Job Summary
The Business Development Manager will be responsible for driving the company's business growth, revenue generation, market expansion, strategic partnerships, and customer acquisition.
The successful candidate will develop and execute business development strategies, identify new commercial opportunities, strengthen existing client relationships, and contribute significantly to the achievement of the company's strategic and financial objectives.
The ideal candidate should have a strong commercial mindset, extensive industry experience, excellent negotiation skills, a proven record of achieving revenue targets, and the ability to build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and implement comprehensive business development strategies aligned with the company's growth objectives.
Identify, evaluate, and pursue new business opportunities, markets, clients, and revenue streams.
Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective clients, partners, investors, and other key stakeholders.
Generate and manage a robust pipeline of prospective clients and business opportunities.
Lead business proposals, presentations, tenders, negotiations, and contract discussions.
Develop strategic partnerships and alliances that support business expansion.
Conduct market research and competitor analysis to identify emerging trends, customer needs, risks, and opportunities.
Develop strategies for market penetration, customer acquisition, retention, and revenue growth.
Work closely with the Marketing, Operations, Finance, and other departments to ensure effective execution of business initiatives.
Monitor industry developments and identify opportunities for the company to gain competitive advantage.
Prepare business cases, commercial proposals, sales forecasts, and periodic business development reports.
Track and analyse business development performance against agreed targets and KPIs.
Negotiate favourable commercial terms while protecting the company's interests.
Represent the company at conferences, exhibitions, networking events, industry meetings, and other relevant business forums.
Develop and maintain a database of key clients, prospects, partners, and market intelligence.
Support the development of pricing, product/service positioning, and go-to-market strategies.
Ensure excellent customer experience throughout the business development and onboarding process.
Provide regular reports to management on opportunities, pipeline status, market developments, revenue performance, and strategic initiatives.
Mentor and provide direction to business development and sales team members where applicable.
Perform other duties as assigned by Management.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Revenue and business growth achieved.
Number and value of new clients acquired.
Business development pipeline value and conversion rate.
Achievement of sales/revenue targets.
Growth in strategic partnerships and commercial alliances.
Customer retention and relationship management.
Market expansion and penetration.
Profitability of new business opportunities.
Value and quality of contracts secured.
Timely delivery of business development initiatives and reports.
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
A Master's degree or relevant professional qualification will be an added advantage.
10 - 15+ years of progressive experience in business development, sales, commercial management, strategic partnerships, or a related field.
Demonstrable experience in developing and executing successful business growth strategies.
Proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue and business development targets.
Experience managing high-value clients, strategic partnerships, and commercial negotiations.
Strong understanding of market analysis, sales strategy, customer acquisition, and business expansion.
Experience working with senior executives, corporate clients, government agencies, investors, and other strategic stakeholders will be an advantage.
Required Skills and Competencies:
Strategic thinking and strong commercial acumen.
Excellent business negotiation and closing skills.
Strong leadership and people-management abilities.
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
Strong networking and relationship-building abilities.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to identify and convert business opportunities into revenue.
Strong financial and commercial awareness.
Ability to work independently and make sound business decisions.
Excellent proposal writing and presentation skills.
Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office and relevant CRM/business development tools.
High level of integrity, professionalism, accountability, and confidentiality.
Ability to work under pressure and deliver results within agreed timelines.
Key Attributes
The ideal candidate should be:
Results-oriented and commercially driven.
Proactive and opportunity-focused.
Strategic yet hands-on.
Persuasive and confident in dealing with senior stakeholders.
Innovative and adaptable.
Highly organised and disciplined.
A strong relationship builder.
Capable of turning strategic ideas into measurable business results.