University of Nottingham Ningbo China is seeking to recruit a senior business development manager in Business Development Office

The UNNC Business Development Office (BDO) acts as a single focal point for all matters related to marketing, client relationship management, and contract management of commercial business development activities. This Senior Manager Business Development position focuses primarily on connecting the UNNC Business School and other faculties with industry for the purpose of developing commercial training programmes, that include but are not limited to:  

• Executive education.
• Industry training.
• New staff training for banks.
• Nottingham tri-campus training programmes.

Overall direction and strategy are provided by the Director of Business Development. The Senior Manager will work closely with faculty leadership and academic delivery teams, departments as Assurance, Procurement and Finance, and collaborating as appropriate with the UK and Malaysia campuses.

This role requires candidates that have interpersonal and presentation skills, are highly self-motivated, and have significant expereince of business development in the Higher Education Sector. Regular domestic business travel is required, as well as occasional international trips.

Your Responsibility 

Your key responsibilities include: 

• Coordinating business development activities, contributing to BDO annual planning cycles and identifying market opportunities to build a sustainable pipeline of commercial programmes.
• Driving end-to-end new business development, from prospecting and client engagement through to proposal development, contract negotiation, and deal closure in line with university policies.
• Providing market data and insights to support faculty and senior leadership decisions on commercial programme design, pricing, and positioning.
• Building and managing strong relationships with clients and external partners to ensure high levels of satisfaction, repeat business, and long-term collaboration.
• Designing and delivering integrated marketing and engagement activities across B2B and B2C channels, including events, campaigns, and external networking.
• Managing team operations, ensuring effective support for programme delivery and continuous improvement of processes, systems, and CRM utilisation.
• Ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and institutional requirements across all commercial activities, proactively managing risk and maintaining high operational standards.

About You 

• A bachelor’s degree (master’s degree or relevant professional qualification desirable) in a business-related or strategic discipline.
• A proven track record in business-to-business sales and consultative selling, preferably within a large, complex organization.
• Experience of CRM systems and data-driven business development practices.
• A solid understanding of the corporate training, executive education, or teacher training, with the ability to operate effectively across Chinese and international business environments.
• Demonstrated experience in client relationship management, including engaging with senior stakeholders and delivering high-quality, tailored solutions.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience in proposal development, contract negotiation, and budget management.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with professional fluency in both Mandarin Chinese and English (written and spoken).
• Experience working in complex, multi-cultural environments, with the ability to collaborate across internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong organisational, project management, and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives effectively.

About Us 

Join a unique British University in China. The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China. This award winning campus offering a UK style education has grown to establish a student body of over 10,000 in 22 years.

The University of Nottingham Ningbo, China, a pioneer in Sino-foreign tertiary education, is rapidly expanding. It is looking for ambitious, talented academics with a passion for teaching as well as research flair to join its team of science and engineering experts. UNNC is part of the University of Nottingham’s Global University, and offers unique teaching and research opportunities in a highly dynamic economy. 

Your Remuneration, Benefits and Support

The post will be offered on a fixed term contract for 3 years and a probation of 6 months with University of Nottingham Ningbo China. We are committed to providing competitive employment packages while supporting the wellbeing of our staff to help them reach their full potential.

How to Apply 

Applicants should submit an application via our on-line application system before 10 May 2026 23:59 Beijing Time at: https://jobs.nottingham.edu.cn/job/184523/ 

Only on-line applications made at (http://jobs.nottingham.edu.cn ) will be accepted. Referees will be contacted prior to interview and interviews will take place in Ningbo China. 

Informal enquiries regarding these vacancies may be addressed to David Foster, Director of Business Development at email:  David.FOSTER@nottingham.edu.cn. 

If you are unable to apply on-line please contact the Human Resources Office, Tel: 86 574 88180000 (ext. 8564).     

Equality and Diversity 

University of Nottingham Ningbo China is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff. It is our intention to ensure that job applicants and staff are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age*, socio-economic background, disability, religious or political beliefs, trade union membership, family circumstances, sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction. 

Attachment: Job Description/Role Profile