Head of Business Development and Commercial in Scarborough

Are you a commercially astute, relationship-led business development leader who thrives on building trust, spotting opportunities and helping a business grow in the right way? Our Manufacturing client in Scarborough is seeking a Head of Business Development and Commercial to play a pivotal role in driving the next phase of growth for their business. This is a permanent, full-time position based in Scarborough, with significant scope to broaden into wider commercial and senior leadership responsibilities over time.

This is more than a traditional sales role. It blends business development, marketing leadership, commercial oversight, client relationship management and strategic influence. Reporting to the Managing Director and forming part of the management team, you will become a key external face of the business while helping to shape its future direction.

Our client is a specialist provider with an exceptional reputation and have built their reputation on accuracy, trust, service excellence and long-term relationships. The business has a close-knit team with a culture built on collaboration, humility, integrity and shared purpose. They value people who are loyal, practical, detail-focused and willing to roll their sleeves up to get things done properly. Customer satisfaction, service delivery and doing the right thing are prioritised over short-term sales figures.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong background in business development and commercial leadership, ideally gained within manufacturing, engineering, distribution, wholesale or similar sectors.

What the Head of Business Development and Commercial job involves

The successful candidate will take a leading role in driving growth, developing commercial opportunities and strengthening long-term client relationships. You will be responsible for:

• Leading the new business strategy, identifying and nurturing long-cycle opportunities.
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships to secure lasting partnerships.
• Acting as a trusted external representative of the business with warmth, credibility and professionalism.
• Building a strong sector presence through networking, exhibitions and thought leadership.
• Identifying and developing new business territories and opportunities.
• Developing compelling proposals, estimates and commercial models.
• Supporting and developing the marketing strategy to raise the company’s profile within their sector.
• Shaping messaging, campaigns and digital presence so the brand reflects the company’s values and capabilities.
• Reviewing and negotiating contracts, SLAs and KPIs to protect the business and ensure sustainable delivery.
• Supporting pricing strategy, margin management and wider commercial decision-making.
• Managing the transition from contract win to operational delivery, ensuring a smooth handover.
• Working closely with internal teams to ensure client commitments are delivered successfully.
• Playing a central role in strategic growth, account management resilience and future succession planning.

This is a dynamic and influential role for someone who enjoys being hands-on, understands the importance of operational detail and can balance growth ambitions with sustainable, high-quality delivery.

Skills required

The company is looking for a commercially minded, values-driven professional with a proven track record in business development, client relationship management and commercial leadership. The ideal candidate will have:

• Proven ability to drive new business in a relationship-led, long-cycle sales environment.
• Exceptional relationship management and trust-building skills.
• Demonstrated success in identifying and developing new opportunities.
• Experience developing proposals, estimates, pricing models or commercial solutions.
• A strong understanding of business operations and solution selling.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to represent a business professionally and credibly.
• Meticulous attention to detail and a strong appreciation of process.
• Curiosity and patience to learn the rhythm of the business and understand what it does well.
• A practical, grounded and hands-on attitude.
• The ability to work effectively within a close-knit, people-first SME culture.

Other information

Full time working Monday to Friday with possible hybrid working options. (Required to be on site 2 to 3 days per week) 26 days’ holiday plus bank holidays. Pension scheme: matched up to 6% employer contribution. Life assurance: 4 times salary. Business mileage reimbursed at 45p per mile, or 13p per mile for electric vehicles. Profit share after 12 months. Opportunity to play a central role in a stable, employee-owned business. Significant scope to broaden responsibilities and influence the future direction of the company. Warm, supportive culture where people genuinely care about each other.