Business Development Officer

Business Development Officer

Leeds

Full Time, office hours

£16.75 per hour

Temp until April 2024

Are you experienced in influencing key stakeholders and able to support the successful recruitment of high quality potential applicants to our portfolio of programmes designed to support SMEs. Are you able to form networks with SMEs and professional service communities?

The University of Leeds provides organisations and business professionals with a wide range of transformational learning experiences suited to those seeking professional and personal growth. As a research-intensive institution, these executive and professional programmes are informed and driven by leading academics across the full spectrum of business disciplines. They bring the latest academic knowledge and expertise to our management training and executive education portfolio.

As a Business Development Officer your main duties will include to:

• Successfully recruit high quality businesses to apply to our programmes, taking into consideration individual programme criteria, and ensuring sufficient participants are registered to deliver a viable cohort;
  Liaise with the Head of Enterprise programmes to develop and delivery events to various SME networks, e.g. Alumni events and Forums;
• Liaise, contribute and advise with local/national partner organisations regarding all aspects of recruitment, proactively supporting partner recruitment and marketing campaigns;
• Proactively contribute to the recruitment strategy and help to ensure it is being executed, through networking and encouraging potential applicants to apply to for our programmes, vetting potential applications against criteria and encouraging those who met the criteria, and signposting to other business support;
• Take responsibility for databases, monitor applications in a timely manner;
• Horizon scan for potential partners and participants, referring to the Relationship Manager or Head of Enterprise Programmes, as required, and where necessary engage in 1:1 discussions, either in person or via phone/email;
• Proactively develop marketing collateral and support the distribution of marketing collateral to partners;
• Liaising and encouraging potential referral partners regarding hosting recruitment events, sourcing speaker. Liaising with potential partners to attend events;
• Attend external events to represent and promote our programmes,
• Manage application processes, reviewing applications, contributing to shortlisting panels, monitoring status and statistical analysis and providing timely feedback as appropriate;
• Work with the Relationship Manager and Head of Enterprise Programmes to ensure exceptional customer and client service.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

As a Business Development Officer you will have:

• Demonstrable experience of establishing networks within Small and Medium Enterprises and professional services communities and credibility within the professional services and partnership networks;

• Experience in influencing and negotiating effectively with key stakeholders, with excellent persuasion skills;
• Knowledge of the needs of SMEs;
• Ability to contribute to the planning and execution of SME events;
• Experience of working with multinational clients;

• Ability to identify opportunities to expand relevant networks and promotional channels used to support recruitment;
  Ability to comment on accounts and other financial documents;
• Able to collate, analyse, interpret and report data;