Business Development Manager

Job Introduction

Sodexo's Corporate Services Segment have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Business Development Manager to join us in a really exciting role, supporting the delivery of growth through new business and cross selling activities. 

You will have exceptional industry knowledge of the Food industry, capable of leading and engaging in client-facing discussions and negotiations as part of the procurement process for new tenders we chose to bid for.

This truly is a career-enhancing role where your ability to hit the ground running, nuture strong long-standing relationships with both clients and stakeholders, and deliver to tragets will be essential to the role. 

If you are a confident communicator, with a commerical mindset and have an understanding of the operational services we deliver to our clients in order to effectively sell Sodexo to potential new customers, we would like to hear from you. 

You will be home based and due to the nature of the role travel will be expected across the UK.

Role Responsibility

• 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 OPS
• Nurture client relationships in order to stabilise & develop them for the long term.
• Identify business targets, define the priorities and design the Sales Plan for our market
• Managing the end to end 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.

Please see attached job description for further details regarding the role requirements. 

The Ideal Candidate

• Demonstrable track record of developing food offers – via ops or sales
• Degree or equivalent in a relevant technical subject / Management qualification (ILM, CMI, DMS, NVQ)
• Sound knowledge of the industry/client sectors, including 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, facilitation, and interpersonal skills - you wiill be required to communicate with audiences ranging from large groups to individuals, normally in very senior roles
• High standards of numeracy and written communication, particularly sales/bid copy
• 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.

A willingness to travel to client slights is essential to the role.

Package Description

Up to £50,000 + excellent benefits package 

We also offer Sodexo Discounts site promoting discounted mobile phone tariffs, savings across restaurant chains and days out, where you and your family can save money on everything from your weekly food shop to the latest cinema blockbuster and much more

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.