BESA is the UK’s trade association for education suppliers. Representing more than 80% of the UK education industry sector BESA plays a vital role in delivering effective lobbying, networking, market research and other business services to its growing membership group.

We are looking for two outstanding individuals to two new roles within BESA to help deliver the next stage of BESA’s success.

Contact Director General, Caroline Wright, Caroline@besa.org.uk to express an interest in the role. To apply for either post please provide a CV and covering letter outlining your interest in BESA, and experience and suitability for the position to the Director General.

Commercial Director – BESA (up to 70K plus performance related pay element)

Location: Flexible

Commercial Director Job Purpose:

Serves as a member of BESA’s senior leadership team reporting to, and supporting, the Association’s Director General. Leadership and oversight of BESA’s commercial operations and focus on the long-term interests and financial viability of the Association.

Pursues new business opportunities and ensures delivery of successful ongoing business relationships and contracts for the Association.

Plays a lead role in marketing, commercial management, partnership building and ensuring BESA’s contracts and legal obligations are fulfilled.

Job duties:

Leadership

• Assists Director General and works as a member of BESA’s senior leadership team.
• Coaches and leads BESA team on best practices for managing contract issues.
• Ensuring staff are clear on roles and responsibilities and managing teams to deliver association’s key targets.
• Reporting to Director General and Executive Council on commercial activities.
• Working alongside Operations Director as a member of BESA’s senior leadership team reporting to the Director General.

Commercial direction and partnerships

• Manages daily commercial operations.
• Responsible for developing, leading and implementing BESA’s commercial strategy to deliver the association’s goals and objectives to deliver and accelerate growth.
• Explores new opportunities to grow BESA, whether through partnerships or new initiatives and works to take advantage of those opportunities building and maintaining profitable partnerships with key stakeholders.
• Sets commercial targets and monitors performance of commercial activities using key metrics, including budget development and monitoring, and preparing reports for BESA’s Director General and Executive Council.
• Manages BESA’s commercial operations and contracts and enters into commercial negotiations where necessary.

Market and membership

• Responsible for managing market and membership (existing and new) data, analysing data and other market reports to give insight into how BESA can remain the foremost trade association for the UK education suppliers sector.
• Understanding the needs of existing customers to ensure their needs are met within BESA’s commercial activities.
• Risk management. Assesses, audits and manages business risks in order to advise Director General and BESA’s Executive Council on future commercial strategy.

Public facing

• Meeting and presenting to overseas education delegations from all over the world.
• Presenting at conferences/events in UK and overseas.
• Monitoring and oversight of production of PR campaigns, articles and social media promoting BESA’s industry messages.
• Participating in media interviews and dealing with the press and media.

Other

• Accepts extra duties as situations and needs arise in a small, tight-knit organisation.

Commercial Director Key skills:

• Proven experience as commercial director or other relevant role, including outstanding commercial awareness and strategic capability.
• Proven experience in sales and/or marketing and managing relationship with key clients.
• In depth understanding of the education industry.
• In depth understanding of market research methods and analysis.
• Solid knowledge of performance reporting and financial budgeting processes.
• A strong influencer.
• Experience of working with international partners.
• A willingness to take on other roles when necessary.

Beyond this, the successful applicant will also be a strong fit within our organisation and have the ability to build and maintain relationships both internally and externally.  To this end, s/he will need at all times to be:

• Highly motivated, results-oriented and have a clear focus on business growth.
• Positive in outlook with a willingness to support and aid colleagues and members.
• Passionate in offering the best quality of service possible to our membership.
• A natural forward planner who critically assesses his or her own performance.
• Credible with a professional demeanour, comfortable in dealing with people at all levels.
• A team player with strong and empathetic communication skills; having the ability to see things from all people’s points of view – both within the BESA team and when working with external parties.
• Well-presented, business-like and keen to gain new experiences, responsibilities and accountabilities as the organisation continues its growth.
• Tenacious and proactive, articulate and numerate and able to work both as part of a team and under his or her own initiative.