Business Development Director

Job Title:

Business Development Director

Location:

UK-wide / Hybrid (Regular Travel Required)

Salary: £75,000 + Bonus + Car Allowance + Benefits

Hours:

Full Time (45 Hours per Week)

Role Purpose - Business Development Director

Our client is a dynamic, technology-led market leader in the provision of soft services across the UK and Ireland. Due to continued growth, they are seeking an experienced Business Development Director to drive profitable and sustainable growth across the Retail & Destinations sector. The successful candidate will be responsible for generating new business opportunities, developing senior client relationships, leading complex tenders and negotiations, and ensuring a seamless transition from contract award through to mobilisation and operational delivery.

Key Responsibilities - Business Development Director

Sector Strategy & Performance

Develop and implement an annual Retail & Destinations sales strategy aligned with business growth objectives.
Identify market segments, target accounts, routes to market and key growth opportunities.
Own and deliver against agreed personal new-business revenue targets.
Maintain a robust and qualified sales pipeline to support sustainable business growth.
Monitor sector performance and adjust sales strategies in response to market conditions.
Business Development & Client Relationships

Identify and target prospective clients across retail, leisure, shopping centres, visitor attractions and destination venues.
Develop relationships with senior stakeholders across facilities, property, procurement, operations and customer experience functions.
Generate opportunities through networking, referrals, industry events, marketing campaigns and personal contacts.
Research client operations, procurement cycles, incumbent arrangements and decision-making structures.
Establish trusted advisor relationships that support long-term growth opportunities.
Solution Development, Bid & Commercial Leadership
Lead client discovery meetings, surveys, site visits and operational reviews.
Develop customised, technology-enabled cleaning and soft service solutions tailored to client requirements.
Collaborate with Operations, Commercial, Bids, Mobilisation and technical specialists to validate delivery models.
Assess labour models, equipment requirements, contract risks, mobilisation plans and commercial assumptions.
Lead bid/no-bid decisions and manage tender responses, presentations and internal approval processes.
Negotiation & Contract Award

Lead commercial negotiations through to contract award and signature.
Present solutions and proposals confidently to senior client stakeholders.
Protect contract profitability through robust pricing and risk management.
Ensure contractual commitments are achievable and operationally deliverable.
Support a structured handover into mobilisation and remain engaged during implementation.
Pipeline Management & Forecasting
Maintain accurate CRM records, including opportunity values, probabilities and decision timelines.
Provide weekly sales pipeline updates and performance forecasts.
Identify potential risks and escalate issues promptly.
Track sales activities and performance against agreed KPIs.
Support disciplined sales governance and reporting processes.
Collaboration & Sector Leadership
Act as the company's subject matter expert within the Retail & Destinations sector.
Share market intelligence, competitor insights and customer feedback across the business.
Work closely with Marketing to develop campaigns, sector propositions, case studies and thought leadership content.
Support brand awareness and business development initiatives through industry engagement.
Represent the organisation professionally whilst adhering to company values and governance standards.
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