Harwood Interiors specializes in made-to-measure soft furnishings, including curtains, blinds, and cushions. The company offers a complete, window treatment service, from initial project discussions through to professional installation.
All products are manufactured to order in-house at its UK facility, enabling consistent quality control and reliable lead times. By overseeing production directly, Harwood Interiors delivers a responsive, dependable service tailored to each client project. This approach supports strong customer relationships and high standards across residential and commercial interiors.
Role Description
The Business Development Manager will be responsible for identifying, developing and securing new business for the company’s curtain, blind and soft-furnishing supply-and-fit services for the commercial sector. The role will combine new-business development and relationship management. The successful candidate will build relationships with prospective clients, generate qualified opportunities, present the company’s products and capabilities, and support opportunities through to order placement.
This position requires a proactive salesperson who is comfortable creating new opportunities rather than relying solely on incoming enquiries or an established customer portfolio.
Experience and Knowledge
- Proven experience in business development, sales or account management.
- Experience generating new business rather than solely managing inherited accounts.
- Experience selling to businesses, designers, specifiers, contractors, property organisations or other professional customers.
- Experience within curtains, blinds, textiles, interiors, furnishings, hospitality, construction or a related sector.
- A demonstrable record of developing opportunities from initial prospecting through to confirmed orders.
- Experience building and maintaining long-term commercial relationships.
- An understanding of sales pipelines, conversion rates, gross margin and commercial negotiation.
- Experience using CRM software and maintaining accurate customer records.
- The ability to understand technical products and communicate their benefits clearly.
- Experience presenting products or services to individuals and groups.
- A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly.
Skills
- Confident, professional and credible when meeting customers.
- Proactive and comfortable generating their own appointments and opportunities.
- Commercially aware, with an understanding of the importance of financial metrics.
- Skilled at building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Organised and disciplined in prospecting, follow-up and CRM management.
- Able to work independently while communicating effectively with the wider business.
- Comfortable working in a developing environment where systems and processes are still being established.
- Adaptable and willing to contribute beyond a narrowly defined sales role.
- Able to listen carefully, qualify customer requirements and ask appropriate commercial questions.
- Resilient when dealing with rejection, long sales cycles and changing project requirements.
- Capable of balancing customer expectations with the company’s operational and commercial requirements.
- Honest and realistic when forecasting opportunities and reporting performance.
Working Arrangements
The role will be primarily field-based and will involve regular travel to customer premises, project sites, trade events and networking opportunities. Home working will be permitted where appropriate. However, the successful candidate will also be expected to attend the company’s premises for training, meetings, customer visits, and collaboration with the operational team when required.
Location
Field-based, with home working and attendance at the company’s Lancashire premises as required
Employment type:
Full-time, permanent
Salary:
Competitive basic salary, dependent on experience, plus p erformance-related commission
Benefits
Company car or car allowance, business mileage, pension and other benefits subject to agreement
