Business Development Executive – San Francisco in London

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Location: San Francisco | Department: Business Growth | Compensation: $78,000 - $80,160 / year | Application Deadline: 12 September 2025

Purpose of role

London & Partners’ North America team covers the whole of the United States and Canada. As Business Development Executive for the Northwestern United States and Western Canada, you will operate as a dedicated salesperson for the territory and report to the Senior Vice President in San Francisco. Your primary target cities will be the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis, Vancouver, and Calgary.

You will source, develop and maintain relationships with high growth tech businesses seeking access to the European market. You will promote London as the preeminent base for European trade and connect these businesses with our commercial partners who will assist them in establishing a presence in London. You will also support UK businesses expanding to the United States by assisting with GTM strategy and introducing them to targeted corporate customers, investors, and local stakeholders. This requires building a network across your territory and being respected as an authoritative expert on fundraising from the venture community, transatlantic trade, and the tech ecosystem. The role may involve speaking at virtual and in-person events on the value proposition of both London and the United States as investment destinations and providing commentary in emerging sectors including GenAI, Web3, and frontier innovation.

Key Tasks

• Business Development
  • Engage with leadership at high growth scale-ups and venture capital across six core sectors: Creative; Destination Economy; Enterprise Tech, Fintech & Cyber; Life Sciences & Sustainability. Establish yourself as a trusted advisor on growth plans.
  • Lead generation through warm and cold outreach; develop your own outreach strategy with the SVP.
  • Conduct targeted market research using platforms such as Crunchbase, PitchBook, CB Insights, Thomson Reuters, and KPMG sector reports to identify high-potential companies for international expansion.
  • Represent London & Partners at industry conferences and events; maintain an always-on networking approach.
• Trade Delegations
  • Plan and deliver trade delegation programs for UK companies exploring the US; schedule high-impact meetings with buyers, investors, and local stakeholders.
  • Track mission ROI using qualitative and quantitative metrics to inform future initiatives.
• Stakeholder Management
  • Collaborate with international economic development agencies, industry bodies, and corporate partners to coordinate logistics, secure introductions, and align objectives with participants’ international growth strategies.
  • Plan and deliver VIP visits from the UK to your territory (e.g., Mayor of London, Deputy Mayors, London & Partners’ leadership).
• Public Speaking & Industry Expertise
  • Speak at conferences and events to build the company brand and expand your network.
  • Provide market intelligence on emerging trends in the tech industry.
  • Develop tailored International Expansion Playbooks with competitor benchmarking, sector growth forecasts, partnership recommendations, and localized GTM strategies.

You’ll have/bring

• Essential:
  • Education: degree-level or equivalent; a degree in business, law, or international trade preferred.
  • Background: minimum of two years’ experience in sales or business development in a target-driven environment.
  • Executive Presence: comfortable and authoritative with senior stakeholders in business and politics.
  • Industry Knowledge: passion for emerging technology and venture capital; able to convey confidence as an expert.
  • Presentation Skills: able to speak at both in-person and virtual events to technical and general audiences.
  • Enthusiasm & Drive: energetic and positive.
  • Mobility: based in San Francisco with regular travel across the US and Canada and an annual trip to the UK.
• Preferred:
  • Education: postgraduate degree in international business.
  • Background: experience in GTM, sales, or marketing at a tech scaleup or in venture capital.
  • Industry Knowledge: recognized as a subject matter expert; white papers or online commentary strengthen application.
  • Presentation Skills: experience speaking at high-profile tech conferences.
  • Enthusiasm & Drive: independent thinker with a bias for action and tangible results.

You’ll Get

• Hybrid working environment
• 30 days paid vacation
• Employer contribution to 401k
• Monthly healthcare payments covered
• Join a fast-paced, flexible and inclusive social enterprise

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date. London & Partners encourages applications from all sections of the community and supports flexibility in working patterns. Visa sponsorship is available.