Business Development Director in City of London

Package: Market Leading Basic Salary, Bonus and Exceptional Benefits

Location: London (with some hybrid working)

Our client is a FTSE 250 listed business with an impressive pedigree within the financial services industry, operating as an agile, ambitious and fast‑growing independent professional services business of over 300 colleagues across 6 independent business lines. They need the very best people to be the custodians of the business for the next stage of their proud history and anticipated growth.

Ambitious to innovate, collaborate and push forward in providing peace of mind and service excellence for their international clients and colleagues, they are on a journey to shape a culture they can all be proud to be part of. One where everyone feels trusted, supported and empowered to own their success. Working here, you would have access to our enviable network of clients and innovative projects, as well as brilliant colleagues to learn from and collaborate with.

Role Overview

They are now looking for an exceptional Business Development Director to devise the overall Business Development, Sales and Marketing Strategy for a key business division pursuing ambitious growth objectives over a 3‑5 year window. This will be primarily achieved through establishing and nurturing relationships, working closely with business SMEs and the broader group business development team and driving their brand within the professional services marketplace.

Overall Responsibility

• Deliver incremental revenue in line with the divisional annual budget targets.
• Devise and be responsible for the delivery of the Business Development Plan, with objectives including cross‑selling product lines from across other business units.
• Work with the broader Business Development team to generate marketing activity and drive brand recognition, ensuring that services provided by the business are sustainable, accretive in value and consistent with the group’s brand.

Business Development

• Cultivate and grow business relationships with target clients to deliver new business revenues, ensuring commercial agreements are sustained and improve the divisional Operating Profit Margin.
• Pipeline development and prospect management, working in partnership with relevant team members to ensure momentum is kept consistently high.
• Bid management – coordinate and deliver compelling and competitive proposals.
• Commercially Astute – ensure competitors’ activity is fully understood, market trends are disseminated and our evolving value proposition is communicated to key internal stakeholders.
• Strategic Perspective – encouraging cross‑selling / introductions from all parts of the group business.
• Partnership‑Led – seek and develop mutually beneficial referral partnerships.

Marketing Communications & PR

• Devise and implement the Sales, Marketing and Communications Strategy.
• Own the Business Development Marketing Plan, ensuring a considered and balanced array of activities integrated as far as possible including but not limited to digital collateral, brochures, literature and bulletin production, print management.
• Drive the divisional business social media presence.
• Identify the publicity/news value of company cases, client wins, new services.
• Monitor formal and informal broadcast, print and social media for the business area and competitor coverage.
• Undertake appropriate market research including competitor analysis, demographic and economic reviews.
• Ensure the collection, review and analysis of market information to identify competitor tactics, market trends, new opportunities and challenges.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, Experience

• Educated to degree level and evidence of further study.
• Extensive experience of professional services or similar business development, sales and communications with a brand or brands of reputable standing.
• Extensive, demonstrable and relevant professional network.
• Skilled at developing relationships with colleagues and other professionals including client, partners, press and other contacts.
• Experience of executing informed investment of BDM budget to drive optimised return on investment and maximise effectiveness of activity.
• A track record of proven delivery, demonstrating both creative and analytical skills.
• An ability to manage projects using a collaborative and professional approach and to operate well under pressure.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a leading organisation at an exciting time with genuine opportunities for career development and progression. Alongside a compelling salary and bonus package, they also offer a very generous pension contribution, private medical, the ability to ‘buy and sell’ holidays and a share incentive plan. The role is based from their London HQ, offering hybrid working with up to 2 days per week home‑based working flexibility once you are up‑to‑speed.

If you feel you have the qualities we are seeking, please forward your CV and covering letter indicating your current package to Lee Rankin at GEM Partnership, or for a discreet conversation call our Peterlee office.