Business Development Coordinator

National Autistic Society

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

Since 1962, the National Autistic Society has been campaigning to transform lives, change attitudes, and create a society that works for autistic people. In National Programmes, we champion the rights and interests of autistic people and their families, making sure national policy and legislation reflect their needs.

We provide autism training and best practice services and want all autistic people to have access to services and support that fully meet their needs. We provide diagnostic services, training, accreditation, consultancy, and conferences, designed to support all professionals and organizations. 

About the role

The National Autistic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and adults who use our services. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks if relevant to their role. The National Autistic Society helps create a world that works for autistic people, and within our Corporate Services, supports the teams who champion the rights and interests of autistic people and their families.

We have a rewarding opportunity for a Business Development Coordinator within the Business Development team. If you share our values and want to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.  The Business Development team supports the growth and smooth running of our adult services. We keep track of referrals and vacancies, help coordinate fee uplift activity, and make sure we have the information we need when new opportunities or tenders arise.

The team works closely with colleagues across Operations, Finance, IT and our support services, as well as commissioners and other external partners. The team’s work helps to keep Adult Services organised and ensures that referrals, enquiries and business opportunities are managed efficiently and consistently across adult services.

The Business Development Coordinator is a key part of keeping the team organised and moving. In this role, you’ll help manage referrals, maintain up‑to‑date vacancy information, and act as the first point of contact for new enquiries. You’ll also support the preparation of bids, keep our trackers and data accurate, and help gather information that supports planning and decision‑making. The role involves working with a wide range of colleagues and external contacts, so clear communication and a practical, flexible approach are important.

Responsibilities

Referral & Vacancy Coordination:

• Maintain accurate records of service vacancies across NAS adult services and support the Referral and  Assessment Manager with timely placement of individuals.
• Act as first point of contact for all new business enquiries and will filter/process referrals accordingly, working closely with the Referral and Assessment Manager and Business Development Administrator. 
• Liaise with internal colleagues and external stakeholders to ensure referral processes run smoothly.
• Coordinate the regular updating and marketing of service vacancy information (web content, vacancy lists, and promotional material).

Bid Preparation and Support:

• Support the development of high-quality proposals, presentations, and reports for tenders and business opportunities.
• Assist in the preparation and collation of bid documents and procurement submissions, including the completion of Standard Selection Questionnaires (SQs), Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs), and  Invitation to Tender (ITT) responses.
• Coordinate inputs from various internal stakeholders (IT and Governance, Operations, Finance, etc.) to ensure timely and accurate submission of bid documents.
• Maintain and update the tenders tracker to monitor live opportunities, track deadlines, and log outcomes of past submissions for performance analysis.
• Support the creation of case studies, capability statements, and other supporting documentation tailored to the requirements of each bid.
• Ensure compliance with tender instructions and formatting requirements, and contribute to proofreading and quality-checking of final submissions.
• Assist with post-submission activities including clarification responses, feedback reviews, and bid debriefs to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement.

Fee Uplift Coordination:

• Manages uplift inbox traffic and tracker, oversees uplift correspondence and coordinates actions. 
• Records fee negotiation activity in the uplift tracker and tracks progress, including fees agreed.

Business Development Support:

• Help gather market intelligence, competitor analysis, and insights from referral data to support business planning and development.
• Responsible for managing the Adult Services inbox; will implement a filing system that ensures all emails are processed and responded to. 
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal teams and external stakeholders, including local authorities and commissioners.
• Coordinate meetings, calls, and visits with stakeholders to support referral processes and business development activities.
• Respond to enquiries and requests for information from commissioners and professionals.
• Maintain the provider forum and market engagement event database. Ensuring that the NAS has a presence at key events.

Data and Performance:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date databases, logs, and trackers for referrals, new opportunities, uplifts, and business development activities.
• Provide support in producing regular reports on referral trends, service demand, and placement outcomes.
• Support fee negotiations and documentation, working with colleagues in Finance and Operations.

