At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive business growth by networking and onboarding new brokers while maintaining strong relationships.
- Company: Join Suffolk Building Society, a community-focused organisation with over 175 years of history.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, health benefits, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of an award-winning team dedicated to ethical practices and community support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a supportive environment that values your growth and community involvement.
- Qualifications: Experience with brokers and strong communication skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 45000 £ per year.
Location: Remote with occasional meetings at the Head Office, IP3 9SJ
Salary: Starting from £40,000-£45,000 per annum (depending on experience) + great benefits
Hours: Full-time
About Us
At Suffolk Building Society, we’re more than just a mortgage lender. We were formed over 175 years ago to help people save and buy property, but we're far from old-fashioned, stuffy, and stuck in our ways though. We’re a community. As a member‑owned organisation, we put people first, not shareholders. That means everything we do is driven by our values and our commitment to making a positive impact.
- Flexibility: We understand the importance of work‑life balance and offer a range of flexible working options to suit your home commitments and lifestyle.
- Development: Your growth matters to us. From day one, you’ll receive full training, ongoing support, and opportunities to progress in your career.
- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: We’re serious about creating an inclusive, welcoming environment where everyone can be their authentic self.
- Career Progression: Whether you’re looking for stability or want to advance in financial services, we’ll support your journey.
- Community Focused: We’re dedicated to supporting local communities, charities, and promoting ethical practices in everything we do.
About the Role
If you eat and sleep criteria, can network with the best of them, and like nothing more than getting a case over the line, then walk this way...
Brokers tell us again and again how much they value our business development managers. They know we’re responsive, will shape cases, and give a considered yet fast answer on whether we feel we could lend.
We’re rated a 5‑star lender by Smart Money People, scooped Best Building Society at the Mortgage Strategy Awards this year, and have made the finals of the L&G Mortgage Club Awards two years running. We’re not stopping now, which is why we’re looking to grow our BDM Team to cover a brand‑new area (for us) - the midlands.
The role involves identifying and onboarding new broker firms and individual brokers through networking, cold calling, and other business development activities. The role will also include supporting those who’ve previously used the Society by offering a dedicated point of contact going forward. You’ll be providing ongoing support and strengthening relationships while promoting the Society’s proposition and lending solutions. You’ll also grow and retain accounts and develop a pipeline of new business through effective market knowledge, strategic planning, and an understanding of the Society’s offerings and competitors.
What You’ll Do
- Develop and implement a sales strategy to achieve gross mortgage application targets and completions, focusing on a good conversion rate of business through to completion and maintaining a healthy pipeline.
- Manage business quality, ensuring we hit conversion rates, gross to net and net to completion.
- Achieve own sales targets and objectives along with focusing on department targets and overall plans for the Society.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with brokers and internal stakeholders to deliver a first‑class service.
- Identify potential brokers and the decision makers within the organisation and build strong relationships.
- Build a strong broker following to grow repeat usage to the Society from key firms within your area – managing the quality of distribution.
- Support brokers with case shaping, criteria and product support, helping to win business by providing a first‑class customer service experience on complex cases.
- Meet potential brokers by growing, maintaining, and leveraging your network.
- Work with technical staff and other internal colleagues to meet broker needs.
- Handle objections by clarifying, emphasising agreements, and working through differences to a positive conclusion.
- Use a variety of styles to persuade or negotiate appropriately.
- Support our award‑winning marketing team with broker surveys and wider marketing content– encouraging feedback to enable positive change within the Society.
- Plan sales meetings, presentations and pitches - develop proposals that meet the broker’s needs, concerns, and objectives, whilst continuing to observe the needs of the Society.
- Identify new niche business ideas to enable the Society to continuously develop its USPs.
- Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date broker contact records to ensure effective external relationship management.
- Work closely with the Head of Intermediaries to support strategic approach to the Intermediary market – including (but not limited to) attending events (virtual and in person), providing market feedback, supporting with marketing content and insight into designated area.
- Proactively identify, assess, monitor, and report risks, ensuring robust controls are in place across operational and conduct areas.
Qualifications:
- Professional qualification – CeMap or Equivalent (desirable)
- Experience working with brokers
- Sales Planning skills & working in a targeted environment (desirable)
- Problem solving and decision‑making skills
- Influencing and negotiating skills
- Time management and personal organisation skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Benefits:
- Permanent Health Insurance (after 2 years’ service)
- Life insurance & wellness programs
- Healthcare cash plan & retailer discounts
- Success‑Sharing Bonus (discretionary)
- Enhanced payments for periods of family leave
- Comprehensive training & career progression opportunities
- Opportunities to volunteer & support local charities
Join Us – Be Part of Something Bigger
At Suffolk Building Society, we’re all about real people, real values, and real impact. If you’re looking for a career (not just a job) where you can grow, belong, and make a difference, we’d love to hear from you!
Business Development Manager in Ipswich employer: Suffolk Building Society
Suffolk Building Society is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises community engagement and employee development. With 26 days of annual leave and clear pathways for career progression, this part-time role in Felixstowe not only allows you to make a meaningful impact on members' financial well-being but also fosters personal growth in a collaborative environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager in Ipswich
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We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager in Ipswich
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
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Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Suffolk Building Society, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at Suffolk Building Society
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In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
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✨Portfolio of Projects
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✨Know their business model
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