Business development executive
Most businesses have a group of account executives whose job it is to look after clients, although they might also be involved with the sales process too, as they have excellent knowledge of the way the company operates. That secondary role can be a full time position, however – the business development executive. This role is more strategic, as it’s taking the company’s overall business aims in the medium and long-term, and working to realise them, with a particular interest in winning new clients.
Typically, the business development executive will brief the accounts team on the clients they win, and then have little more to do with looking after them, unless they have a hybrid role (which is quite common in smaller companies). Most of the time, they will be looking out for new opportunities, contacting leads and following them up, which makes them have more in common with sales staff, except on a more strategic footing.
The skills required
Business development executive jobs go to people who can demonstrate a talent for identifying leads that will benefit the company long into the future, or which take the company in new directions. They will often be employed when a company has changed its core business model or has embarked on a new range of products and services.
With a strong emphasis on identifying leads and persuasion, business development executives are often drawn from the ranks of sales, and often no experience as a BDE is required as long as they have a proven long-term, strategic mindset.
Business development executive Jobs in Poole
If you think the word Poole has the same roots as the word “pool”, you’d be absolutely right, of course. The Devon town is on the South coast of England and is merged completely with Bournemouth to its east. In fact, the Bournemouth Arts University and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are located in Poole, although they are definitively two separate towns.
The west side of Poole faces a natural harbour (Upton and Creekmore Lakes) within a larger natural harbour, and ferries leave the south of the town for St Helier (Jersey), Cherbourg and St Peter Port (Guernsey). Shipping, sailing and ferries are therefore important industries in the town, and this inevitably leads to Business development executive positions becoming available on a regular basis.
Although much of the town is now employed in the service industries, Poole does have a strong manufacturing heritage, and this still accounts for nearly a fifth of its employment. Again, this is good news for logistics, supply chain and procurement employment. The town is the base of motor yacht builder Sunseeker, which employs nearly 2000 people. Several companies have their HQs in Poole, including, bathroom consumables company Lush, lighting company Mathmos, plastics company sealed air and Hamworthy Heating and Combustion. Siemens also has a large presence in the town.
Popular locations
Business development executives use Cast UK
At Cast UK, we have a steady stream of business development executive jobs coming up, so if you’re a BDE or want to take the leap from sales to this more strategic role, we’d urge you to follow the link below and register with us.
If your company needs to find some talent to put its business development plans into action, you’ve found your perfect recruitment partner. At Cast UK we know exactly what companies are looking for in operational-level positions such as this, and we can create a shortlist of interview-ready candidates in double-quick time. Call us on 0333 121 3345 to speak to a consultant.