Business Development Director

Final date to receive applications: 12 November 2026

Department: Loyalty

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London

Reporting To: Andrea Burchett

Are you a natural dealmaker who loves opening doors, spotting opportunities others might miss and turning ambitious ideas into brilliant partnerships?

We’re looking for a Business Development Director to help take Virgin Red, the rewards club from Virgin, to the next level. You’ll lead the charge in finding and securing exciting new partnerships that help more people discover, earn and spend Virgin Points, making everyday life that little bit more rewarding.

This is a role for someone who doesn’t wait for opportunities to land in their lap. You’ll be out there creating them, building relationships with ambitious brands, challenging conventional thinking and finding clever ways to bring together customers, data and commercial opportunities. You’ll know that the best partnerships aren’t just about getting a deal over the line, but creating something genuinely valuable for everyone involved.

As part of our Loyalty Leadership Team, you’ll lead and inspire a talented business development team, combining big-picture thinking with a hands-on approach. You’ll have the freedom to think differently, the backing of an iconic global brand and the opportunity to shape what’s next for Virgin Red.

• Leading our business development strategy across the UK and international markets (excluding the US), spotting exciting new sectors, brands and opportunities that will help Virgin Red grow.
• Getting out there and making things happen. You’ll proactively seek out new partners, open doors at senior levels and build a strong pipeline of opportunities, from household names to innovative, fast-growing businesses.
• Creating compelling, commercially sound partnerships that make the most of Virgin Points, drive customer acquisition and loyalty, and deliver lasting value for Virgin Red, our partners and their customers.
• Owning the full deal journey, from that first conversation and developing a winning proposition through to negotiating complex agreements and getting partnerships over the line. You’ll know when to push, when to be patient and when to walk away.
• Bringing data, customer insights and commercial thinking together to spot opportunities, build persuasive business cases and show potential partners exactly why working with Virgin makes sense.
• Making the most of the wider Virgin family, building connections across our businesses and working closely with our teams in the US, alongside colleagues in Marketing, Brand, Technology and beyond, to create partnerships that can really scale.
• Leading, coaching and inspiring our business development team, setting the pace, sharing fresh thinking and creating a culture where curiosity, creativity and commercial ambition go hand in hand.

• A brilliant track record of winning significant new business and building long-lasting, mutually beneficial commercial partnerships. You're a natural hunter who knows how to create opportunities, not just manage existing relationships.
• Strong commercial judgement and a consultative approach to selling. You’ll be confident influencing senior decision-makers, navigating complex organisations and managing longer sales cycles, with the resilience and tenacity to see the right opportunities through.
• A creative, strategic mindset with the ability to spot untapped opportunities, challenge traditional thinking and turn ambitious ideas into commercially and technically viable partnerships that can grow over time.
• Confidence using data, analytics and customer insights to uncover opportunities, shape compelling proposals and…