ambitious growth plans to life.
In this role you will be a key member of the growing Early Years Business Development team and be responsible for using a solution focused approach to identify new apprenticeship opportunities and generate starts in line with targets and expectations, with a keen focus on Early Years.
As an influential and experienced sales professional, you will use your excellent communication skills, competitive edge and confidence to obtain new potential business opportunities by understanding Company's values, beliefs and strategies in order to tailor your approach to secure new business, and maintain lasting relationships with the account management of established partners to be a trusted advisor and provide high quality solutions for all, and position Paragon Skills as their provider of choice.
What will you be doing?
• Exceed KPIs and new apprenticeship targets whilst ensuring all eligibility is met via a combination of new business and account management strategies
• Identify new client opportunities within Early Years
• Develop an engagement plan to create new leads and opportunities within SME organisations who would benefit from apprentices
• Be able to demonstrate a return on investment for apprentices within any client business to highlight benefits
• Provide information, advice and guidance relating to all aspects of the Apprenticeship levy, where required, ensuring clients are fully supported and informed throughout every step of the journey, from design to delivery enabling clients to make informed decisions
• Work consultatively with prospective clients, creating world-class apprenticeship delivery models to suit their needs sharing ideas and giving valuable and practical advice at SME owner / manager level
• Build strong and sustainable relationships with client contacts at all levels, delivering an outstanding customer experience, every time
• Work closely with internal colleagues to ensure new opportunities and contracts are well communicated into the business, ensuring all deliverables and commercial arrangements are agreed as part of our on-boarding process
• To complete all administrative tasks to ensure the new learner is able to be signed up when the tutor attends
Requirements
What we need from you:
• Strong experience within apprenticeship sales, in particular Early Years (childcare/education)
• Successful track record of meeting and exceeding targets
• Experience of nurturing relationships and managing accounts in a consultative and influential way
• Experience of presenting to decision makers at all levels both face to face and remotely in informal and formal environments
• A strong commercial background
• The ability to manage your own time, workload and resources effectively
. Well-developed interpersonal, motivational and communication skills
• Creative thinker with an open minded, solutions focused and forward-thinking approach
• A desire to make a difference with a passion for the apprenticeship sector
• Excellent IT skills, including the use of MS Office (knowledge of CRM systems would be advantageous)
• Able to work flexible hours and commit to overnight stays as and when required
Other information
What's in it for you?
Shaping Lives is an inclusive, welcoming and supportive place to work with a fantastic culture which supports each employees learning, development and career growth.
We are proud to offer a suite of benefits which are optional to you including life assurance and income protection and core benefits below;
. 20 days annual leave - increasing with length of service and a holiday purchase scheme
. 3 Shaping Lives Days for our Operational December Closure and 8 Public Bank Holidays
. Up to 3 days of paid volunteering leave and corporate conscience initiatives
. Perkbox - a suite of lifestyle benefits and wellness tools
. Your birthday off as our gift to you
. Uncapped Commission
. Recognition and long service awards to celebrate our colleagues'
. Colleague referral bonus payments
We are a Disability Confident Employer and have a guaranteed interview scheme in place to ensure that nobody is overlooked or discriminated against because of their disability. If you meet the minimum criteria when you apply and you have informed us in your application that you have a disability, you will be guaranteed an interview for that role.
To promote and maintain an inclusive working environment, as part of your application process we will ask you to share data on certain characteristics. These answers will not form part of the selection and recruitment process and will not be shared with anyone outside of the People Team.
Shaping Lives, part of the Knovia group is committed to the safeguarding and wellbeing of our learners and colleagues and we implement robust safer recruitment practices to support this. Dependant on the role you are applying for, we may undertake a number of necessary checks to confirm you are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults, which may include a Disclosure and Barring Service check. We are also committed to promoting equality and inclusion throughout our colleague and learner populations.