Advert
Business Development Officer
Help to Grow
Cardiff Business School
We are looking for a talented and experienced Business Development Officer to join a dynamic team within one of the biggest and best Business Schools in the UK. This post will support the Cardiff Business School Executive Education team in the proactive recruitment and successful on-boarding of Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) for upcoming cohorts of the Help to Grow: Management course.
This exciting and varied role involves working closely with the Business Manager and the academic Programme Director to deliver this government-backed initiative, designed to enhance management skills and drive business growth within UK SMEs.
Cardiff Business School has achieved a 5-year re-accreditation of its Small Business Charter, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the SME community. The Help to Grow: Management programme plays a crucial role in helping SMEs thrive and aligns strongly with the School’s Public Value mission.
This post is full-time (35 hours per week), advertised on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2026.
Salary: £33,482 - £36,130 per annum (Grade 5). Appointment will normally be made at the bottom of the scale.
Date advert posted: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Closing date: Tuesday, 5 August 2025
Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. Cardiff Business School is particularly looking to recruit from under-represented groups within the School.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Job Description
Job Purpose
One of the programmes in the Cardiff Business School Executive Education portfolio is Help to Grow: Management (H2GM), which is a UK Government-supported initiative aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enhance their management skills and drive business growth.
This post will support the Cardiff Business School’s Executive Education team with proactive recruitment and successful on-boarding of SMEs for forthcoming H2GM programme cohorts (September 2025; January 2026).
Duties and Responsibilities
Key Duties
* Assist in the development and execution of marketing and communication strategies to engage and recruit SMEs for the "Help to Grow Management" course. This includes using market intelligence and independent judgment to identify target businesses and relevant external events, such as industry conferences and networking opportunities, which represent the University well. The role also involves proactively engaging with stakeholders to promote H2GM and to build long term connections which benefit the Executive Education portfolio of events and training opportunities.
* Act as the first point of contact for SME enquiries, providing clear and accurate information about the course, and guiding them through the enrolment process, ensuring that complex and conceptual issues are understood, and that Executive Education at Cardiff Business School is presented in a positive light.
* Support the design and organisation of promotional events, webinars, and informational sessions aimed at raising awareness and encouraging participation in the Executive programme.
* Maintain and update participant records using customer relationship management (CRM) tools, ensuring accurate tracking of engagement and enrolment activities, and proactively following up with potential participants after external events.
* Develop and maintain positive relationships with SME leaders and managers and other key stakeholders, ensuring ongoing engagement with the programme. Be proactive in seeking out external stakeholder events to build and strengthen these relationships.
* Assist in the preparation of reports, marketing materials, and other documentation as required to support the recruitment process, ensuring all materials highlight Cardiff University's strengths and positive reputation.
* Gather and record feedback from participants and stakeholders to contribute to the continuous improvement of the recruitment process and course delivery. Investigate and analyse specific issues, using feedback from external events to make proactive changes, refine outreach and engagement strategies.
General Duties
* Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
* Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
* Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role, such as attending additional external events and representing the university in various forums.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications And Education
* Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field, such as business administration or marketing.
Knowledge, Skills And Experience
* This is a customer-facing role so experience in marketing and communications, preferably involving business engagement and development, outreach, sales or customer recruitment activities.
* Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively, with a focus on detail and accuracy.
* Competence in using Microsoft Office applications and CRM systems for data management and communication.
Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
* Ability to work effectively as part of the Executive Education team, contributing to collective goals and supporting colleagues as needed.
* Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate detailed and complex information effectively and build rapport with the suitable target audience.
* Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered.
Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
* Ability to identify and solve expansive problems using data and with initiative and creativity, identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems with range of potential outcomes.
* Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work and that of others and monitoring progress
Desirable Criteria
* Understanding of the challenges faced by SMEs and the potential benefits of management development programs.
* Experience of working in a Higher Education environment.
* Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.
Please refer to Additional Information below for guidance on how to prepare a supporting statement
Additional Information
Cardiff Business School
Cardiff Business School is a leading business and management school in the UK, holding AACSB and AMBA accreditations and ranked 1st for its Research Environment and 2nd on Research Power (REF2021). The School has a Public Value purpose and focuses on the co-creation of high quality, interdisciplinary education and knowledge that delivers economic, social and environmental value. The School’s activities are oriented towards five Grand Challenges: Decent work, fair and sustainable economies, future organisations, good governance, and responsible innovation ..
Working for Cardiff University & Important Information on Applying
This role is eligible to be offered on a blended working basis, meaning that as well as spending time working on campus you can also choose to spend some time working from another location, e.g. your home. The University is committed to offering this flexibility, wherever the role and business need allows, supporting work-life balance.
We want to employ people with a wide variety of experiences. We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We are particularly seeking applications from candidates who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented at the University, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.
We are looking for a team player who will work with colleagues to provide a great service to staff and students. You don’t need to have worked for a University before; this is an opportunity to show your potential and start or continue your career at Cardiff University.
This role may be an opportunity for you to build on your experience from working in a previous administrative role or environment with particular interest in an editorial role showing your transferable skills and aptitude to be successful in the role. You should be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge and skills to become a valued member of the team.
Your application will be assessed against the following essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please copy and paste this section into a new document and give clear examples of how you can evidence meeting each criteria by writing under each one. You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life (e.g. work, home, education/qualifications or community life) as long as you focus on their relevance to the role.
Please save your supporting statement in a separate document with the title [YOURNAME-BR NUMBER-JOB TITLE] and attach it to your application in the recruitment system. Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test).
Salary Range Min.
33,482
Salary Range Max.
36,130
Job Category
Business / Strategic Management
Grade
Grade 5 #J-18808-Ljbffr