Business Development Manager

Are you ready to join Connecticut Innovation’s vibrant community of innovators? Connecticut Innovations (CI) is Connecticut’s strategic venture capital arm, and we are passionate about serving our portfolio of 220+ companies across various industries, with strengths in life sciences, technology, and climate tech.

Context: One-fourth of all properties and one-third of commercial properties in the UK are at risk of flooding. Flood-related damages cost the UK a staggering £1.3 billion annually and are expected to increase five-fold by 2050. According to latest estimates these costs can be reduced by half with improved flood forecasting and preparation. However, existing forecasting methods have fallen short when it comes to the unpredictable nature of storms.

Solution: At Previsico, our goal is to diminish the impact of floods on individuals and organizations by half. Our cutting-edge tech, honed since 2001 and incubated at Loughborough University until 2019, has revolutionised flood forecasting. It allows for highly accurate, property-level, real-time alerting, empowering individuals and businesses to prepare effectively, thereby minimising, and in some cases, preventing damage and disruptions.

Results: We almost doubled our revenues in 2024, and our services are now supporting over 200 clients within the insurance, private, and utilities sectors, including Zurich, Liberty, and National Grid. In 2024, we secured additional funding earmarked to turbo-charge our growth through the expansion of our Go-To-Market function.

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. We value and embrace the unique perspectives and experiences that individuals from all walks of life bring to our company and its culture.

Role: You will be responsible for finding and developing new opportunities as well as managing and growing existing accounts within the insurance space, both directly and through partners and partnerships. You will research and evaluate market trends, competitors, potential customers and partners and establish contact and rapport with them. You will pitch, and together with clients, define value propositions and benefits of the service, negotiating and closing deals while managing and nurturing the relationship throughout its entire lifecycle. You will collaborate closely with internal teams such as project management and customer success to ensure seamless client experience and long-term satisfaction.

• Industry Leadership & Business Development: Own the complete sales cycle, from identifying and qualifying leads to pitching, RFP production, value proposition definition, negotiation, and closing. Own the definition and implementation of targeted sales playbooks and strategies for the Insurance industry (insurers, brokers, MGAs, TPAs etc.), that guide the approach to engaging clients, tailoring messaging, and presenting use-cases relevant to the sector. Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including marketing, product development, and customer success—to develop comprehensive plans for market penetration and growth within these industries. Identify and develop key partnerships with other businesses, leveraging these relationships to drive sales through indirect channels and collaborative go-to-market strategies. Cultivate relationships with partners, ensuring alignment of flood forecasting solutions with their offerings, and jointly promoting the benefits to their customer base. Work closely with partners to drive mutual success, ensuring that both new business development and ongoing sales initiatives are effectively executed through these channels. Collaborate with the project manager and customer success manager to ensure smooth transitions from sales to project implementation, ensuring client satisfaction and retention. Demonstrate flexibility in adapting to changing priorities and business needs, offering support to colleagues across various functions as required. Be proactive in sharing insights, knowledge, and best practices with team members, fostering a supportive environment that encourages mutual success.
• Target Achievement and Growth: Attain predefined performance targets, focusing on key metrics such as sales conversion, sales cycle, client ARR growth, revenue growth, and expansion within strategic accounts. Identify opportunities to upsell additional services, features, and solutions that align with strategic clients' evolving needs. Maintain 100% accuracy of sales pipeline.
• UK Market Focus & Global Support: Primarily focus on sales efforts within the UK market, targeting the insurance sector, to drive business development and growth. While the main responsibility is within the UK, be prepared to support global sales initiatives, particularly for insurance sector businesses, by contributing to bids, proposals, and strategic efforts as required.

Required Skills and Qualifications: Proven 5+ years working experience as a business development manager or sales executive preferably in a SaaS startup environment. Proven track record of independently selling services/solutions to large enterprises within the insurance sector from lead generation to discovery, qualification and negotiation. Experience with consultative selling and successfully leading partnership sales desirable. Ability to independently drive the development of new industries from scratch, identifying growth opportunities, analyzing market trends, and adapting strategies accordingly. Ability to build rapport with senior stakeholders. Strong preparation, time-management, and organizational skills. Strong analytical and organizational skills with a curiosity for better understanding clients and their issues. Clear written and verbal communication skills, along with the ability to craft compelling presentations and case studies. Numerical abilities and problem-solving attitude. Proficiency in MS Office and CRM software (Hubspot). Proficiency in English and right to work in the UK.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Previsico is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.