Business Development Lead: Retail Partnerships in Peterborough

Location: Peterborough (Office-based with travel)

Salary: £30k- £35k + Commission

The Role

This is not a “maintain a few accounts and send some emails” kind of job. This is the first dedicated Business Development hire for the business - which means one thing: you’ll be building the retail channel properly, from the ground up. You’ll be responsible for identifying, approaching and winning new retail partners across the UK, helping grow brand presence and ultimately driving revenue. There’s no legacy pipeline to lean on. No warm desk. No hiding place. But… there is real opportunity to make your mark and be the person behind that growth.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Identifying and targeting independent and national retailers within the home, interiors and furnishings space
• Proactively generating new business through calls, emails, LinkedIn and face-to-face meetings
• Building and managing your own sales pipeline from scratch
• Presenting the product range in a compelling, commercially focused way
• Negotiating terms and closing deals with new retail partners
• Developing long-term relationships to drive repeat and consistent business
• Attending trade shows, client meetings and industry events
• Feeding back market insight — what’s selling, what’s not, what competitors are doing
• Working closely with internal teams to ensure smooth onboarding of new accounts

What You’ll Need

• Proven experience in business development / field sales / account acquisition
• Experience selling into retailers (homewares, interiors, furniture, flooring, textiles — anything adjacent is a big plus)
• Confidence picking up the phone and opening doors from cold
• Commercial awareness — you understand margin, pricing and what drives buying decisions
• Strong relationship-building skills (you’re not just transactional)
• Self-motivation — you won’t need chasing to do the job

What You Might Not Like

• There’s no existing structure for this role — you’ll be helping shape it
• It’s a true new business role — rejection comes with the territory
• You’ll need resilience — not every retailer says yes first time
• It’s not a sit-back-and-manage role — it’s proactive, front-foot, and sometimes graft-heavy

What You’ll Get

• The chance to build something — not just maintain it
• Real autonomy and trust
• A business that’s growing and open to ideas
• Commission structure that rewards results (as it should)

What To Do Next

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys opening doors, building relationships and actually seeing the impact of what you bring in - this will suit you. Apply or get in touch for a confidential chat.