Workforce Development Manager Southeast CIMPSA

Sporting Equals; Loughborough; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports development organization seeks a Workforce Development Manager for Southeast England. The role involves managing employer partnerships, driving income generation, and influencing local skills initiatives. Ideal candidates should possess strong partnership management, commercial acumen, and effective communication skills. The position requires significant local travel, with occasional visits to the Loughborough office. Salary is £38,865 per annum with closing date on 8th January 2026.

Benefits

Travel expenses covered

Flexible working environment

Qualifications

• Proven track record of meeting targets and generating income.
• Experience in workforce development and partnership building.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain employer partnerships and use local insights.
• Drive commercial income and meet income targets.
• Advocate for learning across employers and education providers.
• Monitor and report on partnership activity and income performance.

Skills

Partnership management experience

Strong communication skills

Commercial acumen

Understanding of the sport sector

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

Dynamics CRM

Job description

Location: Remote – East and West Sussex, Kent & Hampshire

Salary: £38,865 per annum

Closing Date: 8th January 2026, 9:00 AM

Description

Workforce Development Manager Southeast England

Join our Workforce Development team and play a key role in growing the profile of CIMSPA through professional recognition, partnerships and local skills. You’ll lead on delivering local Sport & Physical Activity Skills Plans, build long‑term employer relationships, and drive engagement with CIMSPA’s professional pathways in your region as part of our UK‑wide team. Teamwork, peer learning and innovation are central to successfully delivering against our commercial and Sport England targets.

We’re looking for a natural people‑connector with strong partnership management experience, commercial acumen, and a deep understanding of the sport and physical activity sector. In this role you’ll spend significant time working with our stakeholders and influencing at all levels, supporting employers to develop and recognise their workforce, and driving a more skilled, impactful workforce in the sector.

You’ll have a track record of meeting targets, generating income across multiple revenue streams, and understanding education and workforce development needs. To really thrive in this role, you will be someone who communicates with ease and genuinely connects with people. Extensive travel across the Southeast and regular time at our Loughborough Head Office (expenses covered) are required.

If you’re passionate about workforce development, collaboration, and making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Key tasks include but are not limited to:

Relationship & Account Management

• Build and maintain strong employer partnerships, using local insight to shape skills plans.
• Promote professional recognition and support employers to engage with CIMSPA pathways.
• Manage a partner portfolio to retain relationships, grow income, and prevent churn.
• Lead workforce planning discussions to understand employer skills needs.
• Convert prospective leads into active partners and support effective onboarding with internal teams.

Income Generation

• Drive commercial income through partnerships and professional status growth.
• Meet set income targets by converting new employers and increasing yield from existing partners.
• Support accreditation, reaccreditation and professional status upgrades.
• Develop skills development proposals and identify new revenue opportunities.

Local Influencing

• Lead the development and delivery of local skills plans with regional stakeholders.
• Advocate for accredited and endorsed learning across employers and education providers.
• Strengthen links between CIMSPA, employers, and education institutions to align skills with workforce needs.
• Position CIMSPA within wider local and cross‑sector skills initiatives.

Tracking & Measurement

• Monitor and report on partnership activity, income performance, and skills plan progress.
• Use Dynamics CRM to manage data, track interactions, and support reporting on trends.

Communication

• Work with Marcomms, accreditation, and education teams to create content, support onboarding, and align development opportunities.
• Represent CIMSPA at events and engage stakeholders through clear, influential communication.

Please click here for the full job description – 2025-11-18-Workforce-Development-Manager-Southeast-England

First stage – if successful, video interview submissions will take place and need to be received by Monday 12th January 2026.

Second stage – if successful, interviews will be held at SportPark, Loughborough University on Tuesday 20th or Wednesday 21st January 2026.

Please note:

• Using AI to write your cover letter is discouraged, as we want to understand your own voice, experience, and motivation.
• This is a remote role with substantial local travel requirements (travel expenses are covered).
• It will require occasional attendance (approximately every 6 weeks) at CIMSPA’s Head Office in Loughborough.
• Candidates ideally reside within or near the designated areas (East and West Sussex, Kent & Hampshire).