Job Description
Business Development Manager – Category Lead (General Building Products)
Location: Exeter
Role Type: Senior commercial/category leadership
Role Summary
This role leads the commercial growth and strategic development of the General Building Products division. This is a broad, high-volume category supporting multiple phases of construction, from structural works through to internal fit-out and finishing.
The ideal candidate combines strong knowledge of general building materials with well-established relationships across merchants, contractors, and manufacturers, and can build a competitive range that delivers both commercial value and reliability of supply.
Required Sector Experience (Essential)
Candidates must have demonstrable experience in at least several of the following product areas:
* Cement, lime, sand, aggregates
* Bricks, blocks, and masonry units
* Mortars, renders, and plaster
* Plasterboard, drywall, and partition systems
* Fixings, fasteners, and building sundries
* Thermal and acoustic insulation materials
* Timber, sheet materials (plywood, MDF, OSB), and structural ancillaries
* Fire protection boards and associated products
Experience working with:
* General builders’ merchants
* Specialist distributors (drylining, insulation, timber)
* Housebuilders, main contractors, or fit-out contractors
* Manufacturers of building materials or structural components
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Growth & New Business
* Identify and win new customer accounts across builders, developers, main contractors, interior fit-out specialists, and general construction firms.
* Develop a robust pipeline across housebuilding, refurbishment, commercial construction, and public-sector projects.
Supplier Ecosystem Development
* Build strong relationships with manufacturers and distributors of cementitious products, masonry materials, plasterboard systems, insulation, timber, and structural products.
* Conduct supplier site visits to review production capability, quality standards, stockholding, and logistics reliability.
* Negotiate pricing structures, rebates, terms, and exclusivity opportunities.
Category Development
* Develop a scalable and commercially competitive product range aligned to demand across structural works, internal partitions, drylining, insulation, timber, and general building essentials.
* Identify missing ranges and recommend new products based on margin potential, compliance gaps, and customer demand.
* Monitor trends such as off-site construction, new insulation technologies, and fire safety regulation changes.
Market Intelligence
* Gather insights on availability issues (e.g., cement shortages, plasterboard supply), competitor pricing, seasonal peaks, and emerging building regulations.
* Provide structured data and feedback to inform purchasing, pricing, and category expansion.
Field Representation
* Represent the General Building Products category at trade shows, supplier open days, merchant events, and contractor visits.
* Engage directly with installers and site managers to understand usage patterns, challenges, and opportunities to simplify procurement.
Attributes & Skills
* Deep credibility in general building materials and construction supply chains.
* Strong hunter mindset with a track record of securing significant new business.
* Able to interpret building product specifications, fire ratings, insulation values, fixings requirements, and installation methods.
* Commercially sharp, negotiation-focused, and margin-aware.
* Comfortable managing a wide product portfolio covering both heavy and light building materials.
* Field-driven, proactive, and confident travelling UK-wide to develop supplier and customer relationships.
Sound interesting? Apply today.