Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager – Bedford (Hybrid) – £60,000-£80,000 (DOE)
Position Overview:
The Business Development Manager plays a pivotal leadership role focused on expanding the customer base, strengthening key relationships, and aligning team performance with the company’s strategic objectives. This individual will guide a team of Account Managers and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to meet business development goals. Additionally, the role includes spearheading strategic initiatives, optimizing resource deployment, and gathering market insights to fuel long-term organizational growth and capability advancement.

Primary Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Development

• Provide day-to-day leadership and coaching to Account Managers and cross-functional partners to exceed business objectives.
• Lead regular meetings to ensure clear direction, shared goals, and a results-driven culture.
• Partner with the Head of Business Development to nurture a dynamic, communicative, and high-performing team environment.
• Drive employee growth through structured training programs and competency frameworks.

Customer Engagement & Strategy

• Design and execute customer-specific development strategies aligned with overarching business goals.
• Support Account Managers in managing relationships across various levels of customer organizations.
• Serve as a key escalation point for resolving client or internal challenges efficiently.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to deepen engagement and expand the company’s presence within client organizations.

Revenue Growth & Business Forecasting

• Lead initiatives to grow revenue from both existing and potential accounts.
• Maintain accurate forecasting for sales, margin performance, and long-term planning of capacity and resources.
• Formulate and implement strategic plans to drive account-level growth and expansion.

Operational Delivery

• Contribute to in-depth contract reviews and ensure requirements are clearly defined and agreed upon.
• Coordinate capacity and production scheduling to meet client needs effectively and sustainably.
• Work with the Quoting function to lead bid strategy on major proposals and tenders.

Performance Tracking & Reporting

• Deliver regular performance updates to senior leadership, including key business development indicators.
• Keep customer strategies current and ensure ongoing evaluation against performance metrics.
• Oversee order progress reviews, monitor the customer order pipeline, and track KPIs related to quality and delivery.

Quality & Process Improvement

• Engage in continuous improvement programs tied to customer satisfaction and service quality.
• Collaborate with departments such as Quality Assurance and Materials to ensure alignment and resource availability.
• Address and resolve client issues involving materials or compliance, maintaining a high standard of service delivery.

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience in leading and motivating high-performing commercial or account teams.
• Excellent communicator with strong influencing and negotiation abilities across all levels of stakeholders.
• Skilled in managing complex customer portfolios and achieving consistent sales growth.
• Data-driven with the ability to interpret forecasts, manage budgets, and identify business value opportunities.
• Solid grasp of commercial agreements, strategic planning, and contract management.
• Highly collaborative, with a track record of effective cross-departmental coordination.
• Prior experience in electronics manufacturing or a related technical field is advantageous.