Business Development Manager Jobs
Companies that settle into a comfortable place with their existing clients can quickly find themselves overwhelmed by a fast-changing world, especially when those clients move on. The business development manager (BDM) is there to identify potential openings and chase them up to win new, sustainable business for the company.
In many ways, business development manager jobs have similar responsibilities to regular sales jobs, but there are some subtle differences. Sales is a little more short-term, for example, following leads up responsively with an aim to closing the deal. The BDM, on the other hand, has more of a long-term, strategic approach to identifying new opportunities that includes, but is not limited to, individual customers.
The business development manager might therefore be involved with assembling an internal team that’s ready to face emerging challenges before they arrive so they can hit the ground running. That can be through recruitment or training, but with the overall strategic mindset, it can bear fruit for the company in the medium term.
Business Development Manager skills required
Business development managers are strategic thinkers – they are not just thinking about the next client win but are looking months and years ahead to how the industry and the company will look, and how best to manage it.
BDMs will also need to put their sales hat on quite regularly, however. Part of the business’s development is of course winning new contracts, so they will need to be able to communicate to other businesses the benefits of partnering with their company, so they will frequently be part of sales pushes and wooing new customers.
Business Development Manager Jobs in Plymouth
It is impossible to separate the Devon city of Plymouth with its naval heritage. With a seafaring history dating back to before Roman times, it would go on to become a key military port in the Spanish Armada attack and has played a part in most naval battles in British history owing to our nation’s fractious relations with its southern neighbours. It is also the place from where the Pilgrims set off for the New World in the early 1600s, hence the name Plymouth Rock that marks their landing place.
The city had a good Industrial Revolution, with industry growing around the port, ideal for import and export, and nearby Devonport became a shipbuilding centre. The port’s success and importance did have a drawback, however. The city and its docks were heavily damaged by German bombers in World War II, and much of what stands in the centre of Portsmouth today is of post-war origin.
While seafaring still plays a part in the culture of Plymouth, and connected industries still exist in the area, its importance as a naval and commercial maritime centre have diminished somewhat since the 1980s. There has been a growth in hi-tech industries, with establishments such as the Tamar Science Park providing innovation opportunities.
The city is also in the top 20 by population in the UK, which, together with its overseas trading opportunities, make it the kind of transport hub where Business Development Manager jobs often show up.
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Talk to Cast UK if you’re a BDM (or if you need one)
Great Business development managers have never been in such high demand, as competition for clients and a rapidly changing workplace is driving all industries in new directions. If you’ve been looking for a BDM but have been disappointed with the calibre of candidates, you need to talk to Cast UK.
We specialise in managerial roles across sectors, and can get you a fantastic shortlist drawn from all over the UK. Call 0333 121 3345 to speak to a recruitment expert.
Are you a talented BDM looking to fill a position with a great employer? Register with Cast UK by following the link below. We’ve got the contacts you need to make that step.
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