Job Description
Job Title: Business Development Manager – Textile Solutions
Location: Remote, ideally live around Manchester, Leeds, Derby, Leicester
Reporting to: BD Textiles – Sales Director
My client is a specialist provider of textile solutions, looking to appoint an experienced Business Development Manager to grow and support sales across the UK and Irish textile industries. This is a key, customer-facing role combining technical understanding of textile applications with strong commercial acumen and relationship-building skills.
You will manage the full sales cycle – from lead generation and qualification, through solution development, pricing and negotiation, to contract completion and ongoing account management.
Key responsibilities:
* Maintain and expand product sales across the UK and Irish textile sectors in line with agreed targets.
* Generate and qualify leads through trade fairs, conferences, direct referrals and customer visits, working alongside inside sales.
* Take ownership of customer interactions and manage the sales process end-to-end to ensure a seamless customer experience.
* Prepare and submit tailored proposals based on validated customer needs, working closely with internal technical/application specialists.
* Define customer pricing within agreed strategic pricing frameworks, in liaison with the Customer Service Manager and BD Textiles – Sales Director.
* Lead commercial negotiations and finalise contracts with local customers.
* Ensure high levels of customer retention and satisfaction through proactive follow-up and development of long-term relationships.
* Maintain accurate customer data and activity records in the CRM system and provide local sales forecasts as required.
* Build and maintain strong application knowledge of my client’s products, services and textile applications.
* Take responsibility for achieving agreed margin and sales goals.
* Travel with UK & Ireland, a long along M 62 and Midlands
About you:
Essential:
* Current and relevant experience in the textile industry (e.g. dyes, finishes, textile processing, or related fields).
* Proven track record in sales, business development or technical sales within textiles.
* Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel throughout the UK, Ireland and occasionally overseas for business, training and development.
* Strong communication, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to build credibility at all levels.
* Highly organised, able to plan and structure your working week and work independently.
* Professional, self-motivated and able to give balanced, well-reasoned advice to customers and colleagues.
* Basic DBS check (or willingness to undergo one).
Desirable:
* BSc (Hons) in Textile Studies or equivalent.
* MSc in Textile Technology or equivalent.
* Professional qualifications such as ASDC or C-Col (Society of Dyers and Colourists) or similar.
Training, compliance and standards:
* Ongoing training in product and sales knowledge and company Health & Safety regulations will be provided.
* Familiarity with quality and environmental management systems (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 50001, ISO 14001, Health & Safety at Work) is beneficial.
* You must follow company policies on confidentiality and security of company and customer information, products, equipment and premises.
• Salary based on experience - £50 - £65k
• Bonus – up to 15% of salary
• Private Health Care – currently AXA
• Holidays – 29 including Bank Holidays (increases on an annual basis)
• Company Car or equivalent
• Death in Service