Help us create more opportunities for children, young people and adults with SEND

We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Business Development Manager to lead our business development activity across the South West.

Reporting to our Director of Business Development, this is an influential and highly visible role in which you will develop strong strategic relationships with local authorities, Integrated Care Boards, commissioners and other key partners. You will generate high-quality referrals, support sustainable occupancy growth and identify new opportunities for Aurora to extend its reach and impact.

If you are an engaging relationship-builder who combines commercial awareness with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for people with special educational needs and disabilities, we would love to hear from you.

The role

At The Aurora Group, growth means building trusted relationships and helping more children, young people and adults access the specialist education, care and support that is right for them.

Working closely with Aurora's operational leaders, Placement Managers, Marketing, Finance and other central teams, you will strengthen our presence across the South West and ensure Aurora is recognised as a trusted, collaborative and preferred provider.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and delivering regional referral-generation and business development plans.
• Building a sustainable pipeline of enquiries, assessments and placements across Aurora's schools, colleges and adult services.
• Developing trusted strategic relationships with local authorities, Integrated Care Boards, commissioners, social care teams, framework leads and other referral partners.
• Understanding commissioning priorities, emerging demand, funding developments and changes within the SEND market, including the SEND reforms.
• Supporting fee reviews, funding discussions, placement agreements, framework opportunities and commercial negotiations.
• Contributing to business cases, service development plans and strategic growth initiatives.

The role will involve regular travel across the South West, as well as occasional travel to other Aurora services, meetings and national events.

What we're looking for

You will be proactive, credible and confident operating with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. You will be comfortable balancing commercial priorities with Aurora's commitment to achieving positive and sustainable outcomes for the people we support.

You will bring:

• Relevant experience within specialist education, health, social care or local authority commissioning.
• A background in business development, placements, commissioning, account management or a related field.
• A strong track record of building stakeholder relationships and delivering growth, occupancy or revenue targets.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills, combined with strong commercial awareness.
• Confidence using data and market insight to identify opportunities and inform action.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively across operational and central teams.
• Experience of frameworks, complex placements, tribunals or funding negotiations would be advantageous.
• A full driving licence and flexibility to travel regularly across the region.

Why join Aurora?

Across our network of specialist schools, colleges and residential services, our teams help children, young people and adults with SEND develop their individual skills and abilities and live fulfilling, increasingly independent lives.

As a certified B Corp, Aurora recognises that its people are at the heart of the organisation and central to delivering its mission.

How to apply?

Please complete an online application form in full, remembering to include all employment and education details.  If you need any assistance or would like any more information please contact Liz in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at Liz.Hudson@theauroragroup.co.uk

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled. 

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.