Business Development Manager - Metal Fabrications

An established UK engineering and manufacturing business is looking to recruit an experienced Business Development Manager with a strong background in fabrication sales to support continued growth within its specialist fabrication division. This is a predominantly field-based business development role, focused on identifying, developing and winning new opportunities with customers requiring fabrication, welding, machining, metalwork, assembly and associated engineered manufacturing services.

The successful candidate will spend the majority of their time developing business across the UK, meeting customers, generating enquiries and building long-term commercial relationships. There will be occasional requirements to attend the company’s South Birmingham office for internal meetings, project discussions and collaboration with engineering, estimating and production teams.

This is a hands-on new-business position suited to somebody who understands the fabrication and subcontract manufacturing market and can confidently discuss customer requirements with buyers, engineers, procurement teams, project managers and operational decision-makers. You will be responsible for developing opportunities from initial prospecting and enquiry through to quotation, negotiation and order placement, while ensuring the business is targeting work that aligns with its manufacturing capabilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify and develop new business opportunities across fabrication, welding, machining, metalwork and engineered manufacturing markets.
• Target organisations requiring subcontract fabrication, assemblies and associated manufacturing services.
• Generate new leads through direct prospecting, networking, industry contacts and customer referrals.
• Arrange and attend customer meetings throughout the UK.
• Build strong relationships with buyers, procurement professionals, engineers, project managers and senior decision-makers.
• Understand customer drawings, specifications and manufacturing requirements to identify suitable solutions.
• Manage opportunities from initial enquiry through RFQ, quotation, negotiation and order placement.
• Work closely with engineering, estimating and production teams to ensure customer requirements can be delivered effectively.
• Maintain a healthy sales pipeline while identifying opportunities for repeat business and account growth.
• Represent the business professionally at customer sites, industry events and trade exhibitions.

The Candidate:

This position requires somebody with genuine experience selling fabrication or closely related engineered manufacturing services. You should ideally have:

• Proven Business Development, Sales or Account Management experience within the fabrication sector.
• Experience selling sheet metal fabrication, welding, machining, metalwork, assemblies or subcontract manufacturing services.
• A strong understanding of how fabrication businesses operate and how opportunities progress from drawing/specification through quotation and manufacture.
• A successful track record of identifying, developing and winning new business.
• Good knowledge of the UK fabrication, engineering or subcontract manufacturing marketplace.
• Experience selling to technical and commercial decision-makers.
• Strong commercial awareness, negotiation and consultative selling skills.
• The ability to work independently in a field-based role and manage a national customer territory.
• A Full UK Driving Licence.
• Experience supplying sectors such as defence, rail, marine, automotive, construction, infrastructure, industrial engineering, special-purpose equipment or specialist manufacturing would be advantageous.
• The ability to understand engineering drawings, CAD information, technical specifications, materials, tolerances and manufacturing requirements would also be highly beneficial.

The Package:

£45,000 - £50,000 per annum, depending on experience. Car allowance. Permanent, full-time position. Predominantly field-based / UK-wide sales role. Occasional attendance at the South Birmingham office. Opportunity to develop new customers, markets and long-term revenue streams within an established engineering business.

If you have a strong background in fabrication sales and enjoy developing new customers, building technical relationships and winning subcontract manufacturing business, we would be very interested in hearing from you.