Commercial Manager
Location: Leeds
Employment type: Permanent, Full Time
Salary: £35-£40k (DOE)
Closing date: 27 May 2026
About this position
The challenges we address are often too big for any one organisation. We build partnerships with purpose that deliver lasting impact. This role will be key to growing our impact with new partners and ultimately the impact we have on young people and the employers we work with.
The Commercial Manager will work closely with our broader growth and marketing teams to create new partnerships with like‑minded organisations who are ambitious in their efforts to drive the social impact of young people.
Reporting to the Commercial Director, this role is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and fast‑paced team. Our ideal candidate will have experience in a B2B context, be proactive and commercially minded and champion our vision of a society where a young person's potential isn't limited by their background.
Key Responsibilities
Business Development
* Support the wider growth plans of the business by identifying and developing growth opportunities and winning new work.
* Lead generation and qualification, scoping and converting new opportunities that arise from marketing campaigns, networking, events, tenders and partners.
* Identify emerging market opportunities across the private and public sectors.
* Track trends and developments around social value to shape our propositions.
* Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date CRM records using Dynamics and HubSpot.
Proposal and Bid Management
* Lead the creation of high‑quality proposals.
* Co‑ordinate the wider team to develop accurate scoping and pricing.
* Understand client challenges and translate them into bespoke solutions that develop strong and long‑term partnerships.
* Identify, sign up to and manage opportunities through appropriate tender portals.
* Set up and maintain a bid/proposals filing system.
* Lead the proposal debrief process with both successful and unsuccessful bids and proposals, ensuring learnings and trends are identified, communicated and acted upon.
Marketing and Reputation Support
* Collaborate closely with Marketing in the identification and conversion of leads generated from marketing campaigns.
* Work with the marketing team to create case studies and thought‑leadership content.
* Attend and represent the organisation at events and conferences, providing regular feedback to the wider team.
General
* Competitor benchmarking and contribute to the competitive differentiation of our offer on a client‑by‑client basis.
* Champion and advocate a holistic approach to the assessment and consideration of macro‑economic factors and market forces analysis.
* Work alongside growth and delivery teams to better understand targets, defend and build client programmes and understand client relationship dynamics.
* Undertake any other duties as requested and commensurate with the post.
Skills and Experience
Essential
* Proven experience (around 2‑3 years) in business development or account management.
* Excellent relationship building and stakeholder engagement skills.
* Strong written communication with an ability to produce compelling proposals and pitches.
* Commercially astute, with experience negotiating deals.
* Ability to work independently, prioritise workload and drive results.
* Ability to think outside the box, develop ideas and create clarity from ambiguity.
* Confident presenting to senior leaders and external audiences.
Desirable
* Experience in a consultancy or client‑facing organisation.
* Experience in B2B business development.
* Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g. MS CRM Dynamics and HubSpot).
* Experience supporting marketing or thought‑leadership activities.
* Strong understanding of social value/ESG.
Housekeeping
Working hours: a standard full‑time week is 37.5 hours.
The role is based in Leeds but may require travel across the UK, including overnight stays as required. Unsociable hours may be required.
There is a requirement to be in the office a minimum of 2‑3 days per week; beyond this, flexible working and other arrangements are happily considered.
Additional Requirements
As we work with young people, all staff are required to undertake a Criminal Record Bureau/DBS check upon joining, and the checks are repeated throughout employment.
Equal Opportunities
Our vision is a society where a young person's potential isn't limited by their background. We recognise the importance of our team reflecting the communities we serve, so we welcome and encourage candidates from all backgrounds for this role.
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