Senior Business Development Manager

Open doors. Mobilise the best of Willis. Win complex, high-value corporate relationships.

This is a senior, 100% new-business role for an accomplished corporate hunter. You will originate and convert large corporate opportunities, engaging C-suite buyers on their most important risk and business priorities.

You will combine your own networking and origination capability with the benefit of Willis prospect engagement and lead-generation programmes, supported by marketing campaigns, thought leadership, client training and events. Success also requires strategic sales leadership: navigating a complex global organisation and assembling the right specialists, insight and solutions from across Willis to create a compelling reason for clients to change.

You will own the full new-business cycle, from prospect prioritisation and first access through to pursuit, negotiation and close. You will combine your own networks and origination skills with Willis prospect-engagement and lead-generation programmes, Marketing campaigns, thought leadership, training and events.

You will also benefit from access and opportunities created through Global Networks, Industry teams, Specialty businesses, Private Equity relationships and wider centres of influence. There is no inherited client portfolio or ongoing account-management responsibility.

• Hunt and originate:
  Build and activate a high-quality pipeline of net-new large corporate opportunities through your own targeted prospecting and senior networks, alongside Willis-generated leads, market intelligence, referrals and centres of influence.
• Create C-suite relevance:
  Engage senior executives and buying groups in commercially valuable conversations that connect risk, people and capital priorities to their corporate strategy.
• Develop account-winning strategies:
  Create rigorous prospect plans, stakeholder maps, value hypotheses and pursuit strategies for a concentrated number of high-potential organisations.
• Mobilise Willis:
  Work across Global Networks, Industry teams, Specialty businesses, Private Equity relationships, geographies and specialist disciplines to turn the firm’s relationships and capabilities into coordinated prospect access and compelling client propositions.
• Create market engagement:
  Work closely with Marketing and subject-matter experts to convert campaigns, thought leadership, training programmes, events and insight into relevant conversations with priority prospects.
• Lead the pursuit:
  Take ownership of the full sales cycle, including qualification, discovery, solution design, competitive positioning, bid strategy, presentations, negotiation and close.
• Shape differentiated propositions:
  Translate complex client needs into a clear executive narrative, measurable value case and compelling reason to appoint Willis.
• Navigate complex buying environments:
  Build consensus across multiple stakeholders, understand decision dynamics, maintain access to power and manage long, non-linear sales cycles.
• Drive commercial discipline:
  Maintain accurate CRM, pipeline, next-step and forecast information; qualify opportunities thoughtfully; and focus resources where Willis has a credible path to win.
• Protect quality and reputation:
  Operate in line with regulatory requirements, internal policies and the highest standards of professional conduct.

• A proven hunter: A sustained record of personally originating and winning significant new corporate clients, complemented by the ability to make the most of firm-generated leads and relationships.
• C-suite credibility:
  The presence, curiosity and commercial judgement to earn the attention of senior executives and challenge their thinking constructively.
• Strategic sales capability:
  Expe…