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- Tasks: Shape and execute the long-term strategy for our Fashion business.
- Company: Join Marks & Spencer, a dynamic leader in the retail industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, and generous pension schemes.
- Other info: We value diversity and support your growth with tailored training.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-evolving Fashion business.
- Qualifications: Experience in strategy or business development is essential.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Business Development Manager to help shape the next phase of growth within our Fashion business. Following significant progress over the past two years, we’ve built strong foundations rooted in style, quality, value and innovation. The opportunity now is to accelerate forward by sharpening our focus on customer, channel and product strategy, unlocking new areas of growth across markets and platforms. This is a high-impact, strategically critical role, working closely with the Business Unit Director and Fashion Leadership Team to shift the business from short-term execution to future-focused planning and growth mobilisation.
Acting as the connective thread between vision and delivery, you’ll shape the overarching strategic narrative, align stakeholders, and translate ambition into actionable plans. From landing new categories and experiences to driving strategic initiatives and long-term planning, you’ll operate at Director-level impact, bringing clarity, focus and momentum to a fast-evolving and ambitious Fashion business.
To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.
What’s in it for you
- After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry-leading parental, adoption, and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you’re passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
What you’ll do
- Shape and execute the long-term Fashion business strategy in partnership with the Fashion Leadership Team and Business Unit Director.
- Own the super season and strategic planning processes, ensuring alignment from long term strategy through to annual budgets and priorities.
- Provide strategic leadership through KPIs, scorecards, 3-5 year plans, board papers and business cases, with a strong focus on ROI and delivery.
- Act as the central strategic integrator for the Fashion BU, filtering priorities and aligning stakeholders across Retail, Dotcom, Brand, Marketing, CIU, Sourcing and external partners.
- Embed transformation, culture and ways of working across Fashion, providing regular performance updates and ensuring delivery against strategic milestones.
Who you are
- Previous experience in strategy, strategy consulting or business development is essential.
- Strong understanding of Fashion and/or Clothing & Home retail and the wider market landscape.
- Proven experience leading complex strategic projects: diagnosing problems, synthesising insight, generating options and driving execution.
- Highly organised, with experience managing multiple priorities, initiatives and deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparation and presentation of Board level materials and business cases.
Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted, and admired by our colleagues, customers, and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best.
Business Development Manager employer: Marks and Spencer
Contact Detail:
Marks and Spencer Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the fashion industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their vision and how your skills align with their goals. This will help you stand out as someone who’s genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience in strategy and business development can drive growth in their fashion business. Keep it concise and impactful, showing them you’re the right fit for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to engage with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in strategy and business development, especially within the Fashion sector. We want to see how your skills align with our goals and the specific role.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Use metrics and examples to demonstrate how you've driven growth or improved processes in previous roles. This will help us see the impact you can bring to our team.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key points stand out and are easy to read. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer
✨Know Your Fashion Strategy
Before the interview, dive deep into the company's current fashion strategy and recent developments. Understand their market share growth and how they plan to enhance customer experience. This will help you align your answers with their goals and demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led complex strategic projects in the past. Be ready to discuss how you diagnosed problems, synthesised insights, and drove execution. Highlighting your ability to manage multiple priorities will resonate well with the expectations of a Business Development Manager.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, especially when discussing board-level materials or business cases. Use concise language and structure your responses to reflect clarity and focus. This will showcase your excellent communication skills, which are crucial for this role.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Culture Fit
Since the company values collaboration, be prepared to discuss how you work effectively within teams. Share experiences where you’ve contributed to a positive culture and how you can help embed transformation within the Fashion business. This will show that you’re not just a fit for the role, but also for the company’s ethos.