Business and Events Learning Company Lead (0.6, 22.2 hours per week, Fixed term for 18 months) at West Nottinghamshire College

1. The Appointment

This exciting specialist role of Business and Events Learning Company Lead, sits within the wider business and Professional department. The ideal candidate will have an excellent understanding of business and events. The post holder will be responsible for leading the Business Learning Companies, which provides live client briefs and work placement projects to students within the department.

The post is offered on a 0.6 contract (22.2hrs per week).

What is a Learning Company? The Business Learning Company operates as a fully functional, student-staffed agency, taking on real projects, for real customers. Specialising mainly in events, leading sales through the pop-up shop and coordinating enterprise activities, for example, making products to sell across the college campuses and guiding other college learning companies to operate as businesses. By managing real commercial client expectations, meeting strict deadlines, and working within a team, students develop real knowledge and acquire the technical skills, confidence, and experience that businesses are looking for.

The Business and Events Learning Company Lead will be responsible for sourcing projects, allocating students to the projects and managing the workflow, to ensure final products are quality assured and delivered on time. The post holder will over see the designated Learning Company office and support groups of students to complete the work and ensure events run smoothly.

The post holder will also be responsible for helping to organise the new and annual Diversity Festival and end of year college celebrations.

As the Lead, you will oversee the running of the Companies and ensure that students who are working for the companies, learn the expected skills, professional standards and behaviours.

You will follow the college’s health and safety and safeguarding procedures to ensure that students are attending approved work place settings and/or engaging with approved employers.

The post holder will be expected to be a self-starter and have a high level of resilience, as the role will involve cold calling, engaging new employers and securing client projects.

You may, on occasion, be required to travel within the local area, to meet clients face to face. You may also on occasion be asked to support event events so a flexible attitude is required.

The role will require you to embed the college’s values, Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, Compassion and Ambition.

2. The Post

2.1 Main Duties and Responsibilities

a. Lead and develop the Business and Events Learning Company, engaging up to 100 Business Studies students in live commercial projects, enterprise activities, client briefs and employer engagement opportunities.

1. Create and maintain a sustainable Learning Company model that enables students to gain meaningful commercial and employer-facing experience while supporting college strategic priorities, business engagement objectives and regional economic development initiatives.
2. Source, negotiate and secure projects, commissions, industry partnerships and employer engagement opportunities from businesses, professional bodies, higher education institutions and community stakeholders.
3. Coordinate student involvement in the planning, organisation and delivery of business events hosted through the Mansfield Ambition Exchange (MAX), ensuring high-quality experiences for students, employers and stakeholders.
4. Develop and maintain effective relationships with employers, professional bodies, Nottingham Trent University, Mansfield and Ashfield Business Network, and other strategic partners to maximise student and business impact.
5. Coach, mentor and support students to develop professional behaviours, communication, networking, project management, leadership and event management skills.
6. Allocate students to projects, monitor workflow and supervise project delivery, ensuring all outputs meet agreed quality standards and client expectations.
7. Support students in researching emerging business themes, identifying speakers, developing case studies and creating engaging content for events, projects and employer-facing activities.
8. Promote employability, entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise skills through all Learning Company activities, events and employer engagement programmes.
9. Source and host employers, guest speakers and industry experts for employability, enterprise and the annual Diversity event for the college.
10. Monitor student participation, employer engagement activity and project outcomes, producing reports, impact measures and case studies for senior leaders, governors and funding partners as required.
11. Support students to progress into work placements, internships, apprenticeships, higher education opportunities and employment pathways arising from employer engagement activities.
12. Quality assure all Learning Company products, services and event activities to ensure customer satisfaction and positive stakeholder experiences.

2.2 Other Responsibilities

a) To uphold and promote all company policies and procedures, promoting those specifically applicable to this area of work, including the Equality & Diversity and Health & Safety policies and procedures and attend training as requested.

b) To comply with all college standards and expectations, including college learner procedures and practices and safeguarding policy and practices.

c) To keep up to date, so far as necessary, for the efficient executing of the job, with new legislation, procedures and techniques and attend relevant mandatory training.

d) To be conversant with and participate in activities and developments at college, regional and national level which are relevant to the post.

e) To present and promote an appropriate public image in representing the college group and its subsidiaries.

f) To undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required commensurate with the post.

3. Skills, Qualities & Knowledge

Essential

Desirable

Qualifications:

Relevant degree in any relevant business

P

English to at least level 2

ü

Maths to at least level 2

ü

Experience

Experience of project work

ü

Experience of working with young people

ü

Experience of engaging with clients and delivering finished projects

ü

Experience of working to targets and deadlines

ü

Proficiency in the use of MS office suite

ü

Skills /Knowledge

Ability to successfully negotiate and secure commissions, guest speakers and projects

ü

Demonstrate suitability to work with children and

vulnerable adults including knowledge/understanding of

safeguarding and DBS compliance

ü

Ability to negotiate and secure employer involvement, commissions, guest speakers and project opportunities.

ü

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

ü

Ability to lead and motivate groups of students in professional and employer-facing environments.

ü

Accuracy and attention to detail

ü

Ability to analyse data and produce detailed reports in a format that is accessible and transferable

ü

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

ü

Excellent organisation and administrative skills in a fast paced environment where priorities can change quickly.

ü

Qualities/Approach linked to college values

Commitment to Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity

ü

Ability to positively promote the department and its successes

ü

Leadership of young people / groups of people

P

Ability to plan and prioritise

P

Ability to be flexible and adapt.

P

Self managing / self-reflective

P

Strong Customer Service ethos, with a flexible and professional approach

P

Passionate about providing an excellent service

ü

Team-worker

ü

Confidence in dealing with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds

ü

Self-motivated with a ‘can do’ attitude and an ability to work under own initiative

ü

Enthusiastic, reliable and flexible

ü

Proven ability to work on own initiative

ü

4. Position within the College

This post will report to the Head of Department for Business and Professional Studies

5. Terms & Conditions

a) The post is offered on a Vision Business Support Services, fixed term contract and is subject to those terms and conditions.

b) The full-time salary from 1st November 2026 will be £27,998 per annum, VBSS Band 5 (pro rata for part-time hours). This is a spot salary. £16,798.80 per annum pro rata based on part time hours.

c) You will be required to work 22.2 per week on a flexible basis.

d) You will be entitled to 39 days’ leave in total, made up of: 27 days’ annual leave, 8 bank holidays,4 concessionary days. Please note that the concessionary days apply to the two-week Christmas closure. During this period, you will be required to use up to 3 working days of your annual leave entitlement to cover part of the closure. Leave entitlement will be calculated on a pro rata basis for part-time hours.

e) The Company operates a Scottish Widows Group Personal Pension Plan.

f) The post holder may be located at any West Nottinghamshire College Group site and may be expected to travel as required. You will however be given reasonable notice of any change in your principal place of work and be fully consulted.

6. The Application

Individuals with the appropriate experience, qualifications and personal qualities are invited to complete an online application form by midnight on 4th November 2026.

https://www.wnc.ac.uk/about-us/work-for-us

THE COLLEGE GROUP PROMOTES EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND WELCOMES APPLICATIONS FROM ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY.

The college group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Posts may be subject to DBS check. The successful candidate will be required to pay for the DBS check themselves; the cost will automatically be deducted from their first salary payment. This is currently £49.50.

It is an offence for anyone who is barred by the ISA from working with children and or vulnerable adults to apply for this position.