Senior Specialist/Specialist (Business Development)

Introduction

This position supports the Business Development and Strategic Partnership department in financial analysis, business case development, market research, commercial evaluation, operating model development, contract coordination, and coordination of selected partnership workstreams.

The role is responsible for providing analytical, planning, coordination and decision-support capabilities that enable the evaluation of new partnership opportunities, business initiatives, commercial contracts, and projects. The position works closely with the Deputy Director to develop insights, financial models, operation models, business cases, and recommendations that support strategic decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Modelling and Commercial Evaluation

• Develop and maintain financial models to support new partnership opportunities, business initiatives, and strategic projects.

• Conduct financial feasibility assessments, scenario analysis, and sensitivity analysis.

• Evaluate revenue, cost, profitability, contribution margin, and return-on-investment projections.

• Support the development of pricing assumptions, partner commercial structures, and financial scenarios.

• Prepare commercial analysis and recommendations to support management review and decision-making.

• Work with relevant internal stakeholders to validate key assumptions and ensure commercial analysis is robust.

Business Cases, Operating Models and Strategic Analysis

• Prepare business cases for new partnership opportunities, new courses, regional initiatives, and strategic projects.

• Develop operating models to support proposed partnership structures, including roles, responsibilities, delivery arrangements, service scope, and implementation considerations.

• Conduct benchmarking and research to support proposal development and commercial evaluation.

• Translate analysis into clear recommendations for discussion with the Deputy Director and senior management.

• Support the evaluation of new business opportunities by identifying key opportunities, risks, dependencies, and decision points.

University Contracts, Commercial Contracts and Legal Coordination

• Support the Deputy Director in coordinating university contracts, commercial contracts, agreement schedules, articulation arrangements, course schedules, and related partnership documentation.

• Work with Legal to coordinate contract reviews, consolidate business and commercial inputs, and track open points requiring resolution.

• Review contract drafts from a business and commercial perspective, including financial terms, operating obligations, service scope, partner responsibilities, timelines, deliverables, termination provisions, and implementation implications.

• Coordinate internal inputs from relevant departments, including Academic, Operations, Finance, Marketing, Recruitment, QA, and Legal, where required for contract review.

• Ensure contract-related assumptions are aligned with financial models, business cases, operating models, and implementation plans.

• Maintain proper documentation, version control, and records of contract-related working files.

Partnership and Business Development Support

• Support the Deputy Director in progressing new university partnerships, regional opportunities, and business development initiatives.

• Assist in preparing discussion materials, proposal decks, partner briefs, and follow-up papers.

• Coordinate working-level inputs from internal teams including Schools, Academic, Operations, Marketing, Recruitment, Finance, QA, and Legal.

• Support partner-facing coordination where required, including consolidation of information, follow-up of open items, and preparation of materials for discussions.

• Maintain visibility of key milestones, actions, dependencies, and risks across assigned partnership opportunities.

• Escalate material issues, risks, and decision points to the Deputy Director for direction.

Strategic Proposals and Management Materials

• Support the preparation of proposals, management papers, TMM reports, and Board-level materials.

• Develop supporting financial schedules, charts, market analysis, operating models, and commercial summaries for senior management discussions.

• Consolidate business, academic, operational, market, legal, and financial inputs into clear and structured materials.

• Ensure materials are prepared in a concise, accurate, and decision-ready format.

• Maintain documentation and version control for key proposals and supporting analysis.

Project Coordination and Follow-Through

• Coordinate assigned project workstreams under the direction of the Deputy Director.

• Track timelines, deliverables, action owners, dependencies, contract milestones, and follow-up items.

• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure timely submission of inputs and completion of agreed actions.

• Support implementation planning for approved initiatives, including preparation of trackers, work plans, operating models, and coordination documents.

• Assist in identifying operational, contractual, and commercial implications arising from proposed initiatives.

• Provide structured updates to the Deputy Director on progress, risks, outstanding matters, and decision points.

Market Research, Data and Portfolio Analytics

• Conduct market research relating to university partnerships, transnational education, regional opportunities, competitor activity, and sector trends.

• Analyse internal and external data to support strategic planning and partnership decisions.

• Support portfolio-level analysis of partnership performance, pipeline opportunities, contract obligations, and commercial outlook.

• Prepare dashboards, summaries, and analytical reports where required.

• Maintain research files, data references, assumptions, and supporting materials for future use.

 Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Finance or Business. Postgraduate qualification is advantageous

• 5 to 7 years of relevant experience in business planning, commercial analysis, business development, financial modelling, corporate planning, consulting, commercial coordination, contract coordination, or strategic projects.

• Experience preparing business cases, financial models, management papers, and commercial proposals.

• Experience supporting contract review processes, agreement coordination, commercial terms review, or legal coordination.

• Experience analysing revenue, cost, profitability, contractual obligations, and scenario assumptions.

• Experience conducting market research, competitor benchmarking, and opportunity assessment.

• Experience coordinating cross-functional inputs across multiple stakeholders.

• Experience in higher education, partnerships, transnational education, commercial contracts, or a similarly complex stakeholder environment is advantageous

• Strong financial modelling and business case development skills.

• Strong commercial and analytical capability.

• Good understanding of commercial contracts and ability to identify business, financial, operational, and implementation implications.

• Strong Excel skills, including financial modelling, scenario analysis, and data analysis.

• Strong PowerPoint skills, with ability to prepare clear senior management materials.

• Ability to translate complex analysis, contract issues, and commercial considerations into concise insights and recommendations.

• Strong coordination and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to work effectively with Legal, Finance, Academic, Operations, Marketing, Recruitment, Compliance, and external partners.

• Good writing skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and follow through on deliverables.

• Ability to work independently while coordinating with internal and external stakeholders.

• Willingness to support meetings and activities involving external and overseas partners where required.

• Occasional travel may be required depending on business needs.