Senior Business Development Lead in Slough

Salary Range: £55,000 - £65,000 DOE

Bearded Kitten is a global creative experience agency with a portfolio of award-winning work. Our mission is clear: to fearlessly champion fun and create the unforgettable. From large scale brand experiences and sampling tours to culturally led launch events, from building immersive worlds to conferences and employee engagement initiatives - we cover it all.

It’s an exciting time to become a Kitten, in the past year alone the company has grown rapidly and we’ve worked with some of the world’s biggest brands. With an ever growing client base across the UK and beyond - this is an opportunity to join a fast paced, close-knit and energetic team.

The Senior Business Development Manager leads the agency’s new-business function, acting as the strategic and operational driver behind pitch growth, lead conversion, and market expansion. This role is responsible for managing new client pipelines, shaping high-quality pitch responses, aligning internal resourcing, and feeding into the long-term commercial strategy of the agency.

The position combines strategic thinking, creative development oversight, external relationship building, and strong commercial judgement to accelerate the agency’s growth.

Role Structure:

• New Business Leadership & Pitches – 60%
• Marketing, Social, Website, SEO & Awards – 20%
• Agency Growth & Market Development – 15%
• Industry Insights & Intelligence – 5%

What will you do?

1. New Business Leadership & Pitch Management
   • Act as the primary point of contact for new client enquiries, managing relationships from initial approach through to final pitch delivery.
   • Conduct chemistry sessions, establish client needs, and ensure seamless communication throughout the pitch process.
   • Lead internal resourcing for pitch responses—working with Senior Leadership to identify the strongest team based on expertise, capacity, and strategic fit.
   • Maintain oversight of pitch development, ensuring deadlines, creative direction, and client requirements are met.
   • Manage freelancers (creative, strategy, design) as needed for pitch support and new-biz tasks.
   • Help build pitch budgets and oversee commercial accuracy in submissions.
   • Ensure the Director of Production and Production Team receive clear briefs for pitch costings and logistical outlines.
   • After each pitch, gather and analyse client feedback (win or loss) to improve future performance and shape internal best practices.
2. Agency Growth & Commercial Development
   • Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts through upselling, cross-selling, and integrated client partnership development working closely with the Managing Partner.
   • Map and research new clients, sectors, and market opportunities aligned with agency ambitions.
   • Support the Director of Production in expanding BK Studios—enhancing outbound activity, attending chemistry sessions, and representing the studio during calls, meetings, and workshop tours.
   • Contribute to high-level commercial strategy and revenue planning alongside Senior Leadership.
3. Marketing, Social & Industry Engagement
   • Drive marketing initiatives including content creation, campaign support, thought leadership, and case-study development.
   • Lead the awards programme—managing submissions, identifying opportunities for Senior Leadership to speak, judge, or join panels.
   • Support the planning and delivery of the agency’s first self-produced owned event.
   • Represent the agency at industry events, conferences, networking sessions, and trade shows to support visibility and new-business growth.
   • Monitor industry trends, competitor positioning, and market shifts to inform strategy and identify new opportunities.
4. Operational Management & Internal Processes
   • Lead the weekly New Business meeting, setting agenda, actions, and follow-up.
   • Manage internal budgets for Ads & Marketing, Awards, Social Media, Client Entertainment, New Business, and Pitch Freelancers.
   • Oversee website updates and ensure all new projects and case studies are added promptly.
   • Maintain and refine the agency creds, ensuring it remains up to date and fit for purpose.
   • Manage the New Business calendar, keeping the Managing Partner informed of pipeline health and resourcing needs.
   • Maintain the new-biz spreadsheet, including pitch pipeline, conversion metrics, and win/loss tracking.

Who are we looking for?

• Proven experience leading new business pitches within a creative, marketing, or production agency.
• Ability to own the pitch process end-to-end, from initial enquiry to final submission.
• Confident running chemistry meetings and building senior client relationships.
• Strong experience briefing and coordinating creative, strategy, and production teams.
• Solid commercial awareness, including pitch budgeting and cost control.
• Highly organised, with strong project management and deadline ownership.
• Experience managing new business pipelines, tracking opportunities, and reporting clearly.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Confident, professional, and credible in client-facing environments.

Nice-to-Have

• Experience driving account growth through upselling and cross-selling.
• Involvement in agency marketing, case studies, or thought leadership.
• Experience managing or contributing to an awards programme.
• Comfortable representing an agency at industry events and networking opportunities.
• Experience managing freelancers for pitch or project support.
• Familiarity with CRM systems, dashboards, or pipeline reporting tools.
• Experience supporting studio, product, or production-led growth initiatives.

The Perks

• 25 days paid holiday, plus Bank Holidays. 1 additional day added per year of service up to 5 days.
• Approximately five additional days off over the Christmas/New Year period.
• Hybrid working. Minimum 3 days from the office, compulsory office day on Wednesdays.
• Flexi-time policy.
• Generous overtime policy.
• New Business Incentive Scheme from day one.
• Employee Referral Incentive Policy from day one.
• Employee assistance programme with free access to mental health resources.
• Monthly team socials, plus an annual team offsite with overnight stay.
• Guaranteed hilarity and nonsense on a daily basis.

If this sounds like a bit of you, apply now!