Business Development

Business Development & Sales Executive Reports to: Director of Advancement Works closely with: Advancement, Admission, Finance, Marketing and Communications, Leadership.

Location:
Brussels; regular external meetings and occasional evening events Working pattern: Approximately 80% of working time visiting prospective and existing partners, with the remaining time for planning, CRM updates, reporting and internal coordination. Areas of focus: Embassies and diplomatic missions; international organisations and institutions, including NATO, the United Nations and the European Commission; and multinational companies and other corporate businesses. Size of team: 3 Role purposeBuild and nurture lasting working relationships with embassies and diplomatic missions, international organisations and institutions, and multinational companies and other corporate businesses, making ISB a trusted choice for their employees’ children. Translate these relationships into new student enrolments through proactive outreach and selling, regular partner visits, attentive account management and consistent follow-up with partners and families, from first introduction through to each student’s start at ISB.
Partnership growth and enrolment outcomesTake responsibility for growing a portfolio of lasting, productive partnerships that lead to new student enrolments at ISB. Develop and agree annual targets and key performance indicators (KPIs) with the Director of Advancement, aligned with the school’s recruitment priorities and available places. Own delivery against these targets, regularly monitor and report progress, and adjust outreach and sales activity to improve results. Measures will cover partnership development, qualified enquiries and conversion into enrolled students, working closely with Admissions to track outcomes.

Key responsibilities
• Build a priority account portfolio. Identify organisations with potential to introduce families to ISB. Understand posting cycles, education benefits, decision makers and likely student demand. Maintain a ranked account plan with named contacts and clear next actions.
• Design strategies for each group. Develop tailored outreach plans depending on the focus of the area. Set measurable opportunity and enrolment goals for each group, review results and adjust activity. Own and deliver the annual portfolio sales plan, aligning visits and outreach with expected student start dates, available places by grade and agreed enrolment priorities.
• Generate new opportunities. Proactively contact decision makers, secure face-to-face meetings, visit prospective partners and request introductions. Meet interested families where appropriate, present ISB’s educational offer accurately, address initial questions and follow up to generate qualified enquiries.
• Develop new revenue initiatives and ideas. Identify and propose opportunities to generate additional revenue for ISB through sponsorships, new partnerships, services or commercial activities. Develop sponsorship proposals that offer clear value to ISB and prospective sponsors. Assess feasibility, costs and potential returns with the Director of Advancement and Finance, and support delivery of approved initiatives.
• Grow existing relationships. Conduct regular partner visits and account reviews, respond to changes in contacts or family needs, and develop recurring referrals. Involve the Director of Advancement or School Director where senior-level engagement would help.
• Progress referrals with Admissions. Follow agreed qualification criteria and record families’ schooling needs, likely entry dates and consent to contact. Make timely introductions, agree ownership of each next step and continue sales follow-up as agreed with Admissions. Keep the CRM current so families do not receive duplicate contact or lose contact. Admissions leads the formal application process and admission decisions.
• Develop partnership proposals. Identify barriers such as education allowances, tuition caps, transport and timing. Work with Finance and Admissions to assess proposed arrangements against expected enrolment, delivery costs and net tuition contribution. Make commitments only within approved school policy.
• Own the portfolio pipeline and results. Record each opportunity’s source, owner, stage, expected start date and next action. Follow up outstanding enquiries, act on stalled opportunities, forecast starts by organisation groups and implement corrective outreach when results lag.
• Coordinate across the team. Report visits, qualified enquiries, applications, conversion, productive accounts and verified starts. Share partner and family feedback with school leadership and Marketing and Communications. Record partner satisfaction and barriers to choosing ISB, and reconcile attributed student starts with Admissions and Finance. Performance expectationsPerformance will be assessed primarily against the individual verified student-start target agreed in the annual plan. Supporting measures include the quality and volume of prospect visits and selling activity; qualified enquiries and applications; conversion rates; active partners producing referrals; timely Admissions handovers; and accurate CRM records and forecasts. The Director of Advancement will review progress regularly, including corrective action where results fall behind plan. Reviews will take account of admissions capacity, available places by grade and the school calendar. Candidate profile
• A proven sales / business development record, including winning new accounts, managing a pipeline and achieving measurable targets.
• Experience developing institutional relationships and navigating complex decision processes. Experience with embassies, international organisations, NPOs or NGOs, and an existing Brussels network, are advantages.
• A proactive sales mentality: confident securing meetings, presenting ISB to partners and families, requesting introductions and following opportunities through to results.
• Strong consultative communication, presentation, negotiation and account management skills, with sensitivity to internationally mobile families.
• Disciplined CRM use and the ability to analyse conversion, forecast outcomes and change course when opportunities stall.
• Willingness and ability to spend approximately 80% of working time visiting potential and existing partners.
• Excellent English; French and/or Dutch, and other community languages, are advantages.
• Sound judgement on confidentiality, family data, fair admissions and safeguarding; willingness to complete required recruitment checks and training. Compensation and benefits
• Competitive base salary aligned with experience and ISB’s salary framework.
• Company car in accordance with the applicable ISB car policy.
• Performance-based commission, subject to HR confirmation and a written plan defining eligible student starts, attribution, rates and payment terms.
• Paid leave and applicable insurance and pension benefits, with details confirmed in the employment offer and ISB policy. Employment Status The ideal candidate will be already located in Belgium (This is a locally hired position, no visa sponsorship provided). Application Process: If you are interested and meet the qualifications criteria above, please apply today by sending your application to recruitment@isb.be. Please mention “Business Development & Sales Executive application in the subject of your application mail”
• Only candidates with a valid work permit in Belgium will be considered.
• The deadline for applications is October 23 , 2026.
• The interviews will take place at the latest in November 2026.
• We will contact you as soon as possible regarding the outcome of your application. If you have not been contacted by November 15, please consider that your application has not been successful on this occasion. Recruitment policy The International School of Brussels is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion or marital status. ISB has established a rigorous vetting process and code of conduct for all employees with regard to child protection.