The Role - Business Development Manager
Location: Canterbury, Kent
Hours: Monday–Friday | 9.00am–5.30pm
We are recruiting an experienced Business Development Manager to join a highly regarded accountancy and advisory firm at an exciting stage of its growth.
Working closely with the senior Growth team and Partners, this is a broad, hands-on business development position requiring someone who can both create relationships externally and generate opportunities from the ground up.
We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience selling services rather than products, ideally within professional services, financial services, consultancy, advisory or another relationship-led B2B environment.
This isn't a role where leads will simply be handed to you. You'll be expected to get out into the market, build relationships, network and represent the firm, while also being prepared to undertake the detailed research, market mapping, list building and cold outreach required to create a strong pipeline.
Key Role Requirements
- Build relationships with business owners, senior decision-makers and prospective clients across Kent, London and the South East.
- Become a visible external representative of the firm through networking, events, meetings and wider relationship building.
- Develop relationships with professional introducers including solicitors, banks, IFAs and other referral partners.
- Research agreed markets, sectors and geographical areas to identify prospective clients.
- Build detailed and accurate prospect and lead-generation lists.
- Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator, CRM systems, commercial databases and other research tools to identify organisations and key decision-makers.
- Gather company and market intelligence to support targeted business development activity.
- Make proactive approaches through telephone, email and LinkedIn.
- Develop initial conversations and qualify opportunities before involving the appropriate Partner.
- Maintain and nurture relationships where opportunities may take time to develop.
- Work alongside Partners on prospect meetings, introductions and business development activity.
- Maintain accurate CRM and pipeline information.
- Work closely with the Growth and Marketing teams on targeted campaigns and lead-generation initiatives.
- Take direction on priority markets and campaigns while also proactively identifying new opportunities.
About You
We are looking for someone who understands that successful business development within professional services is fundamentally about relationships, credibility and trust.
You will ideally have:
- Proven B2B business development experience with a strong emphasis on selling services rather than physical products.
- Experience within professional services, financial services, accountancy, legal, consultancy, advisory or another relationship-led B2B environment.
- A track record of generating new opportunities rather than purely managing established accounts.
- Strong networking and relationship-building skills.
- Confidence engaging business owners, Directors and senior decision-makers.
- Experience of proactive prospecting and cold outreach.
- The patience and commercial awareness to develop relationships over a longer sales cycle.
- Strong research and market-mapping capability.
- Experience creating targeted prospect and lead-generation lists.
- Confidence using LinkedIn Sales Navigator, CRM systems and commercial research tools.
- A willingness to undertake the detailed groundwork behind successful BD – researching, gathering data, building lists and following up consistently.
- The ability to work autonomously and create your own momentum while also taking direction and delivering against agreed campaigns and priorities.
- Excellent communication, organisation and follow-through.
Why Join?
This is an opportunity to join a growing professional services business where business development is becoming increasingly central to its future strategy.
You'll work closely with senior leadership and Partners, have significant exposure across the business and have the opportunity to become a recognised external face of the firm.
For someone who enjoys building relationships but also genuinely enjoys the process of finding and creating opportunities, this offers an unusually broad and influential business development position.
Business Development Manager in Canterbury employer: Fresh People Careers
Join a highly respected professional services firm in Canterbury, where you will thrive in a collaborative work culture that values expertise and client relationships. With a focus on employee growth, we offer continuous professional development opportunities and the chance to work with a diverse portfolio of clients, ensuring your role as a trusted adviser is both meaningful and rewarding. Experience the unique advantage of being part of a team that prioritises exceptional service and maintains the highest professional standards in corporate governance.
