At a Glance
- Tasks: Own the sales cycle, engage prospects, and close deals in R&D tax relief.
- Company: EmpowerRD, a leading R&D tax relief specialist with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, uncapped commission, equity options, and strong marketing support.
- Other info: Opportunity to build your own pipeline and work with senior finance stakeholders.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team and sell a genuinely differentiated product with proven success.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in business development, with experience in R&D tax relief services.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
About EmpowerRD
EmpowerRD is one of the UK's leading R&D tax relief specialists, combining deep technical expertise with proprietary technology to deliver claims that are both maximised and defensible.
- £260m+ in successful claims
- 1,200+ clients served
- Sub-5% HMRC enquiry rate
- TechRound #1 European Fintech
- 3x nominated in the 2026 National Technology Awards
We're growing our commercial team and looking for an experienced R&D BD professional who knows this space and is ready to hit the ground running.
The role
You'll own the full sales cycle — from identifying and engaging prospects through to close — with a focus on businesses currently using a traditional accountant, R&D boutique, or tech-led platform to manage their claims. This isn't a role for someone learning R&D tax. You'll be speaking directly with CFOs, Finance Directors, and founders, and you need to be able to hold a credible conversation about the R&D tax landscape, HMRC's evolving compliance expectations, and what a well-prepared claim actually looks like.
What the commercial setup looks like
You'll join a team that already has an engine behind it — our SDRs run structured outbound prospecting and will feed qualified opportunities into your pipeline. But we're not looking for someone who only works what lands in their inbox. The best candidates will bring a network they've built over years in the R&D tax space — former clients, warm referrals, contacts at accountancy practices — and actively work it alongside the inbound and SDR-generated flow. In short: the pipeline support is there, but your own book of business is a genuine differentiator in this hire.
Day to day you'll be:
- Building and managing your own pipeline of target accounts
- Running discovery calls and demos, handling objections, and closing new business
- Working closely with our technical and client success teams to ensure a smooth handover
- Representing EmpowerRD at industry events and through your own network
- Feeding market intelligence back into the commercial and marketing teams
What we're looking for
- 3+ years in a BD or sales role, with meaningful experience selling R&D tax relief services
- A genuine understanding of the R&D tax claims process — you can speak credibly on HMRC compliance, claim methodology, and the risks of poorly prepared claims
- A proven track record of building and converting your own pipeline, not just working inbound
- Experience selling to senior finance stakeholders (CFO, FD, MD)
Why EmpowerRD
- A genuinely differentiated product — our claim quality and enquiry rate speak for themselves
- Strong marketing and inbound support to complement your outbound activity
- Transparent 6% fee model that's easy to sell honestly
- A collaborative team that takes compliance seriously
- Competitive base salary, uncapped commission, and equity options
Interested? If you've spent years in R&D tax sales and you're looking for a business where the product quality actually makes your job easier, we'd love to talk.
Business Development Manager – R&D Tax Relief EmpowerRD | UK (Hybrid) | Competitive base + uncapped commission in London employer: EmpowerRD
EmpowerRD is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture in the heart of London. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer numerous opportunities for professional development and collaboration across teams, ensuring that our staff are not only leaders in technology but also empowered to drive meaningful change. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking company that values creativity and strategic thinking in the rapidly evolving AI-driven SaaS landscape.
