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Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Together we make a difference, develop and learn, and support each other. Every day with us is different, but our mission remains the same: To champion the rights, needs and ambitions of the people we support - they are at the heart of everything we do. We stand by them and we work together for change.
Alongside an incredible team of like-minded peers, you’ll be working behind-the-scenes to support our staff, volunteers, families, and supporters. You will be helping our work happen across the charity; enabling us to care for and champion the rights, needs and ambitions of the people we support.
The Role
As the Head of Business Development, you will provide strategic leadership and hands-on delivery to stabilise and strengthen the Trust’s business development approach. You will lead the end-to-end opportunity pipeline - from market intelligence and commissioner engagement through to bid development, governance and mobilisation handover - ensuring opportunities are aligned to strategy, deliver strong outcomes, and are financially viable.
Hours: 37.5 Hours
Contract : Permanent
Salary: £48,022.00
Location: Cheadle, Stockport
Responsibilities include but are not exhaustive
- Provide visible interim leadership for the Trust’s business development function, setting clear priorities and ways of working, and coordinating contribution from service, operational, clinical and corporate colleagues.
- Develop and maintain a Trust-wide opportunity pipeline (tenders, frameworks, spot-purchase growth, strategic partnerships and other commissioned income routes), including qualification, prioritisation, and clear next steps.
- Lead proactive engagement with commissioners, local authorities, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), NHS partners and other stakeholders to understand demand, shape specifications where appropriate, and position the Trust effectively.
- Own the end-to-end bid process: establish bid plans, coordinate contributors, draft and quality-assure responses, and ensure submissions are compliant, persuasive, and submitted on time.
- Work with Finance and service leads to ensure all bids and proposals are underpinned by robust costing, pricing, risk assessment and contract terms review; ensure financial viability and appropriate approvals before submission.
- Create and embed a practical bid governance approach (stage-gates, templates, timelines and sign-off), so that bidding is consistent, efficient and auditable.
- Champion the Together Trust’s vision, mission and values, and role model the Trust’s behaviours.
- Commit to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in how opportunities are developed and how the Trust works with partners.
- Maintain a visible presence across Trust services and corporate teams, balancing hybrid working with on-site engagement as needed.
About You
- Educated to degree level (or equivalent senior leadership experience).
- Evidence of continuing professional development in leadership, commissioning, commercial practice or service transformation
- Significant senior experience in commissioning, business development, service development or strategic partnership working within a public service environment (e.g. local authority, NHS, education, social care, VCFSE).
- Proven track record of developing successful proposals, business cases, tenders or commissioning documentation - including coordinating multiple contributors to deadlines.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience engaging credibly with senior commissioners and partners.
- Good understanding of public sector commissioning and procurement routes, including tendering, frameworks and contract governance.
- Understanding of the importance of safeguarding, quality and regulatory expectations when developing and mobilising services for children, young people and adults.
- Ability to analyse complex problems, identify options and recommend proportionate solutions.
- Full UK driving license with ability to travel across Together Trust locations and to partner/commissioner meetings as required.
Benefits
- Annual Leave 27 day holiday plus 8 days bank holidays rising to 30 after 5 years, 33 days after 10 years
- Generous pension scheme and death in service benefit, up to 7% company pension contributions initially rising with length of service and up to 6 x basic salary death in service benefit.
- Occupational sick pay and family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
- Reward and Discount platform offering discounts at high street shops, travel, insurances etc.
- Eligibility to apply for Blue Light card
- Proud to be a real living wage employer
- Refer a friend scheme, be rewarded for recommending a friend to work with us
- Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including apprenticeship qualifications
- Long service awards including cash gifts and extra holiday.
- Promotion of Wellbeing across the organisation including Mental Health First Aiders offering wellbeing support from trained colleague and free weekly yoga session in person or online
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for you and adults at your home
Find out more — watch our short video to see what it’s like to work with us:
https://youtu.be/SEnw2o00T6E
Applications are very welcome from all regardless of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, race, sex, sexual orientation, trans status or socio-economic background. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments for disabled people. We positively encourage applications from those with lived experience.
