Overview
Business Development Manager
Location: Oxford/Remote depending on your location
Reporting to: Chief Commercial Officer
Description
The Smith Institute is a team of consultants who use advanced mathematics, analytics and AI to help customers do some pretty amazing things – like preparing the electricity grid to meet net zero targets, optimising satellites in the sky and making sure your favourite shop stocks enough cold drinks on a hot summer’s day.
We are looking for an experienced Business Development Manager to join our team. Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, you will be responsible for casting a wide net to find and develop new business relationships. You will prospect, develop, and close business with a focus on client requirements. You will develop rapport, ask good questions, deliver strong pitches and proposals, and negotiate agreements to help us expand our client base. You will form long-lasting relationships with our customers in your sector and help expand and grow our work with them. If you are an independent, energetic professional with experience managing a complex sales process, we’d love to hear from you.
Responsibilities
* Achieve business development targets on a quarterly and annual basis
* Developing a BD strategy in your sector with target prospect list and activity plan
* Become an expert in the market, staying on top of trends and the needs of target customers
* Develop a deep understanding of our services, capabilities and value proposition
* Make use of your network, LinkedIn, events, phone and email to build and maintain relationships with new customers
* Take a client-centric approach to selling, adapting your style to suit the buyer’s needs, goals and preferences
* Form strong relationships with our current customers and leverage these to expand and grow our business collaboration
* Work with technical consultants and Project Managers to craft winning proposals that are tightly connected to customer goals and objectives
* Handle all stages of the business development process – prospecting, pitch, proposal, negotiation, close, referral and expansion
* Make good use of our CRM to track activity, log conversations, nurture relationships and manage pipeline
* Collaborate closely with marketing to ensure we have the right content to support customers in their buying journey
* Proactively help us develop and adapt our offer to meet evolving client needs
Required Qualifications
* BA/BS degree required
* 2+ years of business development or sales experience generating new business
* Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills
Preferred Skills/Qualifications
* MBA or Masters/PhD in STEM-related discipline
* Experience in energy, transport, FMCG, pharma/health, telecommunications or security & defence
* Experience selling data science, analytics, machine learning, AI or other analytical solutions
Why Work at Smith Institute?
* Flexible working for all – contracted hours at times that suit you and our customers, at home, in the office or as a mix
* Health and well-being support – up to three months’ contractual sick pay, Mental Health First Aiders, Mindful Employer Plus membership and additional leave to care for close family members
* Social events – ongoing activities including pub socials, book club, fantasy football league and a board games library
* Employee benefits – employee discount platform and Employee Assistance Programme
* Enhanced leave – bereavement, dependency, maternity, paternity & shared parental leave
* Mentoring – from colleagues and leading academics
* Generous pension scheme with Life Assurance and income protection
* All IT equipment provided and maintained
* Interesting and challenging work with purpose
We operate an Equal Opportunities Policy. We currently have a rolling recruitment programme so applications will be reviewed as they are received, with a view to interviewing selected candidates when sufficient numbers are shortlisted.
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