Head of Business Growth

AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Business Growth.

Location: Hybrid

Salary: £43,218 to £51,266

Contract: Full time 36.5 hours per week

Closing Date:  Monday 17th February 2025

Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early should we have a large volume of applications.

About AIM

AIM Qualification and Assessment Group is a leading Awarding (AO) and End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) offering award-winning qualifications and nominated end-point assessment services. Our vision of empowering futures is built on the pillars of inclusion, integrity, respect and empowerment and these values are rooted in everything we do.

Our people are curious and creative who anchor us to our foundations and help to achieve our charitable objectives for learning – all kinds of learning for all kinds of people. Whether it’s at home, in the classroom or in the workplace, learning is the key to improving our chances in life. 

We are looking for an exceptional person to drive the organisation’s strategic objectives for market expansion, revenue growth, and customer acquisition, ensuring AIM enhances its reputation and increases uptake of qualifications and assessments. The successful candidate will report to the Director for Strategic Growth and Service Excellence, overseeing a small, focused team to deliver sustainable growth through strategic partnerships, market intelligence, and effective relationship management. The role will also oversee the outsourcing of marketing services, liaising with an external agency to grow the business. 

Strategic Growth Leadership

•  Work with the Director of Strategic Growth to develop and execute a national business growth strategy aligned with the organisation’s size, resources, and long-term vision.
• Prioritise scalable growth initiatives, focusing on the most impactful opportunities within further education, apprenticeships, and employer-led training.
• Take responsibility for the southern region in building AIM’s client base to provide expansion of the AIM brand.
• Project manage new company acquisitions which lead to growth and development of the organisation

Market Engagement and Development

• Identify and capitalise on opportunities to expand qualification uptake in existing and new sectors (e.g., Access provision, apprenticeships, Boot camps or short courses)
• Build strategic relationships with key stakeholders, such as training providers, colleges, and employer groups, to position AIM as their provider of choice
• Build relationships with and attend local education networks to keep up to date with opportunities and local trends whilst representing AIM Qualifications and Assessment
• Regularly visit existing and prospective providers ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction is obtained
• Develop a network of centres in the South of England through relationship management and promoting AIM Qualifications and Assessment as a leading Awarding Organisation

Data-Driven Market Insights

• Leverage internal and external data to assess market trends, identify gaps in the current qualifications offering and work across the organisation to refine the product portfolio.
•  Ensure market intelligence informs decision-making for qualification development and promotional activities.
• Liaise with an external marketing agency to keep up with trends and communicate the needs of the business

Partnership Building

• Establish and grow partnerships with organisations such as Ofqual-regulated centres, membership bodies, and government agencies.
• Negotiate and oversee collaboration agreements that align with organisational objectives.

Leadership and Collaboration

•  Lead and inspire a small team focused on business development, customer success, and marketing.
• Work closely with internal teams (e.g., compliance, product development) to align growth efforts with operational capacity and regulatory requirements.

Revenue and Performance Management

• Set, monitor, and achieve revenue and performance targets for the business growth team.
• Ensure a clear return on investment (ROI) for all initiatives while staying agile to adjust strategies based on performance outcomes.
• Produce monthly reports for the Director to show performance, areas of growth and decline.

Brand Advocacy

• Act as a key ambassador for AIM at sector events, forums, and exhibitions to enhance brand presence and credibility.
• Collaborate with the marketing agency producing an annual plan to ensure campaigns resonate with target audiences and reinforce the organisation’s values.

Core Outcomes

• Sustainable Growth: Lead the Business Growth team to increase the number of active centres and uptake of qualifications by at least 10% annually.
• Retention: Lead the Business Growth Team to ensure 90% retention of all existing centres
•  Market Penetration: Successfully launch qualifications into underserved markets or new sectors.
• Enhanced Stakeholder Relationships: Achieve a high level of satisfaction among partner centres and external stakeholders.
•  Revenue Goals: Meet or exceed annual revenue targets through effective pricing strategies and partnerships.
•  Team Development: Build a high-performing business growth team that is motivated, results-driven, and aligned with the organisation’s mission.

We would love to hear from you if you have the following essential requirements/qualifications:

• Substantive experience in a sales, business development or commercial roles within education and training providers
• Significant managerial experience within a business growth environment
• Demonstrated success in building partnerships and relationship development to drive market expansion
• Excellent leadership and communication skills with the ability to inspire confidence across teams and stakeholders
• PR and Marketing knowledge aiding in the promotion of the organisation
• Proven experience within account management
• Experience of sales reporting and budget management
• Experience of managing change and building successful teams
• Strong understanding of the UK qualifications landscape, including regulatory frameworks (Ofqual, SQA, Qualifications Wales)
• Knowledge of the Awarding Organisation sector
• Knowledge of the vocational, apprenticeship and adult education market

Desirable requirements:

• Experience of managing external service providers
• Bachelors degree or equivalent

Please include answers to the following in your covering letter.

Please demonstrate your proven experience in Business Growth management, including developing and executing successful strategies to drive revenue growth?

Has your previous work within Business Growth been within the Awarding Organisation environment or within Education? If yes, how have you tailored business development strategies including marketing initiatives, to meet the needs of this industry?

Have you led and managed a Business Development team to achieve growth and meet targets? If yes, can you briefly describe your approach to motivating and developing team members particularly during times of change?

Can you provide an example of when you have worked closely with an internal or external marketing team to improve growth and raise the profile of the organisation?

• On-site car parking

• Employee cash health plan

• Employee shopping discount scheme

• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays and Christmas break

• Flexible working, hybrid working

How to apply 

We actively work to increase diversity in our team and encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities. We are committed to having a team with diverse skills, experiences and abilities. We offer family friendly, inclusive employment practices and flexible working arrangements to support colleagues’ individual circumstances.

If you are interested in this role, we would love to hear from you. Please complete the application questions and upload your CV and covering letter. 

Contact us If you have any queries about the role, contact us on [email protected]