At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead business development, identify new markets, and implement growth strategies.
- Company: Established organisation with a focus on commercial growth and public purpose.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, excellent pension scheme, and employee development.
- Other info: Opportunity for UK and international travel, with a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of commercial strategy while making a positive impact.
- Qualifications: Strong business development experience and ability to build influential relationships.
Shape the next generation of commercial growth. We are partnering with an established, commercially focused organisation to appoint an imaginative and commercially astute Head of Business Development to lead its next phase of growth. This is an unusual opportunity to combine the pace, creativity and commercial focus of business development with the purpose, collaboration and benefits of a public-sector-owned organisation.
The organisation has strong foundations and an established customer base, alongside a growing portfolio of commercial activity across education, international markets, private-sector trading and strategic partnerships. The next Head of Business Development will build on this platform while asking a bigger question: where should the organisation grow next? You will identify new markets, partnerships and propositions, assess their commercial potential and lead the strongest opportunities from initial idea through to implementation.
The role
Reporting to the Director of Business Development & Growth, you will lead a team of approximately six colleagues and operate as a senior leader within the organisation. Your first priority will be to develop a clear strategy for growth and start turning it into action. You will:
- Identify and evaluate new markets, customer groups, strategic partnerships and routes to market.
- Develop business cases and commercial models, prioritising opportunities with the greatest potential for sustainable growth.
- Strengthen existing commercial channels while developing new propositions and revenue streams.
- Lead, coach and develop a multidisciplinary business development team.
- Own budgets, forecasts, pipeline quality and reporting across the function.
- Build senior relationships with customers, businesses, trade associations and strategic partners.
- Support major bids, commercial projects and potential acquisition opportunities.
- Use customer insight, CRM data and market intelligence to inform commercial decisions.
- Work collaboratively across Marketing, Sales, Product, Procurement, Operations, IT, Finance and the wider Leadership Team.
This is not simply about generating ideas. You will need the commercial judgement to determine which opportunities are worth pursuing, build the evidence and business case behind them and then bring colleagues together to turn those opportunities into sustainable growth.
About you
You will bring strong business development or commercial experience and the judgement to distinguish an interesting idea from a viable growth opportunity. You may already lead a business development function, or you could be an accomplished Business Development Manager, Commercial Manager or Sales Leader ready to step into broader strategic ownership. You do not need a public sector background. We are more interested in your ability to create and implement growth plans, develop propositions, build influential relationships, lead people and use insight, CRM and commercial analysis to make sound decisions.
You will be:
- Commercially curious and naturally interested in where the next opportunity could come from.
- Creative, but disciplined enough to test ideas and understand return on investment.
- An influential relationship builder who can operate confidently with senior stakeholders and external partners.
- A supportive and credible people leader.
- Comfortable moving between strategy and hands-on delivery.
- Prepared to challenge conventional thinking and explore new markets.
- Motivated by the opportunity to deliver commercial growth within a purpose-led organisation.
Above all, we are looking for someone who enjoys building. Someone who can look at an established organisation with strong capabilities and ask "where else could we take this?", before creating the strategy and relationships to make it happen.
Why consider this opportunity?
- A highly visible senior role with genuine scope to shape commercial strategy.
- An established platform from which to develop new markets and propositions.
- A role with significant freedom to explore new ideas and partnerships.
- Hybrid working, normally requiring around two office days each week.
- Access to an incredible Pension Scheme and a competitive wider benefits package.
- A supportive, values-led working environment with a strong commitment to employee development.
- The opportunity to combine commercial ambition with genuine public purpose.
- Occasional UK and international travel, providing exposure to a diverse range of markets, customers and partners.
To apply
This search is being managed exclusively by Adecco. Please submit your CV and a supporting statement outlining your most relevant commercial achievements and experience to (url removed). The employer is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and will make reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout the recruitment process.
Head of Business Development employer: Adecco
Our client in Worthing is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values teamwork and individual contributions. With competitive pay and flexible hours, employees enjoy a balanced work-life dynamic while having access to growth opportunities within the manufacturing sector. This role as a Kitting Operative not only provides meaningful work but also allows you to be part of a respected organisation committed to excellence.
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We think this is how you could land Head of Business Development
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Business Development
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Adecco, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at Adecco
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with Adecco’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.
