At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive business growth by securing new projects in sports construction.
- Company: Join Blakedown Sport & Play, a leader in sports facility construction.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, bonuses, company car, and private healthcare.
- Other info: Exciting career progression opportunities in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on communities by delivering outstanding sporting facilities.
- Qualifications: Proven sales experience in construction or related fields required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 50000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid – office, client sites and UK travel
Salary: Competitive + performance-related bonus
Benefits: Company car or car allowance, private healthcare, pension and professional development
About us: Build the relationships behind outstanding sporting facilities. Blakedown Sport & Play is one of the UK’s largest and longest-established sports facility construction contractors. For more than 50 years, we have designed, built, refurbished and maintained high-quality sports facilities that help schools, clubs and communities get more people active.
The role: This is a senior, hands-on business development position focused on generating and converting opportunities across the commercial sports construction market. You will develop relationships with local authorities, schools, universities, sports clubs, developers, architects, consultants and contractors, building a strong pipeline of opportunities for the design, construction and refurbishment of sports facilities. Working closely with our estimating, technical and marketing teams, you will take opportunities from initial engagement through proposals, tenders, commercial negotiations and contract award.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Identifying and developing new business opportunities across the public and private sectors
- Building relationships with clients, consultants, architects, developers and other key decision-makers
- Generating qualified leads through networking, industry events, referrals, research and targeted business development
- Managing a healthy project pipeline from initial enquiry through to contract award
- Preparing and delivering client presentations, proposals and capability statements
- Supporting tender submissions and working with estimating and technical colleagues to develop competitive solutions
- Leading commercial negotiations and supporting contract discussions
- Developing existing accounts and identifying opportunities for repeat business, frameworks and maintenance contracts
- Monitoring market trends, emerging opportunities and competitor activity
- Maintaining accurate CRM records, sales forecasts and pipeline reports
- Representing Blakedown Sport & Play at exhibitions, conferences, sporting events and networking functions
What we are looking for: You will be an experienced business development or sales professional with a strong track record of winning work within construction or a related project-led industry. You should have:
- Proven business development or sales experience within construction, civil engineering, sports infrastructure or a closely related sector
- A demonstrable record of generating leads and converting them into profitable new business
- Experience managing complex sales cycles and high-value projects
- Excellent relationship-building, negotiation and influencing skills
- Strong commercial awareness and a good understanding of project margins and profitability
- The confidence to present to clients and engage with senior decision-makers
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied pipeline
- A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel
Experience within sports surfaces, landscaping, playgrounds, leisure facilities or specialist construction would be particularly valuable. Knowledge of public-sector procurement, tender frameworks or facilities such as artificial pitches, athletics tracks, tennis and padel courts, MUGAs and playgrounds would also be advantageous.
The person: We are looking for someone proactive, credible and results-focused who can combine strategic thinking with the energy to develop opportunities personally. You will be a confident networker, a persuasive communicator and a collaborative colleague who takes pride in delivering an excellent experience for clients.
Salary and benefits: We offer:
- Competitive salary
- Performance-related bonus
- Company car or car allowance
- Private healthcare
- Pension scheme
- Ongoing professional development
- Genuine career progression within one of the UK’s leading sports construction businesses
This is an opportunity to play an influential role in the growth of an established contractor while helping to deliver sporting facilities that make a lasting difference to schools, clubs and communities across the UK.
Business Development Manager – Sports Construction in Woking employer: Blakedown Sport & Play
Blakedown Sport & Play is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation in the sports construction sector. With competitive salaries, performance-related bonuses, and comprehensive benefits including private healthcare and ongoing professional development, employees are empowered to grow their careers while making a meaningful impact on communities across the UK. The hybrid working model allows for flexibility, ensuring a balanced approach to work and life, all while contributing to the creation of outstanding sporting facilities.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager – Sports Construction in Woking
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We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager – Sports Construction in Woking
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 Blakedown Sport & Play, 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 Blakedown Sport & Play
✨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 Blakedown Sport & Play’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.