Director (Business Development, Commercial & Marketing)

Job Purpose:

To drive the advancement of Centre for Advanced, Professional & Executive Education (CAPE)s business development, commercial, and marketing agenda by identifying new growth opportunities, strengthening strategic networks, and positioning CAPE as a leading provider of future-focused professional and executive education. It oversees commercial planning, revenue growth, pricing and partnership strategies, and brand positioning to ensure strong market differentiation, client value creation, and long-term organisational impact. The Director also champions a customer-centric and commercially agile approach that aligns institutional excellence with industry and workforce transformation needs.

Key Accountabilities:

Benchmarking and Market Analysis

• Conduct market intelligence and competitive benchmarking to identify emerging trends, industry demands, and growth opportunities within the executive and professional education landscape.

• Monitor competitor offerings, pricing models, partnership approaches, and learning innovations to strengthen CAPE's market differentiation and competitiveness.

• Develop strategic insights to support overall strategy and portfolio expansion, client engagement, and commercial decision-making.

Business Development Strategy & Growth Opportunities

• Develop and drive business development strategies that support revenue growth, market expansion, and long-term commercial sustainability.

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities across all market segments including corporate, government, professional, academic institutions and international sectors.

• Establish growth plans and strategic priorities aligned with institutional objectives and market demand.

Strategic Alliances & Partnerships

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with industry, government agencies, professional bodies, and academic institutions to enhance CAPE's ecosystem and market reach.

• Lead engagement and collaboration initiatives that create mutually beneficial opportunities for programme development, capability building, and business growth.

• Negotiate and manage partnership frameworks, collaboration agreements, and strategic engagement models to support organisational objectives.

• Foster long-term stakeholder relationships that strengthen CAPE's reputation, industry relevance, and strategic positioning.

Client Engagement & Retention

• Lead strategic client engagement initiatives to strengthen relationships, understand evolving organisational needs, and enhance client satisfaction and loyalty.

• Drive the development of tailored learning solutions and value-driven proposals that address client challenges and workforce priorities.

• Drive client retention and account growth strategies through proactive engagement, service excellence, and continuous relationship management.

• Establish customer-centric practices that enhance overall client experience and support long-term partnership success.

Sales Performance & Pipeline Management

• Oversee sales performance and business development pipelines to ensure achievement of revenue targets and growth objectives.

• Lead pipeline activities, conversion rates, and client engagement progress to strengthen forecasting accuracy and sales effectiveness.

• Drive strategic sales initiatives and account development efforts to maximise business opportunities and portfolio growth.

• Establish performance tracking mechanisms and reporting frameworks to track commercial outcomes and market traction and support data-driven commercial decision-making.

Commercial & Market Strategy

• Lead the development and execution of commercial strategies, pricing models, and market positioning approaches to strengthen CAPE's competitiveness and sustainability.

• Oversee commercial negotiations, contractual arrangements, and partnership agreements to ensure alignment with organisational objectives and governance standards.

• Evaluate the commercial viability and scalability of programmes, partnerships, and new business initiatives.

• Drive market-responsive strategies that balance client value creation, financial sustainability, and long-term growth objectives.

Marketing, Branding & Positioning

• Drive strategic marketing and branding initiatives to strengthen CAPE's visibility, reputation, and market differentiation in advanced, professional and executive education.

• Drive integrated marketing campaigns, thought leadership initiatives, and stakeholder engagement strategies to enhance brand awareness and market reach.

• Ensure consistent brand positioning and messaging across all platforms, programmes, and client engagements.

• Oversee the development of marketing strategies that support programme promotion, audience engagement, and commercial growth objectives.

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams to drive collaboration, accountability, and excellence across business development, commercial, and marketing functions.

• Build commercially astute, customer‑centric and performance‑driven team that upholds integrity and safeguard governance practices.

• Foster collaboration within internal units and academic faculties to deliver integrated solutions.

Qualification & Experience:

• Recognised Bachelor's Degree and preferably Master's Degree in Business, Marketing, Management, Economics or related fields.

• Minimum 12-15 years of relevant experience, with significant exposure in business development, commercial management, sales or marketing, preferably within executive education, professional services, higher education or B2B environments.

• Proven track record in revenue growth, partnership development and market expansion.

• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

• Excellent communication, presentation and leadership capabilities.