Business Development Manager

Job Introduction

Are influencing and building relationships two of your key strengths? Are you skilled in identifying problems and creating workable solutions? Have you worked within the Facilities Management industry? If the answer is yes, you could be person we are looking for!

We are looking for an experienced Business Development manager who excels in building client relationships. You will need to have proven experience within IFM, sales experience isn’t essential.

You will work with different business areas such as finance and operations and bring everything together creating the best workable solutions for clients. You will also be responsible for ‘pitching’ solutions to the client using your excellent influencing skills to win the business. Your clients would be mainly from professional services, technology and media companies.

You can be based anywhere within the UK however; you will need to be prepared to travel throughout the UK when required.

We are offering up to £60,000 per annum dependent on experience, bonus, car/car allowance & flex fund.

Sodexo offers a Flexible Benefits Scheme, allowing you to tailor a reward package to suit your needs but includes a technology scheme, private dental insurance, travel insurance, gym membership, private medical insurance and the ability to purchase or sell annual leave. We also have a Sodexo Discount scheme, which offers employees and their friends and family the opportunity to benefit from over 1,200 discounts from top retailers both online and in-store.

Does this sound like the role for you? Apply now!

Role Responsibility

• Developing relationships with prospects to ensure an excellent pipeline is maintained within their responsibilities
• Manage and update the prioritisation of prospects, including nominating targets
• Creating compelling tender documents which effectively answer client needs and deliver a clear winning strategy for Sodexo CS in compliance with agreed standards and practices.
• Project manage key accounts for organic growth and new business
• Supporting retention through active involvement in re-bid activity in partnership with OPET
• Nurture client relationships in order to stabilise & develop them for the long term.
• Develop organisational relationships based on a ‘partnership’ and compliance approach
• Identify business targets, define the priorities and design the Sales Plan for our market
• Market opportunities include Business, Industry, Education, Defence, Health and Justice Services
• Manage pre-qualification processes with the prospective clients by identifying the expectations of the prospects and designing commercial proposals specific to the prospect.
• Identify the expectations of the prospective clients and design commercial proposals specific to each client and in compliance with agreed standards and practices.
• Prepare and complete Tenders / Bids and negotiations in partnership with OPET and Operational Teams with the client and for closing of deals within your delegation of authority and in conjunction with your line manager and colleagues
• Achieve the defined Annual Sales targets and promote Sodexo Health and Safety and Quality standards through the Offer Development.
• Participate in the promotion of the image and brand of Sodexo in all agreed markets in a professional and ethical manner at all times.
• Promote quality communication and relationships with both existing and future clients, consultants, OPET and other relevant bodies
• Effective management of the budget and resource under your control

The Ideal Candidate

• Demonstrable track record of developing successful sales and business development strategies across a broad portfolio of target client groups
• Experience of having operated successfully at a senior level within a segment specific environment
• Management of the total bid process for new and retained business
• Sound knowledge of the industry/client sectors, including sound knowledge of both private and public sector tendering and commissioning procedures
• Exceptional client relationship management skills
• Development of commercially viable solutions based on rigorous techniques to understand client needs and price products/services accordingly
• Excellent communication, influencing and facilitation skills. Will be required to communicate with audiences ranging from large groups to individuals, normally in very senior roles, and excellent interpersonal skills are essential.
• High standards of numeracy and written communication, particularly sales/bid copy
• Wide range of managing and leading sales / bid teams
• Ability to develop ideas, initiatives and new approaches across all areas including assessment of the mechanics of delivery, financial costs and human and technical resource requirements.

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs some 36,000 employees to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations in the energy, corporate, healthcare, education, leisure, defence and justice sectors. With an annual turnover of over £1bn, we provide everything from catering, cleaning and reception to security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling our clients to focus on their core business.

At Sodexo we are committed to a leading role in promoting equality opportunities and valuing diversity and inclusion. We seek to create a work environment based on mutual respect for all individuals, building a culture that appreciates and values the experiences and skills brought by each person to benefit our organisation and work hard to ensure that all people, whatever their race, colour, sex, gender identity  disability, nationality, national or ethnic origin, religion or belief, marital/partnership or family status, sexual orientation, age, social class, educational background, employment status, working pattern, are welcome to and included within our organisation. 

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations.

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process.

Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults within a regulated activity. Certain roles will require applicants to undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and/ or Disclosure Scotland.