Business Development Manager

Insightful Environments (IE), a wholly owned Steelcase dealership, is a workplace integrator delivering furniture, design and workplace services to leading organisations in the UK and internationally. Following 40% sales growth over the past three years, we are looking for an experienced Business Development Manager to help drive the next stage of our growth by developing relationships with end-user clients, interior designers and project managers to identify, influence and win commercial workplace opportunities.

As a B Corp certified business with a strong commitment to ESG, diversity and equal opportunity, IE offers the chance to join an experienced, collaborative and supportive sales team, working closely with the Business Development Director on major workplace projects while providing significant opportunity for personal growth and development.

Role Purpose

• The Business Development Manager will drive sustainable and profitable new business growth by identifying, developing and influencing workplace opportunities at the earliest possible stage.

• The role will build strong relationships across the workplace decision-making community, positioning IE as a trusted workplace partner and creating opportunities ahead of formal tender wherever possible.

• Success will come through creating demand, building relationships, influencing specification and converting qualified opportunities into profitable business.

Duties and Responsibilities

Business Development & Relationships

• Identify, qualify and develop new business opportunities within agreed target markets and sectors.

• Build long-term relationships with clients and key market influencers.

• Understand clients' business objectives, property strategies and workplace requirements.

• Develop opportunities ahead of formal tender wherever possible.

• Generate repeat and follow-on opportunities through effective relationship management.

Opportunity Development & Influence

• Via networking and prospecting, identify workplace projects during the strategy, concept and design stages.

• Map the key decision makers and influencers surrounding priority opportunities.

• Develop pursuit strategies that maximise IE's ability to influence and win.

• Create opportunities for IE and its partners to contribute to workplace thinking, product selection and specification.

• Leverage presentations, workshops, studio visits and other engagements to demonstrate IE's capabilities and value.

• Maintain awareness of relevant relocations, refurbishments and workplace transformation programmes.

Profile

• Accountable for proactively generating opportunities (new business development) through assigned firms.

• Develop firm/practice strategies and execute account plans.

• Close sales and maintain a consistent funnel of identified opportunities.

• Consistently leverage the use of CRM to share information and manage performance.

• Accountable for, and measured on, sales targets, win rates and results.

• Develop strategic relationships across assigned firms.

• Position resources to become a partner with firms on opportunities.

• Leverage product specialists to enhance the knowledge of brands and solutions across assigned firms.

• Conduct business reviews with firm leaders to gain strategic alignment and monitor performance.

Experience

• Proven business development and consultative selling skills.

• Experience building senior-level client and influencer relationships.

• Experience within workplace, furniture, commercial interiors or a related environment.

• Understanding of the A&D, Project Management and commercial property communities.

• Strong networking, communication, presentation and influencing skills.

• Commercial awareness and effective opportunity qualification.

• Confidence managing multiple stakeholders and longer-term sales cycles.

• Strong CRM and pipeline discipline.

• A proactive, collaborative and results-focused approach

Qualifications

• Degree ideally but not essential in Design, Furniture Design or Marketing would be an advantage.