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 Swindon
A town located in Wiltshire, around halfway between Bristol and Reading, Swindon is a busy place with lots of opportunity for those seeking Business development executive vacancies.
The town's early history goes back to a Saxon settlement that was called Suindune in the Domesday Book. For hundreds of years, it mainly subsisted as a market town, with the trade of cattle, corn and other agricultural produce, as well as horse sales.
During the 19th century, the area was known for its railway works, which built and repaired locomotives for the Great Western Railway - a train company that connected the south-west and Wales to London's Paddington Station.
Today, Swindon's economy is mainly based in the retail and service sector and there are a number of large shopping centres in the region.
The town is also home to several big businesses. For instance, Honda and BMW/Mini both have manufacturing sites in the area, while W H Smith's distribution centre and headquarters are also situated in Swindon.
Other companies based in Swindon or with major facilities in the vicinity include Motorola, Dolby, Intel, Nationwide Building Society, Arval and the National Trust.
What's more, Swindon is home to a book depository for Oxford's Bodleian library. The facility has 153 miles of shelving and enough space to house an estimated eight million tomes.
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.