University of Northumbria
Head of CPD and Business Development
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ABOUT THE ROLE
This is a senior leadership role within Research & Innovation Services (RIS) at Northumbria University, reporting to the Director of Knowledge Exchange (KE) and sitting within the RIS Executive Team.
The Head of CPD & Business Development carries primary responsibility for driving Northumbria's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) growth ambitions, making this a commercially significant role within the University's knowledge exchange portfolio. CPD is a central mechanism through which Northumbria deepens its relationships with employers, professions, and the regional and national economy, and the postholder will lead its operationalisation across all three faculties: Health & Wellbeing, Society & Culture, and Science & Environment.
The postholder will translate Faculty KE Plans into active, income-generating CPD programmes, coordinating across academic and professional service colleagues to move provision from concept through approval to delivery. They will maintain a clear CPD pipeline, develop and sustain the employer and professional body relationships that underpin demand, and ensure accurate classification, reporting, and compliance with the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (HEBCIS) and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) obligations.
Alongside the CPD brief, the role carries strategic responsibility for business development across the wider KE portfolio, identifying and securing commercial opportunities in consultancy, contract and collaborative research, Degree Apprenticeships, and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. The postholder will lead a skilled, multi-disciplinary team of Business Development and KE professionals, fostering a high-performance culture aligned to the University's KE income targets.
The postholder will be expected to:
- Build strong networks with employers, industry partners, and sector peers
- Keep pace with developments in digital tools, CRM systems, and data analytics to drive continuous improvement
- Represent Northumbria in relevant external forums
Further information is available in the job description [https://livenorthumbriaac.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/role-descriptions/IQAp7YIypoiSTr9vJfkSZdHjAf1-OLvRwJR5XFEKI-CyTEA?e=bttVoO].
Interviews will be held on 15th and 18th September 2026.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Northumbria University is a vibrant, campus-based institution and the successful candidate will be expected to spend the majority of their time on campus at our Newcastle City location. This is a people-facing leadership role where presence matters, both for the effective management of teams and for building the strong internal relationships that are central to success in this post.
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We recognise the importance of work-life balance and have flexible and hybrid working arrangements in place, which will be agreed in line with the needs of the role and the service.
ABOUT YOU
To be successful in the role, you will have:
- Deep knowledge of the UK higher education environment, the CPD and workforce development landscape, and the employer and professional body relationships that underpin sustained CPD demand, alongside a strong understanding of the broader KE income portfolio including KTPs, consultancy, and contract research.
- A proven track record of operationalising strategy, with the ability to translate faculty or institutional plans into active programme pipelines and measurable income outcomes.
- Strategic thinking with the ability to operate effectively as part of a senior management team, shaping and driving forward knowledge exchange and CPD growth strategy across a large and complex university.
- Proven people leadership skills with a positive, inclusive and collegiate style, and a track record of motivating and developing high-performing commercial and business development teams.
- Strong communication, stakeholder management, and commercial acumen, with the ability to engage and influence at senior levels across faculties, employer organisations, professional bodies, and funding agencies.
- Demonstrable experience of working in a large and complex organisation, including income forecasting, resource planning, and the development and implementation of processes that drive commercial performance.
- A first degree or postgraduate qualification and/or substantial professional experience is essential; a relevant professional qualification in business development, CPD management, or a related field is desirable.
Further information is available in the person specification [https://livenorthumbriaac.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/role-descriptions/IQAp7YIypoiSTr9vJfkSZdHjAf1-OLvRwJR5XFEKI-CyTEA?e=bttVoO].
If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Michael Parker, Director of Knowledge Exchange, at michael2.parker@northumbria.ac.uk
We welcome applications from the UK and across the world. Visit our web pages for details about Relocation Assistance [https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/work-for-us/relocation-assistance/].
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To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now'. Your application should include a covering letter and a CV.
ABOUT US
Join Northumbria University, a research-intensive institution unlocking potential and changing lives locally and globally. Named Times Higher Education's University of the Year in 2022 and Modern University of the Year in 2025, we rank top 25 in the UK for research power. Discover more about us [https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/].
With over 37,000 students from 140+ countries, we offer world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and an outstanding student experience. We empower our exceptional staff, promoting a positive work-life balance and offering great benefits, including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, generous holiday entitlement and more [https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/work-for-us/rewards-and-benefits/].
Our Northumbria Values, co-created by our team, define who we are: Academic Excellence, Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Ambition. Our Behaviours shape our work culture: We listen and learn, support one another, respect everyone, trust each other, and are bold.
Based in Newcastle upon Tyne and London, we are an on-campus organisation and offer flexible hours and location where the role allows. We pride ourselves on diversity and inclusivity, holding numerous awards for gender and race equality, disability confidence, and research excellence. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.
Apply now and join a community committed to transforming society and the economy. Explore "Our Exceptional People [https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/media/work4/Our%20Exceptional%20People%20Publication%20V6.pdf], Our Values and Behaviours [https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/Work-for-us/Our-Values-Our-Behaviours]" page to learn more about our commitments and see our Privacy Policy [https://northumbria-cdn.azureedge.net/-/media/services/legal/gdpr/pdf/privnot/2025jobapplicantprivacynotice.pdf?modified=20250915114801] for further details.
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