Managing Director
Salary: £120,000 – £130,000 + executive package Location: Home-based (UK) Travel: Quarterly business reviews in London, plus ad hoc stakeholder meetings
 
The Opportunity
We are working with a well-established, privately owned UK skills and training organisation to appoint a Managing Director with full P&L ownership.
The business delivers a portfolio of government-funded training programmes, operates nationally, and employs c.160 people. It has strong foundations, a “Good” quality rating, but is now entering a critical phase of change, stabilisation and performance improvement.

This role offers genuine autonomy, clear accountability, and the mandate to reset and reposition the organisation for sustainable growth.
 
Organisation profile:

• c.160 employees
• National delivery
• Multi-programme provision (Apprenticeships, Bootcamps, ASF)
• Revenue c£6.5m
• Established leadership team (6 direct reports into the MD, with c150 indirect)
• Quality rated “Good”

 
Role Purpose
This is a hands-on, P&L-owning Managing Director role, responsible for leading the next phase of the organisation’s development.
We need an MD who can:

• Reset the operating model
• Improve performance and outcomes
• Strengthen delivery quality
• Build momentum and culture
• Balance commercial ambition with regulatory and quality excellence

You will have full accountability and authority to drive change
 
Scope & Accountability
The Managing Director will have end-to-end responsibility for:

• Delivery & Operations
• Performance, outcomes and success rates
• Quality, compliance and regulatory assurance
• Product, curriculum and programme development
• Commercial strategy, sales and marketing
• Financial performance and full P&L ownership

 
Key Challenges & Priorities

• Improve learner outcomes and achievement rates
• Lead a people and performance reset across the organisation
• Strengthen leadership capability, accountability and culture
• Ensure robust funding compliance and regulatory assurance
• Define and deliver a clear growth and commercial strategy
• Operate effectively within a group-owned structure while retaining entrepreneurial leadership

 
Ideal Candidate Profile
Essential experience:

• Proven Managing Director / Business Unit Director experience with full P&L ownership
• Strong background in UK education, skills or training
• Experience across government-funded provision (e.g. apprenticeships, adult skills, bootcamps or similar)
• Demonstrable success in turnaround, stabilisation or performance improvement
• Deep understanding of quality frameworks, funding compliance and inspection
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary leadership teams
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of balancing quality and profitability

Leadership style:

• Hands-on, decisive and resilient
• Credible with delivery teams and senior stakeholders
• Comfortable leading change in stretched environments
• Able to operate with high autonomy and accountability

 
Why Apply?

• True end-to-end MD remit
• Clear mandate for change and improvement
• Opportunity to reshape and future-proof a national provider
• High-impact role with visibility at group level