Senior Business Development Manager in Ashford

Senior Business Development Manager – Supplement Factory

Location: Orbital Park, Ashford, Kent

Salary: £35,000 base salary plus commission — £74,000 OTE

Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm

Reporting to: Head of Commercial

Working Arrangement: Fully office-based

About Supplement Factory

Supplement Factory is a global contract manufacturer of food supplements. We support brands through formulation, product development, sampling, compliance, manufacturing, packaging and finished product delivery — working with ambitious start-ups and established international brands to turn product ideas into commercially viable manufactured supplements.

Demand continues to grow, and we need a commercially sharp Senior Business Development Manager to convert advanced customer projects into manufacturing orders.

About the Role

This is a senior, high-activity sales role built around live customer conversations — by phone, video and in person — with people who are already deep into developing products with Supplement Factory.

Most of your opportunities come from our pre-manufacturing pipeline: customers who have already invested significant time, money and months of work with us and are progressing towards manufacture. Your job is to take those conversations over the line — understand what they need commercially, negotiate terms both sides can stand behind, and secure the order.

There is also outbound work to open and progress additional opportunities, so you will mix inbound momentum with proactive outreach.

You will not run account management or sales fulfilment. You will not carry a heavy admin or technical-detail load. Each Senior Business Development Manager works with a dedicated personal assistant who owns inbox management, administration and technical follow-through, so you can stay focused on meetings, rapport and closing.

Full training is provided across formulations, product formats, pricing systems and manufacturing processes. You do not need prior supplement or pricing expertise — you will be taught the industry properly by people who already know it inside out. What you do need is commercial confidence, strong communication and a track record of winning business in a performance-led environment.

Key Responsibilities

Customer conversations

• Work a strong flow of qualified opportunities from customers already developing products with Supplement Factory (typically around 30–50 new opportunities each month).
• Run frequent telephone, video and face-to-face conversations — often back to back.
• Build rapport quickly and earn trust as a credible commercial partner.
• Understand each customer’s product concept, market, budget and manufacturing needs, and steer the conversation towards a clear decision.

Commercial negotiation and closing

• Help customers see the commercial impact of serving size, ingredients, packaging, order quantities and product format.
• Use approved commercial options and our pricing systems (with training) to shape feasible manufacturing proposals.
• Negotiate terms that work for both sides and convert projects into manufacturing orders.
• Keep momentum high and move on cleanly once a deal is agreed — this role is about winning the order, not owning long-term account management.
• Alongside the warm pipeline, pursue additional opportunities through outbound conversations and follow-up.
• Maintain a full diary of live commercial activity.

Working with your support

• Partner daily with your assigned personal assistant, who handles administration, inbox and technical detail so you can stay in customer conversations.

About You

You are outgoing, composed and at your best when you are talking to customers. You listen well, think on your feet and naturally guide conversations towards an outcome. You are comfortable with numbers, learning new systems and working in a performance-led sales culture.

You enjoy the pace of a busy pipeline and the satisfaction of securing the deal. You are happy to be taught a new industry in depth, and you take pride in presenting yourself with credibility from day one.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in a customer-facing commercial role (sales, business development or similar) where winning new business was a core measure of success.
• Evidence of consistently strong conversion in a competitive or target-driven environment.
• Excellent verbal communication and the confidence to lead frequent calls and meetings.
• Strong rapport-building and negotiation skills.
• Comfort working with figures, proposals and commercial trade-offs.
• Strong computer literacy and the ability to learn specialist systems quickly.
• Clear written communication and reliable follow-through, working closely with support.
• Energy for a fully office-based, high-conversation working day.
• Prior supplement, formulation or manufacturing knowledge is welcome but not required — structured training is part of the role.

Why Join Us?

• Warm, high-intent pipeline — work with customers who are already developing products with us and have committed real time and spend towards manufacture.
• Closing-focused senior role — your diary is built around conversations and deals, with a dedicated PA covering admin and technical detail.
• Industry immersion — learn formulations, pricing and manufacturing from experienced professionals.
• Strong earning potential — £35,000 base with commission to £74,000 OTE.
• No traditional cold-calling grind — the core of the role is converting advanced opportunities, with outbound as a meaningful secondary strand.
• Innovative sector — work with entrepreneurs and established brands in health, wellness and nutrition.

Practicalities

• Base Salary: £35,000 per year
• OTE: £74,000 per year
• Working Arrangement: Fully office-based
• Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm
• Reporting to: Head of Commercial

This is a highly customer-facing role with frequent, often back-to-back conversations. Applicants should be comfortable leading meetings, presenting commercial options, negotiating and securing commitment.

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