The client

A leading Australian not-for-profit delivering $150m+ in frontline services annually, the client had built a strong reputation for innovation in employment, education, and youth support. With a diverse portfolio spanning jobseeker assistance (including disability support), youth employment programmes, apprenticeships, and alternative education, the organisation was seeking to expand internationally. The UK was identified as a strategic growth market, and the client approached 50 Degrees to help shape their market entry via tailored insight, targeted acquisition strategies, and a clear roadmap.

The challenge

Breaking into a mature and highly regulated market like the UK presented significant strategic and operational challenges. While the client had a proven track record in Australia, they lacked on-the-ground presence, brand recognition, and a clear understanding of the competitive and policy landscape in the UK employment and education sectors.

Identifying viable market entry points required nuanced insight into government commissioning trends, regional priorities, and provider dynamics, which the client would need in order to properly navigate complex regulatory frameworks in the UK.

What we did

50 Degrees delivered a multi-phase market development strategy tailored to the client’s unique profile and ambitions. This included:

UK Market Assessment: conducting a structure analysis of the UK human services landscape, mapping the client’s core capabilities against Commissioner needs/expectations, policy direction, and competitor positioning across employment, education and training

Strategic Opportunity Mapping: developing a 36-month pipeline of high-value public service opportunities, using market intelligence to identify key sectors, geographies, and procurement timelines likely to support growth

Value Proposition Development: working closely with the client’s senior leadership team to translate their Australian impact model for the UK market; developing tailored narratives aligned to the needs of the service user and the expectations of employers

Acquisition Target Identification and Due Diligence: identifying and assessing a shortlist of acquisition targets aligned to their growth strategy, focusing on cultural alignment, delivery performance, and regional footprint

Ongoing Market Entry and Integration Support: facilitating access to UK-based operational and strategic leads, including team members with lived experience of leading Australian-to-UK transitions in the human services sector