The Role

At Unite Students our aim is to create a Home for Success for our students, using technology and data to empower them to find a place where they can belong,have a great stay with us, and a great experience throughout their student life and beyond.

As the Head of Business Strategy at Unite Students you will work closely with the Executive team to develop and implement strategic plans to achieve the company`s goals and objectives in a competitive and sustainable way. You will also collaborate with the Change Office to assess, prioritise, and deliver large scale strategic initiatives across Unite.

The right candidate will be able to naturally develop trust-based relationships with senior leaders. This capability, together with an outstanding communication skills and industry knowledge, will help us to deliver on our purpose and achieve our ambitious growth targets.

What You`ll Be Doing

• Overall responsibility for managing and refining the Group`s strategy to deliver our goal and strategic objectives: A great place to work, a great place to live, and a great place to invest
• Collaborate and challenge leaders across the business to ensure the alignment of strategic plans, both functional (e.g. operations or commercial) and subject matter based (e.g. cyber security or social purpose), while identifying potential risks and mitigating action
• Work with leaders to identify and evaluate emerging trends and technologies that could impact the business and use data (e.g. market research) to inform strategic decision making
• Track trends and competitor activity in and adjacent to the PBSA and Build-to-Rent markets
• Define, monitor and report against KPIs and metrics to track the success of strategic initiatives across the business
• Create and manage the annual business planning process aligned to both our long-term strategic direction and annual budget
• Work closely with the Unite Students Change Office to define, prioritise and manage the financial planning and implementation of strategic initiatives
• Continuously assess the effectiveness of implemented strategies and evaluate and refine the strategic planning process as needed
• Foster a culture of innovation and strategic thinking within Unite
• Liaise closely with key stakeholders, notably Insights & Analytics, Risk, Technology, Change, and senior leadership

What We`re Looking for in You

• Significant experience in senior roles relating to strategy and business development
• Strong experience in strategic planning is crucial including the development and implementation of strategic initiatives and analysis of competitive landscapes
• A detailed understanding and experience in strategic frameworks and methodologies is required
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a great ability to tell a story
• Strong analytical skills to assess complex situations and make informed decisions
• A strong sense of drive, being proactive and resourceful
• In-depth knowledge and experience leading successful teams through periods of change
• Building and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders to collaborate with and implement successful strategies
• Results oriented and focused on achieving organisational objectives
• Functional knowledge and experience in digital and / or sustainability would be a plus

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is a FTSE 100 business and the UK`s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 25 leading university towns and cities, with over 70,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students, and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what`s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.

We are US.