Source is a research-led advisory firm that helps the world’s largest professional services firms make their most important decisions.
With a wealth of independent insight, knowledge, and experience in the industry, Source delivers clear-cut direction that gives firms and their leaders the confidence to act.
PURPOSE
The Senior Business Development Manager is responsible for achieving Source’s sales targets at the account level by driving growth in specific major and target accounts.
The role focuses on delivering our sales strategy, deepening client relationships, and increasing client value through targeted up-selling, cross-selling, as well as leveraging new business opportunities.
KEY FACETS OF THIS ROLE
(1) To achieve account-level sales targets
- Work with the Head of clients to ensure account initiatives consistently meet or exceed quarterly targets in alignment with the overall company objectives.
- Win in-bound opportunities, taking overall responsibility for quality and promptness of our response, writing the proposal, co-ordinating internal and external resources, and in conjunction with the delivery team deciding on an approach, timescales, fees, etc. that can be delivered successfully and profitably.
- Identify and capitalise on opportunities to up-sell and cross-sell work, which increase our account footprint and drive long-term revenue growth.
- Collaborate closely with marketing to give them clear guidance in designing, creating, and delivering account-based marketing programmes, ensuring messaging and campaigns are aligned to maximise lead generation.
- Review and act on account-specific marketing-qualified leads, recording outcomes and actively liaising with the market team to ensure we maximise the value of these.
- Ensure that we’re regularly updating key people in the accounts (e.g. but not only analyst relations) with information about our research, on-going projects, website engagement, etc.
- Monitor leadership changes in accounts and update SF promptly and systematically, building the data we need to generate future sales.
(2) To strengthen long-term client relationships
- Be the voice of the client on projects, especially at the kick-off stage and towards the end, to make sure that we’re delivering what the client expects and what we’ve promised.
- Ensure the Client Executive can deal with enquiries, problems, report sales, etc. independently, and taking over from the Client Executive on complex issues, top-priority clients, etc.
- Take part in post-project reviews, including working with the delivery team to identify and pursue follow-on sales.
(3) To support the broader growth of the business
- Support sales activity across all our target market segments, e.g. events, campaigns designed to increase awareness and consideration, etc.
- Be a role model for the rest of the Clients Team in terms of focus, commercial acumen, and relationship building.
- Help build/strengthen a high-performance, client-focused, accountable and collaborative sales culture.
Requirements
To succeed in this role, you will demonstrate the following leadership attributes and ways of working:
Vision: Ability to drive long-term strategic vision while ensuring effective execution to achieve measurable results.
Business-first mindset: Prioritise the company's long-term success and objectives, aligning decisions with broader goals over personal or immediate interests.
Accountability: Take ownership of outcomes, follow through on commitments, and hold yourself accountable for delivering results.
Solution-focused mindset: Approach challenges with a solution-oriented mindset, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
Adaptability: Embrace change with agility, adjusting strategies and approaches to meet evolving needs and challenges.
Stakeholder management: Build strong relationships and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics with empathy and integrity.
Collaboration: Work cross-functionally to align teams and stakeholders with shared business goals.
Objectivity: Maintain a clear, impartial perspective on the business, offering and accepting honest feedback to drive continuous improvement and growth.
This role can only be done effectively by someone who has:
- 5+ years’ experience in account management or business development within professional services or a consultancy environment.
- A forward-thinking strategic mindset capable of driving measurable business outcomes while proactively anticipating market shifts and mitigating potential risks.
- The ability to adapt to changing client needs and market dynamics.
- Strong commercial instincts, with an expert understanding of client priorities, able to address complex challenges and deliver solutions that align with business goals.
- Extensive account management and business development experience, with a proven history of success working at a senior level with strategic clients, ensuring long-term partnerships and sustained growth.
- The ability to inspire action across cross-functional teams to achieve measurable business outcomes
Benefits
- Strong professional development and continued learning.
- Hybrid work environment with core hours and time flexibility.
- Enhanced pension contributions
- Annual profit share scheme
- 28 days annual leave
- Learning and development culture
- Health helplines
- Enhanced parental leave.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Death in service insurance
Diversity & Inclusion
At Source, we are committed to encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.
We are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender reassignment, age, disability, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.
