At a Glance
- Tasks: Build relationships and drive growth for local businesses in Newcastle and the Northeast.
- Company: Join itison, a leading brand connecting 1.7 million members with amazing experiences.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private healthcare, discounts, and paid time off for charity work.
- Other info: Flexible remote work transitioning to a vibrant city centre office with great team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in your community while developing your career in business development.
- Qualifications: Experience in sales, partnerships, or hospitality with strong relationship-building skills.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 35000 £ per year.
Start date – April/May 2026
At itison, we believe life is about the experience. We connect 1.7 million members with the best local experiences, create world‑class events of our own, and donate thousands of experiences to local charities every year. We’ve built a strong, market-leading business in Scotland, and Newcastle is an exciting part of our future growth. That makes this a great opportunity for someone who wants to join an established brand, make their mark locally, and help shape what comes next.
We’re looking for a commercially minded Business Development & Account Manager to join our City Team and help grow our Newcastle and Northeast business. The role would suit someone who knows how to build strong relationships, spot opportunities, and turn them into long‑term growth. You might already work in sales, partnerships, hospitality, hotel operations, leisure, or another commercially focused role where earning trust and driving revenue go hand in hand. A network across food and drink, spas or hotels would be a real advantage. Restaurant connections would be especially valuable.
What you’ll be doing
- Our City Team is at the forefront of delivering growth for itison, responsible for sourcing and negotiating an incredible range of experiences in our local areas — from standout hotel stays and Michelin‑starred dining to the best new spa and leisure experiences.
- Your initial focus will be on developing new business across Newcastle and the Northeast.
- As your pipeline grows, your role will evolve into a mix of new business and account management, growing existing partnerships while continuing to bring in great new ones.
- You’ll play a key role in identifying the best businesses to work with, growing local relationships, and creating opportunities that deliver value for both our partners and itison.
What's the role?
- Building a strong pipeline through outreach, networking, meetings, and smart prospecting.
- Developing relationships with decision‑makers across hospitality and leisure businesses.
- Turning first conversations into long‑term partnerships.
- Growing existing accounts by spotting new opportunities and shaping ideas around their goals.
- Using market knowledge, research, and commercial judgement to identify the best opportunities for itison.
- Making the most of your time by combining scheduled meetings with high‑quality drop‑ins.
- Working to targets across new business, account growth, and other key performance metrics.
Key skills & traits
- We’re looking for someone who is commercially sharp, proactive, and strong at building trust.
- You’ll likely bring experience in business development, B2B sales, partnerships, account management, or transferable experience from hospitality, hotel operations, leisure, or related sectors.
- A track record of building relationships and turning opportunities into results.
- Confidence speaking to business owners, operators, and senior decision‑makers.
- Strong commercial instincts and the ability to spot what will work for both the partner and the customer.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Resilience, sound judgement, and confidence handling objections and negotiations.
- A diligent, organised approach and the ability to manage your own time and pipeline effectively.
- A good understanding of hospitality and the commercial considerations that matter to operators.
- Energy, drive, and a genuine appetite to grow a market.
Location and travel
The role will initially be remote, before moving to our Newcastle city centre office. You’ll spend a lot of time out meeting businesses and venues across Newcastle and the Northeast, along with regular visits to our Glasgow HQ. To do this role, you’ll need to be flexible, hold a full driving licence, and have your own transport.
The salary and benefits package:
- Salary £30k - £35k+ commission depending on experience (OTE up to £45k).
- Private Health Care.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Salary exchange smart pension scheme.
- 15% itisondiscount and 50% discount at all itison‑owned venues.
- Enhanced maternity/paternity.
- Learning grant.
- Lunchtime Pilates classes.
- Holiday‑buy scheme.
- Birthday day off.
- Home & Tech scheme.
- Paid company socials.
- Free tickets to our major events (Drive‑In Movies, GlasGLOW, and more to come).
- Charity day – paid time off to volunteer for a charity of your choice.
- Fantastic work environment and the best equipment to do your job.
Business Development & Account Manager - Newcastle in Newcastle upon Tyne employer: itison Limited
Contact Detail:
itison Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development & Account Manager - Newcastle in Newcastle upon Tyne
✨Tip Number 1
Get out there and network! Attend local events, meet-ups, or industry gatherings in Newcastle. The more people you connect with, the better your chances of finding opportunities that align with your skills.
✨Tip Number 2
Don’t just wait for opportunities to come to you; create them! Reach out to businesses you admire and propose how you can help them grow. A proactive approach shows initiative and can lead to exciting partnerships.
✨Tip Number 3
Leverage social media to showcase your expertise. Share insights about the hospitality and leisure sectors, and engage with potential partners online. This not only builds your personal brand but also attracts attention from decision-makers.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to our growth in Newcastle.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Development & Account Manager - Newcastle in Newcastle upon Tyne
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Business Development & Account Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in sales, partnerships, or hospitality, and show us how you can bring value to our Newcastle team.
Showcase Your Network: If you've got connections in the food and drink, spa, or hotel sectors, let us know! Mentioning these relationships can really set you apart and demonstrate your ability to build strong partnerships.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to convey your achievements and skills, and make sure we can easily see how you fit the role. We love a well-structured application!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with itison!
How to prepare for a job interview at itison Limited
✨Know Your Market
Before the interview, dive deep into the hospitality and leisure market in Newcastle. Familiarise yourself with local businesses, trends, and potential partners. This knowledge will not only impress your interviewers but also help you demonstrate how you can contribute to itison's growth.
✨Showcase Your Relationship-Building Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully built relationships in previous roles. Whether it's through networking or turning cold leads into warm partnerships, be ready to share specific stories that highlight your ability to connect with decision-makers and drive results.
✨Be Ready to Spot Opportunities
Think about potential opportunities for itison in the Newcastle area. Come prepared with ideas on how to approach local businesses and what unique experiences you could offer. This proactive mindset will show your commercial instincts and enthusiasm for the role.
✨Practice Your Pitch
Since you'll be dealing with business owners and senior decision-makers, practice your communication skills. Be clear and confident when discussing how you can add value to their businesses. Role-playing common scenarios can help you handle objections and negotiations smoothly during the interview.