The Open University
Director, Sector Development
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Advert Reference Number: 1741
Job Location: Milton Keynes
Department: Business Management
Salary: £89,608 to £105,027
Closing Date: 10 Aug 2026
Weekly Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 12 months from start date
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The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).
About the Role
Working to the Head of Unit and within the Senior Leadership Team of the Business Development Unit (BDU) we require temporary cover for a role to support the Open University’s (OU) income diversification strategy.
This role will provide strategic leadership and vision to develop and grow new and existing B2B business through the support of a complex mix of partnerships and customer relationships; leading, mentoring and supporting our business development teams, B2B marketing team and Bids & Tenders team, to identify new business opportunities, engage with employers, partners and internal faculty, and to close business to meet agreed targets.
The Director of Sector Development will work collaboratively alongside other senior colleagues to define, develop and implement OU propositions and partnering approaches with corporates, public sector bodies, NHS & Social Care, third sector organisations, other education partners and private training providers across England.
This role requires a proven, seasoned commercial leader, used to working at a senior Director level, who understands and has experience of B2B business development and marketing in a complex, regulated, semi public-sector environment.
Key Responsibilities
The Director of Sector Development will be responsible for:
- Creating and implementing a multi-sector strategy and detailed planning for continued B2B income growth in a highly complex external and internal business environment.
- Leading, mentoring and coaching our business development teams and leaders in order to continue to grow their capability to deliver mission-aligned income growth for the university.
- Leading the definition and development of OU propositions for corporates, public sector bodies, third sector organisations and private training providers.
- Leading the development and implementation of a B2B marketing strategy to most effectively position the OU with employers and partners across the UK in order to drive B2B and partner engagement to support both the OU mission and income diversification.
- Leading the delivery of a high quality, efficient and responsive B2B Bids and Tenders team to help support OU B2B activity across the OU in the four nations, with significant activity in the public sector.
- Representing The OU at a senior level with external stakeholders, customers, partners and potential customers, across England (and the UK when supporting OU Nations) to help position OU services, to influence and to build complex multi-sector partnerships that can directly support income growth.
- Leading the development, alongside other senior BDU and wider OU colleagues, of external employer partnerships for the OU across England, across both the public and private sectors.
- Building and maintaining effective internal relationships with OU colleagues in Ireland, Wales and Scotland to help to support income growth and external partnerships in those markets as required.
- Working alongside other senior BDU, OU faculties and wider OU colleagues to help with the design and implementation of the interfaces for a new Institute of Work Based Learning within the University and the BDU business development teams.
- Leading the engagement of internal stakeholders, including across OU faculties and Nations teams, to effectively manage complex internal stakeholder relationships necessary to enable the delivery of B2B income growth.
- Working alongside other senior BDU, OU faculties and wider OU colleagues to design and implement a new approach to delivering effective employer, Local Government, Mayoral Combined Authorities, NHS & social care and other key relationships across England.
- The role will define, direct, influence and lead on tactical business development, relationship management and B2B marketing activity to address opportunities across England. Responsible for the management of robust prospect pipeline to track, report against and meet agreed business targets.
- Ensuring the Open University’s involvement and influence in relevant bids and tenders’ opportunities across sectors, from the initial stages of opportunity development, this role will be required to lead on strategic bids and tenders’ opportunity evaluation and stakeholder engagement across the University.
- Being part of the BDU Executive leadership team, enabling collective development of vision for the unit, change management and joint leadership of the implementation of OU strategy by the Unit, supporting the Head of Unit as required.
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About You
Essential criteria:
- Proven commercial leader with extensive previous experience in building sustainable partnership relationships across sectors that deliver B2B income streams in a complex environment. This experience will have been gained in a nationally recognised, customer-focused and service led organisation with a reputation for excellence. Direct UK Higher Education experience is strongly desirable.
- Experience of working in business development in a highly regulated semi public-sector environment, preferably directly within UK Higher Education.
- Proven people leadership experience and an emotionally intelligent and very collegiate approach that includes mentoring, coaching and developing business development teams and others, in a supportive and engaging manner in order to help build future capability and excellence.
- Experience of working in highly complex semi public-sector, nuanced environments where internal stakeholder relationships are as key to delivering external success as the strength of external partnerships and customer relationships.
- A strong commercial background, with the ability to develop both strategy and tactical plans for business development and business cases, alongside displaying winning commitment to gain support from key stakeholders of all levels, both externally and across the university.
- Demonstrable evidence of working at a senior level in a commercial role for an extended period, as well as very high levels of influencing of senior leaders both externally and internally, to achieve business success, growth and internal change.
- Experience of representing a business and brand in a B2B context at a senior level with external stakeholders in many different sectors and stakeholder environments.
- Experience within or alongside UK Higher Education or the learning and development sector, as well as experience at a senior level of managing commercial development across multiple business settings or channels and group initiatives.
- Experience of driving strategy and implementing business decisions and processes within a large governance-based organisation, alongside a proven track record of successful business development and demonstrable experience of increasing revenue and profitability.
- Evidence of sound commercial judgement with previous experience in a senior sales, marketing, strategy or training development position.
- Evidence of delivering leadership in a challenging, dynamic and complex semi public-sector environment.
- Strong communication and negotiation skills, a collaborative and non-ego driven approach, cultural awareness, initiative and an ability to work independently at a senior level with a minimum of supervision.
- Some knowledge and experience of public sector bids and tenders’ processes, in addition to knowledge of apprenticeships policy and market developments.
- Experience of using salesforce or similar CRM systems.
- An understanding of cultural, professional and other differences, actively encouraging contributions from others with a willingness to undertake any other duties which may reasonably be required. Some travel will be required around the UK.
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What's in it for you?
At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).
Working Location:
It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be 1 -2 days per week, but this could be more often if business needs dictate. Full-time working based from our Milton Keynes site is also supported if this is preferred by the candidate. Expenses associated with travel to our Milton Keynes site are not reimbursable. Occasional wider UK travel will also be required - expenses for this travel will be reimbursed.
How to apply
Please click Apply to be taken to the OU Careers site. You will be required to submit the following documents:
- A Supporting Statement of up to 1000 words. You should set out in your statement why you are interested in the role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the essential criteria for this role as detailed above.
- CV
Early closing date notification
While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received.
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