Business Development Manager – Job Description
Simon Thompson on Business development managers are the driving force behind a company’s success, pitching new ideas, generating new contacts and identifying new sales leads to take the firm forward.
It doesn’t matter what kind of business you’re working in, the core role is the same. You’ll be seeking out and following up new business opportunities, planning, preparing and delivering presentations, working on and maintaining good relationships with clients both new and established and writing reports and providing general feedback to the company’s management team.
The best business development managers are great communicators who have a deep understanding of how business, in general, and marketing, in particular, work. They’re positive, excellent negotiators who have lots of initiative.
It’s the above qualities, rather than formal qualifications that will land you a business development job, but employers would expect candidates to have at least some GCSEs or a sales and marketing background.
Some firms will run graduate training programmes. To get a place on one, you will need at least a 2:1 degree, ideally in business, finance, marketing or management.
Browse our current vacancies in:
Sales, Retail and Business Development
Other recommended resources:
Chartered Management Institute
A chartered status for professionals in the management industry, including business development managers. They offer training to improve management skills on track to reaching Chartered Manager status.
Institute of Commercial Management
A professional body set up to support for Commercial and Business Development Managers, they also offer globally recognised qualifications for career development.
Business Development Institute
An organisation dedicated to promoting business management and aimed at supporting sustainable results in a competitive world.
Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals
An organisation for those creating and managing business knowledge, supporting leadership through networking, education and advocacy events.
Marketing and Managing Sales Association
An organisation aimed at offering sales education through a number of qualifications recognised both in the UK and abroad.
Enterprising Women
An online support resource for women involved in business management.