Team and Administrative Support:

• Contribute to the development of standard operating procedures and continuous improvement of team practices.
• Job descriptions only reflect 80% of a role and are not an exhaustive list of duties. You are expected to carry out other activities that are within the scope of the role.

Internal:

• Business Development Team
• Heads of Service
• Service Managers
• Registered Managers 
• Finance Managers and Analysts
• Finance Business Partner
• Autistic people
• Departments across the NAS, including IT 
• Finance and Estates

External:

• Local authorities Contract Managers, Fee negotiators, Commissioners, social workers
• Families of the people we support
• Health authorities ICBs
• Higher & Further Education establishments 

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Knowledge & Experience Essential: 

• Experience in an administrative, coordination, or project support role.
• Experience supporting multi-stakeholder projects or programmes.
• At least two years’ experience working in an administrative role. 
• Understanding of business development or service delivery within health, social care, or education.
• Experience coordinating internal stakeholders.
• Understanding of the UK health and social care landscape, including commissioning structures, regulated services, and local authority frameworks.
• Awareness of market trends, funding streams, and national policy influencing adult social care and community health services.

Skills & Abilities Essential:

• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage own workload, prioritise and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Confident in using Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Ability to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proactive and collaborative working style.
• Experience using CRM or referral tracking systems.
• Able to manage workload and prioritise where necessary.
• Ability to analyse data and present findings clearly

Desirable: 

• Experience working in the autism or broader neurodiversity field.
• Experience of reviewing Care Act assessments and pen pictures written by Local Authorities and ICBs.
• Experience completing Standard Selection Questionnaires as part of a tendering process. 
• Experience of tendering or bid processes.
• Experience of using and submitting responses on tendering portals including the new GOV UK Find a Tender service.

Required Qualifications

• Educated to A-level standard or equivalent (essential)
• Further qualification in business administration, project management, or a related area  (desirable)

Compensation & Benefits

• Auto-enrolled Pension scheme 
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, plus five ‘wellbeing days’ per year and one occasion day
• A portfolio of fantastic new salary sacrifices, benefits, and other flexible benefits, including private health, dental insurance, car salary sacrifice scheme, activity pass, holiday trading, enhanced pension & salary deduction loans once your probationary period has passed (eligibility criteria may apply) 
• Online staff discount scheme for a range of benefits such as cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan & shopping discounts for places such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Halfords, Nike, Apple, and loads more! 
• Excellent induction, training and development programme, including training about autism and opportunities to attend our conferences 
• Healthcare Cash Plan, once your probationary period has passed
• Life Assurance at 2 x base salary 
• Access to a 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme & counselling programme 
• Free access to the Headspace App, a global leader in mindfulness, and you can enrol up to three friends or family for free! 
• Eligibility for a Blue Light Card 

Conditions of employment

• Please note that the National Autistic Society is unable to provide sponsorship for Visas.
• A valid driving licence and ability to travel as required.

Working locations

• Home-based

How to apply

• Apply on our website
• Job Description 
• You will be required to upload your CV. If you are providing a supporting statement, please consider the following: 
  • Look at the job description and person specification. 
  • Tell us how your skills and experience match the role. 
  • Give examples if you can. 
• The National Autistic Society may use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist our recruitment team with reviewing applications for this role. All application decisions are made by people and are not determined automatically by AI.

Policies

To protect our autistic adults & children at the National Autistic Society, some roles require employees to have a criminal background check. Possession of an Enhanced DBS Check either on the Update Service or conducted within the last 12 months would be preferable but not essential if it applies to your role. We are an equal opportunities employer and part of the Disability Confident Employer scheme.

Applications for this job are sought from anyone who is suitably qualified and experienced for the role but particularly welcome from those with a diagnosis of autism.  We are an equal opportunities employer and part of the Disability Confident Employer scheme.  Agencies need not apply. 

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