Role: Business Development Manager
Location: Leeds
Salary: £35k-£50k plus benefits
REF: MAR508
Our client is looking for a motivated and commercially minded Business Development Manager to help increase turnover and profitability across their civil, structural and geotechnical teams. The role will focus on identifying and securing new work from both existing and new clients, allowing the business to employ more staff and continue to grow. The position can be based in either their Leeds or Manchester office but will involve regular travel within the north of England and occasional travel elsewhere in the UK. The role may initially be structured on a part-time basis, with scope to increase hours if the success of the role and workload growth justify it.
Working closely with the Directors and technical team leaders, the successful candidate will take responsibility for planning and carrying out business development and light-touch marketing activities, raising the profile of the company and helping to secure a steady pipeline of profitable work that fits the company’s long-term strategy.
Main responsibilities:
• Identify and develop new clients in target sectors, for example residential and commercial developers, architects, contractors, project managers and public sector bodies.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with existing clients to secure repeat business and referrals.
• Focus business development effort on clients and projects that align with agreed long-term strategy and margin expectations, rather than simply chasing any available work.
• Help identify suitable project opportunities at an early stage and track them through planning and procurement.
• Lead and coordinate responses to framework and tender opportunities, from completion of pre-qualification forms through to full fee proposals and follow-on work under frameworks.
• Work with the Directors and team leaders to prepare capability statements, fee proposals and supporting information for bids, ensuring that fees and scopes support acceptable profit levels.
• Plan and carry out regular client visits and networking activities to promote the company’s civil, structural and geotechnical services.
• Gather and share market intelligence on competitors, framework renewals and future opportunities, and feed this into the company’s business planning.
• Work with the relevant team leaders to check staff capacity and agree realistic timescales before committing to or actively pursuing significant new work or bids.
• Develop key client accounts jointly with the Directors and team leaders, so that client relationships clearly belong to the company and are not reliant on a single individual.
• Help to maintain and update marketing materials, including website content, case studies and project profiles, with support from an external marketing agency.
• Provide content ideas and case studies for social media, for example LinkedIn, and review and approve posts prepared by the external agency, while keeping the main focus on work-winning and client relationships.
• Agree annual business development targets with the Directors and report regularly on progress against these, including commentary on the quality and profitability of work won.
Candidate profile:
• Previous experience in business development, work-winning or client-facing role within the construction, engineering or property sector.
• A good understanding of how civil, structural and/or geotechnical engineering services are procured and delivered.
• Proven experience in developing and maintaining client relationships and winning work, including frameworks and competitive tenders.
• A commercial approach, with an appreciation of fee setting, margins and the importance of winning profitable work rather than simply increasing turnover.
• Confidence when meeting new people and representing the company at all levels.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain technical services in clear, simple terms.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage a pipeline of opportunities and meet deadlines for bids and proposals.
• Willingness to contribute to marketing activities, including providing material for social media and other promotional channels, while recognising that the role is not a full-time social media position.
• Competent use of standard office software, for example Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Eligible to live and work in the UK.
• Full UK Driving Licence.
Rewards and benefits:
26 days paid annual leave, comprising your birthday, 22 flexible days and 3 fixed days over the Christmas period. In addition, 8 bank holidays are provided, with the ability to buy or sell up to 3 days’ additional leave. Flexible working, with up to 2 days per week working from home, with the agreement of the Department Head. Early Friday finish at 15:45 hrs. Free on-site parking at the Leeds office. Contributory pension scheme offered on a salary sacrifice basis. Chartered professional fees paid where relevant to the role. Enrolment under the BHSF health benefit scheme after 6 months’ service. Childcare vouchers under the Busy Bees Scheme. Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme. Regular social activities. Performance-related bonus scheme linked to the profit generated from work won through this role, rather than simply the number of projects or total turnover.
What to do next:
If you are interested in this Business Development Manager opportunity in Leeds, then please click on the link to apply.
If you are interested in hearing about any other opportunities within Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Drainage Engineering, Flood Risk Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or Transport Planning, then please do not hesitate in getting in touch with Martin on (phone number removed) for further information on the opportunities available