Coyne Recruitment is working on behalf of a leading independent training provider serving both English and Welsh funding streams, to recruit an experienced Business Support Manager to lead and develop its Business Support function.

This is a key role within the organisation, sitting at the heart of the business and bringing together learner administration, management information, funding claims, data, systems and audit.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys making sense of data, improving systems and processes, and ensuring that the operational side of a training business runs properly. You’ll lead the Business Support function across both England and Wales, working closely with senior management, operations and external stakeholders.

The Role

You’ll take overall responsibility for the Business Support function, providing leadership to the Wales and England Leads and ensuring that the wider team delivers accurate, timely and effective support across the business.

A big part of the role will be making sure the organisation has the right information at the right time. You’ll oversee daily, weekly and monthly MI, funding claims, data quality and reporting, using systems and technology to make processes more efficient and give senior leaders a clear picture of performance.

You’ll also play a key role in funding compliance and audit, making sure claims are accurate, information is reconciled correctly and any audit actions are followed through to completion.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and manage the Wales and England Business Support Leads, setting priorities and monitoring performance.
• Oversee learner administration and Business Support activity across both English and Welsh contracts.
• Develop and deliver accurate daily, weekly and monthly management information and reporting.
• Take ownership of funding claims, ensuring they are accurate, reconciled and submitted within required timescales.
• Lead on financial audits, audit responses and resulting improvement plans.
• Manage and develop learner management information systems and digital platforms.
• Review data, systems and processes to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and improved reporting.
• Work closely with Operations Managers, Senior Management and wider teams to ensure information and processes support operational delivery.
• Ensure data input, reporting and documentation meet contractual and funding requirements.
• Maintain and develop systems manuals and Business Support procedures.
• Identify operational changes required to meet programme and funding specifications.
• Represent Business Support at management meetings where required.
• Build effective relationships with external organisations and stakeholders.
• Recruit, train, develop and appraise Business Support colleagues.
• Support the organisation’s self-assessment and quality improvement activity.
• Ensure appropriate standards around safeguarding, equality, health and safety and quality are maintained.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who combines strong data and analytical skills with genuine leadership ability.

You’ll ideally have experience within Further Education, skills, apprenticeships, employability or funded training, with a good understanding of the systems, reporting and compliance requirements that sit behind successful programme delivery.

You’ll need:

• Proven experience designing, developing and improving management reports.
• Strong experience producing strategic MI that allows senior leaders to quickly understand business performance.
• Practical experience using Power BI, including automated reporting and analytical dashboards.
• Experience working with digital platforms and learner e-portfolio / learner management systems.
• A strong track record of working with large and complex datasets.
• Experience of funding claims, reconciliations, audit preparation and compliance would be highly beneficial.
• Excellent attention to detail and a genuinely analytical approach.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to turn data into useful information.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to build relationships at all levels.
• The personality and leadership skills to motivate, support and develop a team.
• A strong customer-service mindset, both internally and externally.
• An understanding of safeguarding requirements within an education, skills or training environment.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a highly important business function within an established independent training provider.

You’ll have genuine scope to improve how the organisation uses data, reporting and systems, while leading a team that plays a crucial role in the successful delivery of funded programmes across England and Wales.

If you’re someone who looks at a spreadsheet and immediately starts thinking “there must be a better way of doing this”, this could be a very good fit.