Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager

Full-Time 60000 - 75000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Drive business growth in energy infrastructure by securing key projects and nurturing client relationships.
  • Company: Join United Infrastructure, a rapidly expanding leader in critical infrastructure projects.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, performance bonus, car allowance, and comprehensive benefits.
  • Other info: Hybrid role with travel opportunities and excellent career growth potential.
  • Why this job: Be part of the UK's energy transition and make a real impact on infrastructure resilience.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in business development within utilities or energy sectors; strong relationship-building skills.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.

United Infrastructure is a dynamic and rapidly expanding business, focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects across the utility and social infrastructure sectors. Our team of highly skilled and hardworking specialists deliver innovative solutions to the complex challenges our clients face.

Our company is split into two business areas:

  • Utility Infrastructure: Our team of Utility Infrastructure specialists design, build and maintain critical water, energy (gas), power and telecoms infrastructure for the UK’s largest network owners and operators.
  • Social Infrastructure: Our team of Social Infrastructure specialists revitalise homes and communities by carrying out a wide range of work, from retrofit to refurbishment, and maintenance.

The Business Development Manager Energy Infrastructure will drive regional and recurring business across core energy infrastructure frameworks and accounts, targeting a total addressable market of multi millions in the coming years. This role focuses on securing a consistent flow of mid-value projects in established market segments such as biomethane-to-grid connections, private gas networks, constructability services, and utility security upgrades.

This position complements the strategic efforts of the senior BD leadership by concentrating on shorter-cycle, framework-led contracts where agility, relationship management, and commercial savvy are critical. The successful candidate will possess strong knowledge of utility procurement processes and regional market dynamics, coupled with the ability to convert qualified leads into awarded contracts efficiently. This is a hands-on, results-driven role, ideal for a business developer skilled at managing multiple pursuits and nurturing client relationships to drive volume growth.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Identify, pursue, and convert framework and repeat-business opportunities across target segments (biomethane, private gas, constructability, and security).
  • Manage a high-frequency portfolio of projects ranging from £0.5 million to £50+ million in value, balancing quick-turn bids with ongoing client engagements.
  • Lead opportunity qualification, pursuit strategy, solution development, and bid preparation for tenders within assigned sectors.
  • Collaborate with internal bid, estimating, and commercial teams to ensure timely, competitive proposal submissions aligned with client requirements.
  • Support the Director of Business Development on major strategic pursuits and key account initiatives as required, ensuring seamless coverage and knowledge transfer on large opportunities.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with clients across DNOs, IGTs, and key utilities, as well as developers and asset owners in target markets.
  • Develop regional developer and supply chain networks to support cost-effective local delivery and execution for awarded projects.
  • Track and manage pipeline performance using CRM tools, ensuring accurate forecasting, reporting, and proactive risk mitigation across all active pursuits.
  • Support strategic framework positioning efforts in collaboration with senior BD leadership to expand pre-qualification statuses and access new framework opportunities.
  • Monitor emerging client frameworks, regulatory updates (e.g. RIIO-3), and market tenders to identify new commercial opportunities and stay ahead of industry procurement cycles.
  • Pursue small-scale FEED and constructability study engagements in core segments to build early client trust and position the business for subsequent larger EPC contracts.
  • Contribute to business growth plans through cross-selling complementary services across frameworks and regions, leveraging our full capabilities to increase share-of-wallet with key clients.

Key Competencies:

  • Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships across utility and energy infrastructure organisations, from operational managers to procurement leads.
  • Deep understanding of framework mechanics, pre-qualification processes (PQQ/FPQ), and competitive tendering in the utility/infrastructure sector.
  • Commercial agility with familiarity across various delivery models (Design & Build, DBO, BOOT), enabling creative solutions to meet client procurement needs.
  • Strong analytical and market intelligence skills to identify regional trends, emerging opportunities, and to inform bid/no-bid decisions.
  • Effective at managing multiple concurrent pursuits without compromising quality or deadlines, maintaining focus on timely revenue conversion.
  • Proficiency in CRM-based pipeline tracking and reporting, with attention to detail in forecasting and performance metrics.
  • Excellent communication, networking and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage credibly with clients and partners and to present value propositions persuasively.
  • Collaborative team player who can coordinate cross-functional inputs (estimating, design, legal) and also adapt to support high-value strategic bids when needed.

Qualifications and Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field (or equivalent industry experience).
  • Minimum 5 years experience in business development, sales, or client management within the utilities or energy infrastructure sector.
  • Proven success in securing contracts through framework agreements or repeat business channels, and delivering against volume-based sales targets.
  • Familiarity with UK gas and power network procurement routes (e.g. DNO frameworks, ICP/IGT processes, OJEU/Find a Tender service) and related compliance requirements.
  • Experience coordinating with bid/proposal teams to develop high-quality tender submissions for capital projects.
  • Track record of managing regional or sector-specific BD portfolios, with accountability for pipeline growth and revenue results.
  • Flexible and self-motivated approach suited to a hybrid working environment and frequent national travel.

This is a hybrid role based primarily out of Warrington HQ, with regular travel to client offices, project sites, and industry events across the UK. The role offers an opportunity to play a key part in the UK’s energy transition and infrastructure resilience agenda delivering projects in renewable gas, emerging hydrogen networks, and critical utility services. A competitive base salary, performance-related bonus, car allowance, and comprehensive benefits package are offered. This role is ideal for a proactive business developer who thrives equally in building client relationships on the ground and in managing a robust pipeline to drive sustainable growth.

Business Development Manager employer: United Infrastructure Ltd

United Infrastructure is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration in the critical infrastructure sector. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide comprehensive training and development opportunities, alongside a competitive benefits package that includes performance-related bonuses and a car allowance. Our Warrington HQ serves as a hub for passionate professionals dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the UK's energy transition and infrastructure resilience agenda.

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Contact Details:

United Infrastructure Ltd Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager

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We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager

Business Development
Client Relationship Management
Utility Procurement Processes
Framework Agreements
Bid Preparation
Market Intelligence
CRM Proficiency

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.

Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.

Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at United Infrastructure Ltd, 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 United Infrastructure Ltd

Show off your analytical skills

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

Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.

Know their business model

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