At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive business growth in the UK life sciences construction market and build key relationships.
- Company: Join a leading specialist contractor with a focus on innovative construction projects.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, company vehicle, bonuses, and flexible hybrid working.
- Other info: Opportunity to work independently and manage a national territory.
- Why this job: Make an impact in a dynamic sector while advancing your career in business development.
- Qualifications: Experience in business development within construction or engineering, especially in life sciences.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Location: Oxford
Salary: 60,000 to 75,000 (per annum)
Job type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full time
Industry: Construction / Construction - Building Projects
The Opportunity
Hays is working with an established specialist contractor looking to appoint a National Business Development Manager to support its continued growth across the UK life sciences market. The business delivers technically complex construction projects valued between 1m and 20m within highly regulated environments. Its work covers pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, laboratories, healthcare and research facilities, including new-build, refurbishment and specialist fit-out schemes. This is a national role combining new business development with the growth of existing client accounts. You will build relationships with end users, consultants, designers and project teams, identifying opportunities from early-stage investment plans through to formal tender. Working closely with the estimating, pre-construction, design and delivery teams, you will help shape proposals that respond to each client’s technical, operational and regulatory requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Identify new project opportunities across the UK life sciences market
- Develop relationships with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, laboratory, healthcare and research organisations
- Build connections with end users, consultants, designers and other key decision-makers
- Grow existing client accounts and identify opportunities for repeat business
- Develop and maintain a national pipeline of projects valued between 1m and 20m
- Track client investment plans, capital programmes and upcoming construction requirements
- Arrange and lead client meetings, presentations and site visits
- Understand clients’ technical, operational and regulatory requirements
- Work with estimating, design and pre-construction teams to develop appropriate project proposals
- Support opportunities through pre-qualification, tender, negotiation and contract award
- Maintain accurate account plans, sales forecasts and opportunity updates
- Represent the business at relevant industry events and networking meetings
- Monitor market activity, sector investment and competitor movements
- Provide senior management with clear updates on pipeline, client feedback and potential areas for growth
About You
We are looking for someone with a successful background in business development within construction, engineering, specialist contracting or technical services. You will ideally have:
- Experience as a Business Development Manager, Sales Manager or Account Manager
- A strong understanding of the UK life sciences, pharmaceutical or healthcare market
- Experience developing business for a contractor, consultant, engineering company or technical services provider
- A track record of securing new clients and expanding existing accounts
- Existing relationships with life sciences end users, consultants or project professionals
- Experience supporting tenders, proposals and commercial negotiations
- An understanding of technically complex and regulated facilities
- Knowledge of specialist construction sales cycles, from early engagement through to contract award
- The ability to discuss project requirements with technical, operational and commercial stakeholders
- Strong presentation, negotiation and relationship-management skills
- A structured approach to account planning, sales forecasting and pipeline management
- The ability to manage a national territory and work independently
- A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel throughout the UK
Apply
If you are an experienced Business Development Manager with a background in life sciences, pharmaceutical construction, engineering or specialist contracting, please send your CV to or contact James Mitchell at the Hays Southampton office for a confidential discussion.
Business Development Manager ( National ) in Oxford employer: Hays
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager ( National ) in Oxford
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We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager ( National ) in Oxford
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.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Hays, 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!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays
✨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!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with Hays’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.
