Business Development Manager - Southampton

New Business Development Manager
Southampton – Competitive Basic Salary + Uncapped Bonus

Build New Markets. Win High-Value Customers. Make a Measurable Commercial Impact.

We’re looking for a driven New Business Development Manager to join one of the UK’s leading specialist metal distributors.

This is a genuine new-business role focused on identifying, developing and converting opportunities across industries including aerospace, Formula 1, pharmaceuticals, engineering and renewable energy.

You’ll have the freedom to explore new markets, build relationships with senior decision-makers and create tailored commercial solutions that deliver lasting value for customers.

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive basic salary
• Uncapped performance-related bonus
• Incentive culture / high billing environment
• Regular salary reviews
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Company pension
• All business travel expenses paid
• Ongoing sales, product and industry training
• Support from an experienced commercial leadership team
• Regular company social events
• Clear opportunities for career progression

About the Role

As New Business Development Manager, you’ll be responsible for building a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities and converting prospects into profitable, long-term customers.

You’ll research target organisations, understand how they operate and identify where the company’s products and services can solve problems or improve performance.

That could include helping customers reduce costs, consolidate suppliers, introduce just-in-time supply, save storage space, reduce processing requirements or strengthen their wider supply chain.

This is a consultative sales role requiring thoughtful planning, consistent prospecting and regular face-to-face customer engagement.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Achieving agreed sales and gross profit targets through new business development
• Identifying and targeting new customers, sectors and markets
• Researching prospective customers, purchasing strategies and key decision-makers
• Planning every customer call and visit with a clear commercial objective
• Building relationships with purchasing, engineering, production and senior management teams
• Understanding each prospect’s challenges, priorities and future requirements
• Creating tailored proposals that demonstrate clear commercial value
• Identifying weaknesses in competitor relationships and developing strategies to win business
• Generating opportunities through telephone, email, LinkedIn and face-to-face visits
• Building and maintaining a strong pipeline of qualified new-business opportunities
• Progressing opportunities consistently from initial contact through to conversion
• Monitoring competitor activity and wider market developments
• Recording customer activity, market intelligence and agreed next steps accurately within the CRM
• Completing clear and timely visit reports
• Converting prospects into profitable, long-term customers
• Identifying opportunities to increase share of wallet as relationships develop

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who combines strong commercial instincts with the drive and discipline required to win new business.

You’ll ideally have:

• Some experience in B2B sales, business development or account acquisition - New b2b sales people welcome who can demonstrate the right attitude
• Confidence engaging with senior decision-makers and multiple stakeholders
• Strong prospecting, questioning and relationship-building skills
• The ability to understand a customer’s business and build a compelling value proposition
• A commercially focused approach to sales and gross profit
• Strong planning, organisation and attention to detail
• The resilience and self-motivation required for a new-business role
• A full, clean UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle
• The flexibility to attend face-to-face customer meetings

Experience within metals, manufacturing, engineering or industrial distribution would be advantageous but is not essential. More important is your ability to understand complex customer requirements, create value and develop profitable commercial relationships.

Career Progression

Our client has a strong track record of developing and promoting talented people from within. Successful performers can progress into senior sales, team leadership, sales management and service centre management positions.

This is an opportunity to join an established market leader, take ownership of a genuine growth role and build a long-term commercial career.