What we’re looking for from you…

We are seeking a proactive and commercially minded business engagement professional, with a strong track record in B2B relationship management.

You will be confident in engaging with senior business leaders, understanding their challenges, and aligning their needs with the objectives of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).

With excellent communication and networking skills, you will be driven, organised, and passionate about supporting business growth and workforce development across Coventry and Warwickshire.

About us…

Chambers of Commerce are the most effective business lobbying group in the UK, with representation in Westminster, influencing ministers and government policy.

At Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce we are the 'Voice of Local Business' and with a strong lobbying voice nationally, regionally and locally.

We are led and based around our members, providing high quality business events and networking opportunities in the Coventry & Warwickshire area - making us the Ultimate Business Network.  

We have amazing benefits for our members:

• Quality contacts
• Opportunities for business growth
• Information on national and local issues that may affect your business
• Many cost saving services
• Support from our team of qualified business advisors.

The Chamber delivers the LSIP on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE), working across the local skills ecosystem to ensure that employers’ voices directly shape the region’s future workforce. 

In Coventry and Warwickshire, the Chamber partners closely with the Warwickshire Skills Hub and Warwickshire County Council to create joined-up activity that supports both current and future labour market needs.

This role will create activity to enable other plans and strategies such as the Warwickshire Employment and Skills Strategy and Get Warwickshire Working. This partnership-driven approach ensures that local employers can influence curricula, qualifications, and training provision to meet evolving business and economic priorities. 

What you'll get…

At Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber our employees get many benefits!

• Flexible & Hybrid Working. 
• Life Assurance of 3x your annual salary
• EAP with SimplyHealth
• Holiday Purchase Scheme, buy up to 5 days per year (FTE)
• Increased holiday after 5 years, 5 extra days per year, taking your entitlement from 25 to 30 days
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Salary Sacrifice Pension with Scottish Widows

So Why us?

Here at Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, our staff come first. We're committed to ensuring staff wellbeing, work life balance and creating a supportive culture where our staff can grow and develop both on a professional and personal level. 
 
We have an outstanding wellbeing plan for the year ahead, shaped by our staff wellbeing team, focusing on teambuilding both inside and outside of the workplace and across the Chamber Group. 
 
Have your say! Our Staff Focus Groups run every 10 weeks, with staff representatives from each team to feedback ideas, concerns or queries to make our workplace better for everyone! 
 
Our employees are at the centre of our business, which is why having a good work life balance is so important to us!

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Business Engagement & Relationship Management
• Strategic Networking & Facilitation
• Develop and Execute an Engagement Plan centred around LSIP
• Collaboration with key Internal and External Stakeholders

Role and responsibilities:

• Seek interactions with a diverse range of businesses, stakeholders and enablers to meet the needs of the LSIP.
• Work closely with the Warwickshire Skills Hub team to ensure coordination and consistency between LSIP and Skills Hub activities.
• Engagement with employers on a face to face/virtual basis to gain qualitative feedback on skills gaps and needs.
• Providing a brokerage service for employers to engage with local providers.
• Engagement with providers to ensure we are gaining the feedback they require to influence curriculum and short-term courses.
• Attend meetings where required/assigned by the LSIP Lead or LSIP Project Manager.
• Support in achieving key milestones set out in the delivery plan.
• To track business and stakeholder engagement and keep databases/data updated.
• Event collaboration and planning with the Warwickshire Skills Hub.
• Provide excellent customer care and communication skills.
• Management of sector specific sub-groups to support delivery of the LSIP, including meeting scheduling, ensuring effective representation from the business community and communications between meetings.
• Provide any contact details for potential members of the Chamber to the Chamber’s membership team.
• Any other duties that may arise as the LSIP progresses.
• To translate the aims and objectives of the LSIP in order to engage and bring on board employers.
• To develop and execute a Business Engagement Plan, setting out targeted activities in a timely manner.
• Develop your own way of working which tracks and monitors business engagement, thereby maximising Business Engagement across a broad range of businesses.
• To manage each client relationship, working to maximise engagement in the project as well as supporting clients to achieve their goals where we can.
• Ensure the LSIP aligns and complements the Warwickshire Employment and Skills Strategy and Get Warwickshire Working initiatives.
• To work with and support development of the wider Business Community across Warwickshire to gain their views on the skills agenda.
• To lead on the discussion of skills but also understand and support the wider aims and objectives of business, to facilitate their growth.
• To facilitate introductions between businesses enabling businesses to make high level connections and raise their profile, thereby retaining their interest in the LSIP Project.
• To work to a set of targets, based on engagement levels, weekly activity targets and retention.
• To work with the LSIP Project Manager to engage the most Strategic Businesses across Coventry and Warwickshire.
• To liaise with the LSIP Project Manager to schedule regular meetings with Strategic businesses.
• To develop and maintain long term relationships with high level Business Leaders, to include consultation meetings and ongoing support to ensure expectations are fulfilled.
• To carry out prep for each Business Engagement meeting, ensuring objectives of the business are understood in relation to LSIP.
• Service multiple clients concurrently, often meeting deadlines.
• To manage business’ expectations, making sure Businesses requests for services/support are dealt with in a timely fashion.
• Deliver a consistent and fair service, ensuring an equitable service across multiple clients concurrently.
• To actively listen to Businesses’ needs and using Business insight and intelligence to make appropriate referrals/introduction signposting to appropriate support and advice.
• To complete records of all communications, completing LSIP Project documentation, CRM, as well as making appropriate quality referrals and ensuring these are effectively managed and responded to.
• Coordinate with staff members working on the same account to ensure consistent service.
• Support the LSIP Project Manager in hosting events and focus groups to build relationships with businesses.
• Maintain accurate and timely records via the Chamber’s CRM system.
• Undertake training and continuous professional development. 

Person Specification:

Essential

• Minimum of three years’ experience in an Account Management/business development role previously, ideally gained in a business to business (B2B) environment.
• Successful Business to Business track record.
• Strong networking skills, customer focused approach.
• Commercially astute - with a proven ability to quickly understand a new business or industry and the challenges and opportunities it presents.
• A broad understanding of business needs, such as finance, marketing and sales and the issues that SMEs face.
• A broad knowledge of the Skills agenda, and issues facing SMEs.
• A thorough understanding of the nature of businesses within Coventry and Warwickshire.
• Ability to analyse own performance.
• A keen eye for an opportunity and know how to pursue and close a deal.
• An extremely positive can-do attitude.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Excellent listening skills with the ability to interpret information and make connections.
• Ideally conversant with social media/LinkedIn.
• Able to work flexible hours, e.g attend breakfast and evening events.
• Full UK Driving license and use of a car for business purposes.

For more information or to apply for this role, please send your CV to Matthew Hammersley, HR Manager, [email protected]