If there is any part of your lived experience you want to keep confidential in some way please talk to the Recruitment or HR shared service teams and we will do what we can to support you
The Together Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support and expects all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Safeguarding checks will be undertaken for the successful candidate in line with our safer recruitment policy.
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
We are a UK charity supporting children in care and people with disabilities, autism and complex needs in the North West.
Thank you!
Role overview
This newly created senior role strengthens The Young Foundation’s strategic business development function and supports income growth across the full range of our programmes and partnerships. The post will provide expertise in fundraising and procurement processes including approaches to philanthropic funders and investor circles as well as formal tendering, dealing with a range of funding modalities from research grants to commercial consultancy and trusts and foundations.
Key responsibilities
Business development and income growth
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Lead high‑value income generation processes, including building consortia, securing philanthropic funding, and delivering high quality formal tenders, coordinating inputs from across our delivery teams.
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Oversee the preparation of costed proposals and pitches for a diverse range of funders, including research councils, local authorities, commercial consultancy, and philanthropic trusts.
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Support the continued growth and impact of The Young Foundation’s external-facing activity, aligning business development with communications and policy work.
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Manage a robust pipeline, tracking opportunities and ensuring strategic alignment with organisational priorities.
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Develop budgets, pricing models, and partnership structures for commissioned work.
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Identify new funding and commissioning opportunities through horizon scanning, network engagement, and proactive outreach.
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Collaborate with senior colleagues to refine and grow thematic and programme areas.
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Support and advise colleagues across the organisation on approaches to business development including opportunity identification, competitive analysis, structuring meetings, building consortia and financial models.
Partnerships, networks and relationship management
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In collaboration with programme delivery leads, build and steward relationships with funders, commissioners, consortium partners and strategic collaborators.
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Lead account management for key partners to support long‑term growth and mutual value creation.
BD leadership, systems and strategy
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Create, improve and maintain appropriate BD systems, processes and tools, including pipelines, trackers and lessons‑learned approaches.
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Contribute to organisational strategy and planning and, in particular, to fundraising strategy and external affairs.
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Create and monitor BD metrics, reporting on feedback and recommending appropriate courses of action.
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Manage a repository of BD data and information, including track record, capacity statements, boilerplate bid sections, etc.
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Champion The Young Foundation’s values, ensuring inclusive, ethical and community‑centred practice.
Person specification
Prior experience – essential
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Substantial experience of leading/managing business development and income generation for a think tank or similar research/innovation led organisation.
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Track record of securing income across a range of relevant funders through both competitive tenders and proactive approaches.
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Strong commercial acumen.
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Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills.
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Understanding of UK government and non-government sectoral funding landscapes.
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Strong network in the UK community and/or social innovation sector.
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Commitment to equity and social justice.
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Demonstrated collaborative approach to team-working – able to work effectively with colleagues with a range of specialisms and to operate effectively in a remote-first organisation.
Prior experience - desirable
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Experience with the introduction of CRM software.
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Familiarity with creating and reporting on BD metrics at Senior Leadership Team and/or Board level.
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Experience of/interest in exploring the impact of AI in business development and fundraising.
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Familiarity and/or previous experience with The Young Foundation’s thematic areas (eg, community engagement, just transition, social innovation, young people, etc.).
How to apply
Please apply directly via CharityJob, ensuring you complete the application form.
As part of your application, please include a cover letter addressing the following questions:
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Where do you see the greatest business development opportunities for The Young Foundation over the next 24 months?
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In an increasingly competitive market, how would you seek to position The Young Foundation for opportunities, in light of the charity’s mission, purpose, vision and expertise?
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What is your approach to building and strengthening positive relationships to drive income growth?
The closing date for applications is 12pm on 20 April 2026
The selection process will involve an interview and a presentation task.
Interviews are expected to take place w/c 4 May 2026
As part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, we ask all applicants to complete our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
This information is collected anonymously and will not form part of the selection process.
