Interim Business Development Manager

Growth Schools | Hybrid (2 days office)

We’re hiring an Interim Business Development Manager to lead the expansion of our Ofsted regulated education and children’s social care services. If you have experience in education growth, children’s social care, commissioning, supported accommodation, or residential children’s homes, this is a role where your sector knowledge directly shapes service development and future provision.

The Role

This position drives the growth of our education services by leading placements, managing commissioner relationships, and partnering with senior operational leaders. You’ll combine commercial insight with regulatory understanding to secure new opportunities and improve service performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development

• Partner with Regional Operations to drive service growth and improve occupancy

• Provide market intelligence on commissioner needs and sector trends

• Support service planning and align growth activity with operational capacity

Placements and Referral Leadership

• Lead the placements function handling high volume complex referrals

• Oversee referral management, matching, and quality standards

• Monitor activity, conversion rates, and opportunities across supported accommodation and residential homes

Market and Service Growth

• Identify and develop new opportunities within the education and social care sector

• Conduct competitor and market analysis to guide strategic decisions

Commissioner and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with local authority commissioners and partners

• Represent the organisation at regional and national sector events

Regulation and Compliance

• Maintain expert knowledge of Ofsted requirements

• Advise internal teams on compliance during service expansion and placements

Performance Reporting

• Produce weekly dashboards for MDs and COO

• Analyse referral flow, occupancy levels, and business opportunities

• Highlight risks, trends, and growth recommendations

Candidate Profile

We want someone who brings deep understanding of the children’s social care and education sector and can operate at pace in a growth environment.

You will need:

• Minimum 3 years in business development, commissioning, or strategic leadership

• Background in supported accommodation and residential children’s homes

• Experience managing or leading placements or referral teams

• Strong partnership building with commissioners and local authorities

• Commercial and analytical mindset with ability to convert insight into action

• Strong communication and influencing skills

• Understanding of commissioning frameworks, funding pathways, and procurement in children’s services

• Experience shaping or redesigning services in response to regulatory change

• Relevant qualification in Social Care, Business, Housing, or related field

Why This Role Matters

This isn’t back-office BD. You sit at the intersection of growth, regulation, and young people’s outcomes. Your decisions will shape new school openings, placements strategy, partnership success, and long-term service design.