Business Development Manager

Job purpose - To grow NEYDL's earned income across two distinct strands: securing commissioned services and contracts with local authorities and other organisations in the North East; and developing a national market for NEYDL's training products and DigiDAD platform, enabling professionals and organisations across the UK to improve the support available to young dads in their communities.

Hours
- Full-time (35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm), with occasional evening and weekend working expected to meet the needs of the charity. Four days per week considered for the right candidate.

Location
- Hybrid, home‑based with regular travel to Gateshead and nationally

• Identify and develop opportunities to secure commissioned services and contracts with local authorities, NHS bodies, family hubs, children’s services, early help teams and voluntary sector organisations
• Lead on the sale of NEYDL’s training products to professional audiences nationally, managing the full sales cycle from prospecting to close
• Where relevant to other business development activity, make professionals aware of DigiDAD as a free resource and refer interested contacts to the DigiDAD Engagement Officer for onboarding and follow‑up
• Develop and maintain a BD pipeline, setting annual targets in conjunction with the CEO and reporting progress to the board
• Identify new markets, audiences and partnership opportunities and make evidence‑based recommendations to the CEO on where to focus BD effort.

• Lead on the development of proposals, tenders and commissioned service bids, working closely with the CEO and programme team to develop compelling cases
• Maintain awareness of relevant commissioning frameworks, procurement processes and funding opportunities that align with NEYDL’s offer
• Ensure all proposals and tenders accurately reflect NEYDL’s costs and margins and are consistent with the organisation’s financial requirements

• Build and manage relationships with commissioners, buyers, strategic partners and sector networks nationally
• Represent NEYDL at sector events, conferences and networks, raising our profile with the professional audiences we want to reach
• Work collaboratively with the DigiDAD Programme Manager to align BD activity with the growth of the DigiDAD platform
• Support the launch and positioning of NEYDL’s new national brand, contributing to marketing and communications activity that supports commercial growth

• Contribute to organisational strategy and annual planning as a member of the senior management team
• Report on BD performance and progress against targets to the CEO and board
• Work closely with the DigiDAD Engagement Officer (managed by the DigiDAD Programme Manager) to ensure a joined‑up approach to professional audience engagement
• Comply with all NEYDL policies and procedures including safeguarding, data protection and equality, diversity and inclusion

Key relationships

• Chief Executive Officer: line manager and strategic lead
• DigiDAD Programme Manager: close working relationship on professional audience growth and platform promotion
• DigiDAD Engagement Officer: referral coordination on professional engagement and DigiDAD growth
• Programme Managers and frontline team: to inform BD activity and support proposal development
• External: commissioners, local authority leads, NHS contacts, training buyers, sector networks

The following milestones have been agreed with our primary Year 1 funder and represent the BDM's near‑term priorities:

• Approaches made to at least 25 contacts, including commissioners in all Family Hub areas in the North East and warm VCSE collaborators

• Marketing and outreach completed with at least 100 contacts (warm and cold)
• Training delivered at least 10 times
• Indicative conversion targets achieved: approximately 3% of cold contacts and 25% of warm contacts progressing to a training booking (these are assumptions to be tested and refined through year one)
• Evaluation and review of year one learning completed; year two…