Kaplan
Business Development Director
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Reference number: JR257038
Location: London / Remote
Working pattern: Full time, 37.5 Hours
Contract Type: Permanent
Number of roles: 2
Grade: K7
Salary: £80 - £90k per annum
We are looking for a Business Development Director to join our team.
We are seeking a senior, entrepreneurial commercial leader to act as the primary owner of our most critical corporate client relationships. As a key commercial leader within Kaplan Professional Education, you will drive revenue growth and expand our strategic footprint within Kaplan’s largest existing and target corporate accounts. Moving beyond transactional sales, you will act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, embedding Kaplan’s full suite of learning solutions—encompassing both apprenticeships and commercial training—to solve complex skills challenges. You will serve as the champion for our commercial engagements, setting the tone for professionalism, trust, and deep, sustainable partnership in our most high-value client verticals.
Essential
What you’ll bring to the role
- Senior Commercial Leadership: Demonstrable success in senior sales or business development roles, with a track record of managing high-value enterprise accounts (FTSE 250 preferred) in the UK skills/training market.
- Consultative Sales Approach: Deep experience in solution selling and "skills-led" conversations. You are comfortable discussing C-suite priorities (digital transformation, skills gaps, ROI) rather than just product features.
- Strategic Stakeholder Management: Ability to engage and influence at the C-suite and director levels, establishing "technical trust" with internal account teams and external client stakeholders.
- Commercial Acumen: Extensive experience in developing complex revenue models, navigating tender processes, and leading large-scale bids.
- Full-Portfolio Fluency: Ability to articulate the value of diverse learning products (apprenticeships vs. commercial training) and align them to a client’s long-term digital/tech roadmap.
- Communication: Exceptional written and presentation skills; comfortable presenting to large audiences and drafting high-stakes proposals.
Desirable
- Sector Specialism: Experience in specific verticals (e.g., Technology, Financial Services, or Public Sector).
- Leadership Experience: Prior experience in formally leading or managing high-performing sales teams.
- Technical/AI Literacy: Demonstrable knowledge of AI and digital transformation trends, and how these affect the future of work and corporate learning requirements.
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A detailed job description can be viewed here. If the link does not work for you, please copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: https://tinyurl.com/mwdvb8rt
What We Do
Kaplan Professional is a leading provider of apprenticeships, accountancy / tax / finance & banking courses, and professional assessments. For almost 80 years, we've helped shape the development and careers of finance professionals.
We are part of the Kaplan group, one of the world’s largest and most diverse education and assessment providers. We operate in over 30 countries and maintain relationships and partnerships with more than 1,000 school districts, colleges and universities, professional bodies and over 10,000 businesses. Our vast breadth and scope in terms of both capabilities and assets sets us apart.
What We Believe In
Our goal is for Kaplan to be a great place to work where everybody can succeed, so we truly live and breathe our values: act with integrity, grow knowledge, empower & support, create opportunity, drive results together.
Kaplan is a global organisation whose mission is rooted in providing equal access to education and opportunities for advancement to people of all backgrounds. We believe diversity, equity and inclusion - of culture, experiences, perspectives - are paramount to creating success and opportunity in an ever-changing world. As an educator, partner and employer, Kaplan is committed to promoting an equitable world in which diverse talent can develop, advance and thrive.
To view our candidate privacy notice click here.
Our Values
We live, breathe and celebrate our values - they drive what we believe in, how we behave and guide us in creating a culture of success.
- Act with integrity
- Empower and support
- Create opportunity
- Grow knowledge
- Drive results together
What We Offer
As well as a competitive salary, transparent pay structures, hybrid/home working where possible, and paths for career progression, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- 28 days annual leave + option to purchase more
- Season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme
- Big discounts on Kaplan courses for you and your family
- Private medical, income protection, and life insurance
- 24/7 confidential helpline providing counselling and other support services
- Company pension contributions
- Maternity, Adoption, Shared Parental and Paternity/Partner pay which is well above statutory levels
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How To Apply
To apply for this role please submit a CV along with a Cover Letter detailing how you meet the requirements of the role no later than 11pm on Monday 27th July 2026. Note, we recommend that you apply at the earliest as we reserve the right to close the role before the closing date if we have gathered a suitable shortlist.
Additional Application Information
Kaplan is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.
This role involves working with learners who are under 18 years old and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Recruitment checks are undertaken in accordance with our background checking policy. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure (including children’s barred list) via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to confirm their suitability to work with children and young people. In addition to the DBS check, for roles that include teaching or coaching, a Prohibition from Teaching Check will be completed through the Teaching Regulation Agency.
Our Suitability of Ex-offenders Policy is available on the careers page of our website www.kaplan.co.uk.
Please be aware that it is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.
Disability Confident Scheme
As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role as per the job description and any screening or testing stages. Details of how to request your application be considered under the Disability Confident scheme will be shared with all applicants upon submission of an application.
Furthermore, all applicants invited to attend interview will be given information on how to request reasonable adjustments to attend.
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