Business Development Manager - Agency

Immediate is home to some of the biggest and most loved consumer brands in the UK, including Radio Times, Good Food and BBC Gardeners World magazine. Our trusted, quality content reaches millions of people a month across digital, print, video, podcasts, apps and live events. We’re the destination for people looking to get more from the things they love. We’re here to inspire, fuel, encourage and educate.

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Agency Network, the BDM, Agency is accountable for driving revenue growth across a defined agency patch (excluding agency partnership teams). Owning a mix of network and independent agencies, the BDM builds deep, senior-level relationships, develops a clear agency strategy, and delivers against defined revenue and share targets. The role focuses on growing revenue across all advertising streams—digital display, video (including YouTube), audio, native, social, premium programmatic and print—through a consultative, cross-platform approach. The BDM develops a strong understanding of client challenges, identifies and pitches effective solutions, and works closely with delivery teams to optimise campaigns, secure renewals and drive always-on activity. Working collaboratively with Client Leads and the Partnerships team, the BDM supports key client strategies, maximises trading deal performance and helps generate large-scale content partnerships. This role suits a driven, self-starting and ambitious team player who thrives on challenge, collaboration and continuous development.

Responsibilities

• Deliver revenue growth across your agency patch, with a clear focus on renewals, growth clients, non-core advertisers and new business.
• Develop and execute an effective agency strategy with defined targets, supported by accurate forecasting and performance reporting.
• Own senior relationships across agency planning, client and activation teams, becoming a trusted and visible partner.
• Work collaboratively with Client, Partnerships, Commercial Data and Delivery teams to deliver advertiser strategies, identify briefs and optimise campaign performance.
• Produce high-quality, insight-led proposals aligned to advertiser KPIs and Immediate’s product and audience solutions.
• Drive premium programmatic growth by executing go-to-market strategy, identifying new opportunities and actively monitoring market spend and share.
• Champion Immediate’s audience, data, sustainability and product propositions (including Prism and IMClear), influencing earlier-stage planning conversations.
• Maintain strong market intelligence, sharing agency insights, trends and competitive activity internally.
• Act as a brand ambassador internally and externally, contributing to key projects, reporting to senior stakeholders and representing Immediate at agency meetings and events.
• Ensure operational excellence through accurate CRM hygiene, booking management and timely resolution of invoicing queries.

Requirements

• Demonstrable examples of driving significant digital revenue growth in highly competitive markets.
• 3+ years of experience and knowledge of digital advertising sales, including premium programmatic.
• Experience of print, audio and video sales required and small/mid-size partnerships.
• Exceptional sales skills with evidence of being able to work at both a more strategic level and closing deals on a day-to-day basis.
• Strong agency relationships, with proven capability to develop and grow new and meaningful relationships at all levels.
• Incredibly pro-active and resilient, with the ability to remain positive and optimistic despite challenging market conditions.
• An understanding of our vertical categories with a continuous desire to learn and develop.
• Strong numeracy and negotiation skills.
• Exceptional communication and relationship building skills.
• Consistently demonstrate a deeply collaborative approach across all teams.
• Proven ability to pro-actively deal with challenging situations and demonstrate a positive mindset towards problem solving.
• Exceptional ability to excite and engage agencies with new ideas.
• Pro-active approach with a drive for results and strong desire to win.
• Exceptional presentation skills.
• Team player with a fun and hardworking attitude.
• Ability to test and learn at pace and adapt quickly and positively to change.
• Understanding of the media landscape across all activations including current market pressures and trends that are likely to affect media buying habits.
• Able to manage relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Proven ability to deliver against stretching financial targets.
• Evidence of the ability to think strategically, of being able to plan and execute an effective go-to-market strategy and of putting in place the processes to support this.

Benefits

• A relaxed working environment with regular socials including a summer festival.
• Supportive well-being initiatives and benefits, talks & workshops, and Mental Health First aiders & Champions.
• 25 days holiday plus a day for your birthday. Our offices will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s which are in addition to your annual entitlement.
• Claim back everyday health care cost with Medicash our Health Cash back plan.
• Lease an Electric vehicle through our EV salary sacrifice scheme.
• Tailored training and development through both our inhouse learning platform and LinkedIn Learning.
• A progressive and transparent culture focused on your development.
• Flexible / hybrid working plus early finish Fridays.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Enhanced Family Policies including paternity, adoption and surrogacy leave. We also provide a pregnancy loss, fertility, and carers policy.
• Competitive pension plans and Life Assurance.
• A newly renovated modern office with lots of collaborative spaces.

At Immediate, we pride ourselves on our open, inclusive, collaborative, and dynamic culture that empowers our people to thrive and give their best. We care deeply about our people, our local communities and the impact we have on the environment. Our active Diversity & Inclusion network, comprehensive well-being programs, and clear sustainability strategies reflect this commitment. People are at the heart of our business and creating a diverse and inclusive working environment is important to us. Immediate is an equal opportunities employer. We’ll never treat anyone less favourably because of their sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marital/civil partnerships, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief or disability. We’re also committed to supporting applications from those who are returning to work following a career break, maternity leave or caring responsibilities. Immediate is a place you can grow, be supported, and make a difference.