Business Development Manager in Bristol

If you're strong at business development in generator power, pumps, HVAC or technical hire, you'll know the difference between selling kit and building a region. Most BDMs tell us the same things: You work hard, win work and keep standards high, but the environment around you isn't always set up to help you grow. You're either slowed down by corporate noise or pulled in too many directions by a business that never stops. That is not what you are walking into here.

A specialist temporary power business is making its first dedicated sales hire for South Wales and the Southwest. We need someone to build a pipeline, win new rental accounts, and strengthen the rental model with customers who value reliability over price. You are not inheriting someone else's territory. You are building it.

Where the business stands: Six years in, scaling from £8m toward £17m. This year alone: £2.5m into new fleet, larger premises, battery systems entering the mix, and a London depot launching early 2026. The next phase means reducing reliance on seasonal event work and securing year-round rental revenue. That is the mandate.

The role:

• Win new rental accounts across South Wales and the Southwest. Develop a pipeline with three to six months of visibility. Focus on FM, electrical contractors, TV and film, rail. Customers who value service and pay accordingly.
• Execute disciplined follow-up. Every call, every enquiry, every quote. Maintain the CRM so leadership has accurate data to inform pricing, capex, and fleet decisions.
• Position engineered solutions, not kit lists. Customers should contact you because they trust you to solve their power requirements, not because you quoted cheapest.
• Defend rate card integrity. The directors have no appetite for work that erodes margin. Commission applies above a floor rate. Below that, you earn nothing.
• Provide market intelligence. What are customers requesting? Where is demand shifting? What should the next investment be? Leadership expects insight, not just activity.
• Spend time in the field. One day a week in the office for alignment. Beyond that, you manage your own schedule.

Who fits:

• You have generated new business in generators or an adjacent specialist hire sector. HVAC, pumps, chillers, high-specification modular.
• You can discuss power solutions credibly. You understand how to structure a pipeline, forecast with accuracy, and progress opportunities systematically.
• You are commercially disciplined. Chasing volume at poor rates is not how you operate. You protect margin and sell value.
• You have a network across the region and evidence of accounts you have opened and developed. You understand what converts a cold prospect into a repeat customer.
• You value stability. If your CV shows four moves in three years, this is not for you. If you have committed to a business for four or five years and delivered results, that matters here.
• Candidates from FM, rail, or TV and film with established networks in those sectors would be particularly relevant. The ability to access new verticals carries weight.

You need:

• Experience winning new business in generators or a related engineered environment.
• Confidence with power solutions and the ability to hold a technical conversation.
• A structured approach to pipeline building.
• A commercial mindset that protects margin.
• Strong relationships across the region.
• A clean UK licence.

The environment:

• Customers stay for years. The kit is solid, service is reliable, and the team turns up when it matters.
• Internally, it is straightforward. Decisions happen quickly. Expectations are explicit. No politics. Strong performance is recognised. Problems are addressed without blame. Support is available when required.
• The directors have held three roles in 30 years between them. They are hiring for the next five to seven years, not the next twelve months.

What you get:

• Salary: £50,000 to £60,000
• Commission: Uncapped. A strong first year adds £10k to £15k. Hit your stride in year two and you are looking at £45k on top of base.
• Vehicle: Company vehicle or car allowance.
• Holiday: 25 days.
• Pension: Standard scheme.
• Beyond the package: An operations function that delivers what you sell. Directors who answer the phone and make things happen. You will not be inheriting a patch or filling a gap. You will be building a presence and a reputation.

For someone who wants to be known for what they have done rather than where they have worked, this is the position to do it. Trajectory: Contributing to commercial strategy, influencing capex planning, playing a central role as the business scales. If you want ownership, clear expectations and the backing of a team who deliver what you sell, this is worth a conversation.