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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive sustainable growth in the automotive sector by identifying and delivering new business opportunities.
- Company: Join a fast-growing UK business with a supportive culture and 1,000+ team members.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, health cash plan, life assurance, and free breakfasts.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team that celebrates success and supports your career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the automotive industry while building a long-term career.
- Qualifications: Experience in business development within the automotive sector and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Location: Remote
Department: Avant Consult
Contract type: Permanent / Full-time
About the role
We’re looking for a Business/Programme Development Manager to join our automotive team, and play a key role in being responsible for driving sustainable growth of the Automotive Division by identifying, developing and delivering new commercial opportunities with new customers and developing structured programmes and internal projects with existing customers. The role requires close collaboration with management, operational teams and customers to ensure commercial opportunities are translated into profitable, scalable and deliverable programmes. Activate Group is a growing UK business with 1,000+ team members nationwide. This is an exciting opportunity to build a long-term career with a company that values its people and offers genuine development and progression opportunities.
Key responsibilities
- Business Development & Growth
- Identify, target and secure new business opportunities across key business channels.
- Develop and execute business development strategies aligned to strategic and growth objectives.
- Own and deliver agreed growth targets across assigned sectors and accounts.
- Build a robust pipeline of short, medium and long-term opportunities to support sustainable growth.
- Account & Programme Development
- Identify opportunities to expand services, introduce new programmes and develop value-added internal projects.
- Translate customer requirements into commercially viable programmes, ensuring alignment with operational capabilities.
- Support programme mobilisation and early-stage delivery alongside operational and project teams.
- Relationship Management
- Build, manage, and strengthen long-term relationships with key stakeholders at existing and new customers.
- Act as a trusted commercial partner, consistently demonstrating Avant’s value proposition and technical expertise.
- Represent the business at client meetings, industry events and commercial forums.
- Commercial Proposals & Communication
- Prepare and deliver high-quality proposals, tenders, presentations and business cases.
- Clearly articulate Avant’s products, services and differentiators against competitors.
- Support pricing strategy development.
- Project & Stakeholder Management
- Take ownership of business development-related projects.
- Work cross-functionally with operations, finance, IT and leadership teams to ensure successful delivery of new initiatives.
Skills and experience
- Proven experience in a business development, commercial or programme growth role within the automotive sector.
- Demonstrable track record of meeting or exceeding business development and growth targets.
- Experience developing customer-focused, differentiated and commercially viable solutions.
- Strong ability to manage the full business development lifecycle from opportunity identification to implementation.
- Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including senior leadership and Board members.
- Experience working with complex stakeholders and multi-service propositions.
- Strong knowledge of the automotive aftersales and body repair industry.
- Understanding of B&P operations, parts supply chains and accident management models.
- Highly motivated, proactive and commercially minded with strong initiative.
- High standard of written communication, grammar, and document production.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, statistics, and performance metrics.
- Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Benefits
- 33 days holiday, including bank holidays.
- Personal health cash plan – claim back the cost of everyday healthcare such as dental and optical check-ups.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay.
- Life assurance at three times your basic salary.
- Free breakfasts and fresh fruit.
- A birthday surprise for everyone.
What you can expect from us
At Activate Group, we want everyone to have the tools and support they need to do their best work. We’re an innovative business that continuously reviews and improves our systems, processes and ways of working, making sure they support our teams to do their jobs effectively. Every role at Activate Group is aligned to our wider business vision and purpose – making someone’s bad day better. You’ll understand how your role contributes to the bigger picture and how your work helps deliver excellent outcomes for customer and partners. We believe work should be enjoyable. We make time to celebrate success, recognise achievements and bring people together at team events and company-wide celebrations. We’ll also support your ongoing development through regular feedback and career planning. Whether you’re based in one of our contact centres in Halifax, Peterborough or Huddersfield, working at an Activate Accident Repair (AAR) site, or working from home, you’ll be part of a supportive culture where people are encouraged to succeed.
A bit about us
Activate Group is a fast-growing business approaching 1,000 team members nationwide. We work with some of the UK’s largest fleets and insurance companies, supporting drivers that have been involved in road incidents through our contact centres in Halifax, Peterborough and Huddersfield. We manage every step of the repair journey - repairing vehicles at our own Activate Accident Repair (AAR) body shops, as well as through a UK-wide network of trusted independent repair partners. We also work with the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturers, supporting their approved repair programmes, and deliver innovative technology solutions to fleets, vehicle repair centres and dealerships.
Our purpose & values
Our purpose underpins everything we do: Make someone’s bad day better. Our values define how we work with our team members, customers and suppliers: Make it happen – Be accountable. Take the initiative, work fast, and do a great job. Strive for better – Be bold. Challenge the norm - make small improvements often. Win together – Be a team player. Win together, learn together, respect each other.
Business/Programme Development Manager employer: Activate Group Limited
Contact Detail:
Activate Group Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business/Programme Development Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the automotive industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! When you get the chance to chat with someone from the company, make sure to highlight your experience in business development and programme management. Share specific examples of how you've driven growth or developed successful programmes in the past.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its values. Understand their mission to 'make someone’s bad day better' and think about how your skills align with that. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the team at Activate Group. Let’s make it happen together!
We think you need these skills to ace Business/Programme Development Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Business/Programme Development Manager role. Highlight your experience in business development within the automotive sector and how it aligns with our goals at Activate Group.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you’ve met or exceeded growth targets in previous roles. We love seeing quantifiable results that demonstrate your impact!
Communicate Clearly: Since strong written communication is key for this role, ensure your application is well-structured and free of errors. Use clear language to articulate your skills and experiences, making it easy for us to see your potential.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with Activate Group!
How to prepare for a job interview at Activate Group Limited
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into the automotive sector and understand the latest trends and challenges. Familiarise yourself with Avant Consult's services and how they stand out in the market. This knowledge will help you articulate how your experience aligns with their goals.
✨Showcase Your Achievements
Prepare specific examples of how you've successfully driven business development in previous roles. Highlight measurable outcomes, like exceeding growth targets or developing innovative programmes. This will demonstrate your capability to deliver results that align with Avant's objectives.
✨Build Rapport
During the interview, focus on building a connection with your interviewers. Ask insightful questions about their current projects and express genuine interest in their work. This shows that you're not just looking for a job, but are keen to be part of their team and contribute to their success.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since the role involves preparing proposals and presentations, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Use examples from your past experiences to illustrate your points. Good communication will reflect your ability to engage with stakeholders at all levels, which is crucial for this position.