The National Youth Agency is looking for a Head of Business Development.
Head of Business Development
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time – 37 hours per week
Salary: £53,000 – £59,000 dependent on experience and qualifications
Location: Home-based in England with occasional travel for meetings, workshops, and team activities. Head Office is in Leicester.
What we do
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
About the Role
The Head of Business Development will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the organisation’s Business Development Strategy, leading the Business Development team to secure new opportunities, and ensuring the sustainability and growth of NYA’s income streams.
Key Responsibilities
As Head of Business Support, you will:
- Lead, motivate, and support the Business Development team to deliver ambitious growth targets.
- Develop and implement business development strategies to secure new commercial opportunities and funding from public, voluntary, and private sector partners.
- Spearhead new strategic initiatives for business development, identifying and pursuing innovative opportunities for growth and diversification.
- Build and maintain high-value relationships with clients, funders, and stakeholders, ensuring NYA’s offer is visible and compelling.
- Oversee the development and management of the sales pipeline, ensuring targets are met or exceeded.
- Work closely with the Director of Growth to align business development activities with NYA’s strategic objectives.
- Engage directly with trustees, including managing the relationship with the Finance and Growth Committee, preparing reports, and presenting business development performance and strategy.
- Lead on market research, business planning, and the development of commercial proposals and pitches.
- Represent NYA at meetings, events, and conferences, promoting the organisation’s reputation and offer.
- Support the Director of Growth in reporting to the CEO and Board on business development performance and strategy.
Why Work for NYA?
- NYA operates as a people-focused organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
- NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
- A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
- NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
- We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via Spectrum.life with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
Closing date: 5pm Wednesday 18th March
Interviews: Monday 23rd March (subject to change)
Interested?
If you would like to apply and find out more about this position, please click the apply button to be directed to our website.
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
Please note: We use AI detector software, so applications or CV’s with high levels of AI generated content may be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance.
No agencies please.
Registered Charity 
21 - 50
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The Vacancies
We are seeking to appoint one registered medical practitioner and one business registrant (Companies Committee), one lay member (Education Committee) and one optometrist (Standards Committee) to our Advisory Panel Companies Committee.
About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance, and conduct. For more information about us please visit our website.
About the Advisory Panel
The Advisory Panel is a meeting of the four Council’s committees (Companies, Education, Registration, and Standards) in plenary session. They are established by statute for the purpose of giving advice and assistance to Council (whether or not in response to a request from them) on:
- matters relating to business registrants other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be referred to the Investigation Committee, the Registration Appeals, Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee;
- matters relating to optical training, education, and assessment;
- matters relating to registration, other than matters required by the Opticians Act to be considered by the Registration Appeals Committee; and
- matters relating to the standards of conduct and performance expected of registrants or those seeking admission to the register.
Time Commitment and Remuneration
This role is part time with a commitment of approximately 2-3 days per year, including time spent preparing for meetings. Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices in London or other suitable venues.
Members are paid up to £185 per meeting. This is taxable and subject to National Insurance (NI) contributions. This is in line with our member fees policy and member fee schedule.
How to apply
Please apply with the following:
- your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service, or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic, or vocational qualifications (please keep this to two sides of A4);
- the application form (attached), stating how your experience matches the essential criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
- an EDI monitoring form (linked in the candidate pack)
Please email your completed application quoting reference GOC01/26 to appointment@optical. org.
We would welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds, as these are currently under-represented on our Council and committees.
For more information about these roles please download the candidate information pack attached.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight Sunday 29 March 2026.
Online interviews will be held on 14,15,18 and 19 May 2026.
If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours.
We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, and geographical locations outside of London.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.