Bidding and business development coordinator jobs

Demand for our specialist tutoring programmes for Children Looked After, those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) continues to increase and we are seeking a dedicated and effective Partnerships Account Manager to join our team and support the increased demand for our provision and the continued scaling of our organisation.

The Organisation

Equal Education is a social enterprise working to improve outcomes and narrow the attainment gap for disadvantaged and vulnerable learners, including Children Looked After, those with SEND, and unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We have over 13 years’ experience delivering 1:1 tuition, working with hundreds of Schools and Local Authority partners across the country, reaching hundreds of pupils annually. 

As a member of the Fair Education Alliance, we believe in providing meaningful educational provision to students whose needs may not be best met within a traditional classroom environment, those who aren’t currently accessing education, or who benefit from additional 1:1 support. We work with over 200 qualified teachers to provide academic, subject specialised and individual tutoring and mentoring for children of all ages. Tutors provide pastoral care and work with pupils to increase engagement and attainment. Our programmes will help the students to overcome barriers to learning, help them build trusted relationships, increase their aspirations, and fulfil their potential. We are passionate about our cause and are looking for people who are motivated by a strong desire to address educational inequality and improve outcomes. 

What is the Role?
This is a fixed-term maternity cover opportunity for a Partnerships Account Manager. In this role, you will drive business growth by securing new partnerships and managing key client accounts across designated regions. With a focus on building and sustaining long-term local council and school relationships, you will work closely with clients to understand their needs, expand our service offerings, and ensure the highest levels of satisfaction. As the majority of our key client relationships are with local councils, we are looking for someone with knowledge of how they operate.

The post holder will have the opportunity to line manage junior member(s) of the team, who provide essential bid-writing and administrative support to facilitate efficient and effective client management.

This role would suit someone with proven ability to operate effectively in scaling organisations where processes are still being defined. This role suits someone who is adaptable, resilient, and confident working at pace amid change.

The role will be suited to those who have worked within an education setting and held the title: SENCO, Head of Department, Advisory Teacher, Inclusion Coordinator or Designated Teacher. The role will also be suited to those who have worked within a Local Authority setting and held the title: Commissioning Officer, Senior Case Officer, Case Officer. Whilst the role is also suited for an experienced (key) account/client manager, we are looking for an individual who has experience and/or knowledge of the UK education system.

This role is ideal for an ambitious, client-focused individual, passionate about creating positive outcomes for vulnerable students. If you’re ready to contribute to a growing organisation that’s making a difference, we’d love to hear from you! As this is a maternity cover, we expect that the successful candidate will be able to swiftly absorb our ways of working and contribute to the success of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Client Acquisition and Relationship Management

   • Proactively seek new business opportunities within assigned regions to grow the client base.

   • Develop and maintain strong, positive relationships with key clients, ensuring their evolving needs are met and service offerings are aligned.

   • Lead regular client review meetings to discuss progress, gather feedback, and identify additional service opportunities.

   • Manage internal relationships to ensure what matters to clients is communicated internally using the proper channels, to allow for effective delivery by our Service Delivery team

   • Maintain good internal stakeholder relationships with our Service Delivery team to ensure client demands are balanced with our processes and team capacity. 

2. Strategic Planning and Development

   • Collaborate with Senior Leaders to develop strategies for client retention and growth.

   • Work closely within the Partnerships team to align on strategic objectives and ensure seamless service delivery across functions.

   • Participate in client and industry events to represent the organisation, expand networks, and identify new business opportunities.

3. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

   • Monitor client engagement, satisfaction levels, and service outcomes; produce regular progress reports for management.

   • Oversee tracking and analysis of client-related statistics to ensure targets are met and clients receive impactful, value-driven service.

   • Manage and track client data and prospect pipelines using CRM systems, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date information.

   • Report to the the Partnerships Director on accounts, Tenders, Bids, client meetings on a regular basis.

   • Be curious to explore our Salesforce system data, understanding and interpreting delivery and impact data. 

4. Line Management and Support Coordination

   • Lead, mentor, and manage junior member(s) of the team focused on bid/application writing, tender management, and client-related administration.

   • Support junior member(s) in producing and reviewing high-quality application documents and responses that align with client requirements and enhance our partnership outcomes.

   • Provide oversight to ensure that administrative tasks are completed efficiently, supporting smooth client interactions and consistent follow-through.

   • Work with other area leaders, to ensure strong delivery of services.

   • Contribute to, and foster strong internal working relationships to successfully delivery against strategy and objectives.. 

5. Bid Management and Process Improvement

   • Oversee the preparation and submission of tenders and bid applications, working closely with junior member(s) to ensure high-quality and timely submissions.

   • Continuously review and improve internal processes to optimise bid management, client onboarding, and service delivery.

   • Report on bid submission performance, review bidfeedback to continuously improve. 

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Detailed knowledge of the UK education sector. 

• Experience working in the education sector or with local authorities, particularly in roles involving SEND or children’s services.

• Proven track record in client relationship management, with experience in sales or partnership development roles.

• Strong communication skills, particularly in face-to-face and telephone interactions, with the ability to build rapport quickly and maintain long-lasting relationships.

• Experience managing a small team, providing leadership, direction, and support to ensure high-performance standards.

• High level of empathy and commitment to supporting vulnerable and underserved communities.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet both short- and long-term deadlines effectively.

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for tracking client data, leads, and progress.

• Proactive, problem-solving mindset, able to address issues independently and provide client-focused solutions.

• Able to work in a high pressure environment, whilst taking initiative, we would want the postholder to ask for support when needed.

Desirable:

• Exceptional written communication skills, with proven confidence in drafting, editing, and refining persuasive content across a variety of formats.

• Experience in bid and tender writing or grant applications is advantageous, though a background in producing compelling written materials for diverse purposes is equally valued.

General
The job is subject to having the right to work in the UK, two professional references and a basic DBS check.

Why Equal Education?

• Competitive salary

• Investment in you - we believe in developing from within and offer our team training opportunities and personalised development plans, as well as the chance to get involved with lots of projects across the organisation.

• Flexible, hybrid work environment with regular opportunities for in-person client engagement.

• Working alongside a passionate team working to make a positive impact in the lives of under-resourced children and young people across the UK.

• Staff wellbeing benefits such as ClassPass membership, access to discounts via Perks at Work, eyecare vouchers, regular wellbeing sessions and team social events.

At Equal Education, you are the expert. We give you the space, the support and the technology to be your best. The rest is up to you.

Being you at Equal Education 

Every young person we support is unique and our team isn’t any different. Our differences are our strength when it comes to providing a tailored, human approach to education. We are proud of our people and provide an environment where everyone can bring their most authentic self to work. 

Our recruitment practices are carried out in line with equal opportunities and all candidates will be reviewed fairly regardless of age, gender reassignment, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. 

Next steps

If you feel inspired and you think you have the right motivation and experience for the role, we would love to receive your application.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and interviews will be arranged accordingly. We reserve the right to close this application early, for example if we receive an unprecedented number of applications, so please apply promptly to ensure you are considered for this role.