At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive growth in retail and transport partnerships at Edinburgh Airport.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at Edinburgh Airport, shaping its future.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and a chance to influence airport transformation.
- Other info: Opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment with significant career growth.
- Why this job: Be part of an exciting journey as passenger numbers soar to 20 million by 2030.
- Qualifications: Experience in commercial development, negotiation, and contract management.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Senior Business Development Manager – Retail & Surface Access to join the Commercial team at Edinburgh Airport. This is a senior position which will play a key role in expanding the airport’s retail and land-based transport business partnership portfolio, increasing commercial revenue whilst upholding sustainability practices to encourage long-term growth.
The role will manage a significant portfolio across Duty Free, Retail, Food & Beverage, Car Rental, Bus, Tram, Taxis and Coach park. The individual will build lasting relationships with business partners and internal teams, advancing both commercial outcomes and the experience of our passengers.
The airport is at an exciting point in its history as we look ahead to annual passenger numbers increasing to over 20 million by 2030 and even more beyond. To satisfy this growth, the footprint of the airport will expand across almost every area. This role will support that transformation by shaping future commercial opportunities across terminal developments and passenger infrastructure projects, ensuring commercial requirements are embedded into development plans and aligned to the airport’s long-term growth ambitions.
We’re looking for an agile, commercially focused individual who is excited about joining a successful, high-performing team with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of an iconic national asset. This role will be primarily based at Edinburgh Airport, with some travel required.
About the recruitment process: The recruitment process will involve an initial interview discussion over Teams followed by an in-person interview. Our in person interview will involve a task or presentation, to be confirmed upon invite to interview – a chance for you to demonstrate your enthusiasm for bringing your strategic commercial thinking to support Edinburgh Airport’s growth! To support the process, we will also ask you to complete an Insights Discovery profile. Please note, depending on the volume of applications, the recruitment process for this role may change. We are committed to supporting diverse ways of thinking and working, so if you require adjustments in the recruitment process, please let us know on your application.
What you’ll be doing: The Senior Business Development Manager – Retail & Surface Access will be responsible for driving growth across a broad portfolio of retail, food and beverage, and surface transport business partners. The role will oversee a commercial contract roadmap of 100+ concession contracts, lead competitive bid and negotiation processes, and represent Commercial on key capital and transformation projects.
- Manage partner relationships and the commercial contract roadmap of 100+ concession contracts across retail and transport categories
- Drive revenue growth across Duty Free, Retail, Food & Beverage, Car Rental, Bus, Tram, Taxis and Coach park
- Shape future commercial opportunities across terminal developments and passenger infrastructure projects
- Identify innovative concepts, brands and transport solutions that enhance passenger experience and support long-term airport growth ambitions
Bids, Negotiation & Contract Delivery:
- Lead competitive bid processes, negotiations and contract completion activities
- Develop clear strategic negotiation plans that support strong commercial outcomes
- Negotiate commercial deals and concession agreements with current and prospective business partners
- Manage the contract roadmap with strong prioritisation, clear governance and disciplined follow-through
- Draft and present clear board papers and recommendations to support decision-making
Transformation & Capital Projects:
- Represent Commercial and lead workstreams on key capital and transformation projects
- Work closely with Capital Projects and Operational teams to ensure commercial requirements are embedded into future development plans
- Provide commercial input into the design and delivery of terminal developments and passenger infrastructure projects
- Influence key stakeholders at Executive and Board level through clear, evidence-based recommendations
Stakeholder Collaboration:
- Build and maintain strong relationships with concessionaires, transport operators and internal stakeholders
- Develop strong, collaborative working relationships across Commercial, Capital Projects and Operational teams to support integrated delivery
- Work with partners to identify new concepts, brands and transport solutions that support the airport’s future commercial proposition
- Demonstrate the agility to identify, lead and support new commercial initiatives that arise in a growing, fast-paced environment
What we’re looking for: The Senior Business Development Manager – Retail & Surface Access role is well-suited to candidates with a strong background in commercial development, contract management and negotiation, with the ideal candidate ticking most of the following boxes:
- A positive and determined attitude, with a goal-orientated mindset and an unwavering passion for success
- Strategic negotiation planning skills, with the ability to prepare for and lead complex commercial discussions
- An excellent communicator with the ability to influence and align stakeholders at Executive and Board level through clear, well-structured communication
- Highly experienced using PowerPoint and Excel, with the ability to create clear, decision-ready materials and robust commercial analysis
- Ability to self-manage, prioritise effectively and maintain momentum across multiple workstreams
- A problem solver who enjoys finding the solution in every problem
- A team player who can collaborate with other departments and stakeholders, and enjoys working with others to achieve a common goal
Experience:
- Demonstrable experience building and managing a commercial pipeline
- Proven ability to negotiate commercial deals and concession agreements
- Experience managing a contract roadmap and prioritising activity across a broad portfolio
- Experience drafting and presenting clear board papers and recommendations for senior decision-makers
- Airport, transport, retail or hospitality sector experience is desirable but not essential
If your experience ticks some of the boxes but looks slightly different to what we’ve listed here, we encourage you to still apply. You could add something we didn’t know we needed.
Senior Business Development Manager - Retail & Surface Access employer: Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is an exceptional employer, offering graduates a unique opportunity to launch their careers in aviation while making a tangible impact on airport operations. With a strong focus on mentorship and professional development, employees benefit from hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology and collaborative projects that drive innovation. The dynamic work environment fosters creativity and problem-solving, ensuring that every team member contributes to the continuous improvement of airport systems and services.
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Business Development Manager - Retail & Surface Access
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.
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Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Edinburgh Airport, 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!
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How to prepare for a job interview at Edinburgh Airport
✨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!
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✨Portfolio of Projects
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✨Know their business model
Get familiar with Edinburgh Airport’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.
