Business Development Director, IT into Higher Education Sector
Business Development Director - Systems Integration (Higher Education Sector), £120,000 Basic | £180,000 OTE. As a disruptive Challenger Systems Integrator (SI), our client pairs elite technical expertise with a high-velocity delivery engine. They provide world-class, cyber-resilient solutions by leveraging a sophisticated labour arbitrage model that ensures Tier-1 quality at a highly competitive price point. Ready to scale their UK footprint, our client is seeking an elite, "first-on-the-ground" leader to focus entirely on the Higher Education and University sector. This is the precise vertical where their largest, most successful accounts already sit. This isn't a cold start; you'll hit the ground running with a heavyweight portfolio of referenceable success, including multiple major UK universities as longstanding clients.
This is a unique, high-autonomy role. You will initially operate under your own Limited Company, fully contracted to the parent company. For the right business development leader, this is the precursor to establishing and leading a full UK Division.
Your Responsibilities
- Leverage your existing Vice-Chancellor, CIO, Director of IT, and Academic Registrar-level network to win high-value technology, software, and hardware integration projects across UK universities.
- Lead the full sales cycle from university-specific penetration plans to navigating complex institutional procurement frameworks and complex bid strategies.
- Work closely with highly qualified offshore delivery experts to design value-based integration solutions that address critical HE pain points, from student lifecycle data to research infrastructure.
- Align technical capabilities with changing trends in higher education funding, regulation, and student expectations to ensure our client's "Challenger" status remains undisputed.
- A proven track record of enterprise-level sales success within a Systems Integrator, specifically targeting the Higher Education and University sector.
- An expert in value-based, consultative selling who understands how to build consensus among diverse, complex university stakeholder groups.
- The ability to translate complex integration engineering into clear business value for institutional leaders-specifically surrounding data analytics, business intelligence, and modern cybersecurity frameworks.
- Exceptional negotiation skills with the capability to manage complex university tender responses (including framework agreements) and high-level stakeholder relationships.
- A proactive sense of urgency, the ability to work autonomously, and a desire to thrive in a performance-based compensation structure.
- Operating with Trust, Integrity, and Equality at the heart of every deal.
If you have the network, the sector acumen, and the drive to build a dedicated HE division from the ground up with the backing of an established international powerhouse, we want to hear from you.
To apply, email your CV to
This vacancy is being advertised by Aaron Wallis Recruitment and Training Limited operating as an Employment Agency, registered in England No. 6356563. View our and
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