Business Development Manager (BDM) Team Lead, EMEA

The role involves managing a team of Business Development Managers within the Sales team based in London. Working at WGSN, we create tomorrow. A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We are a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow. WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory.

WGSN is in an exciting phase of investment and expansion, underpinned by a bold five-year growth strategy. With strong brand recognition as the global authority in trend forecasting and robust market penetration, now is the perfect time to join our high-performing sales organisation. This role is pivotal to our new business growth strategy, and we’re eager to hear from candidates who are passionate about leading teams to commercial success. You will manage a team of seven Business Development Managers responsible for driving new business acquisition across the EMEA region. Reporting into the Head of New Business, you will play a critical role in delivering pipeline and revenue growth through strategic planning, hands-on coaching, and performance management.

We are seeking a sales leader with a robust track record of success in new business, combined with a strong analytical mindset. You will bring deep experience in leading high-performing teams through the full sales cycle, with a proven ability to drive pipeline growth, improve conversion rates, and increase average order value. Comfortable working with data at every stage of the sales process, you use insights to inform strategy, optimise team performance, and deliver measurable impact. This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercially minded, data-driven people leader to contribute meaningfully to WGSN’s ambitious growth in EMEA.

The New Business Sales team reaches out to high value corporate prospects via phone, email and video call and in person meetings. The team communicates our value proposition to business owners and senior executives with the goal of converting the business opportunity to hit our monthly sales target. Our fast growing, high performing Sales team within WGSN’s brand targets industries in: Fashion, Beauty, Interior and Lifestyle, Food and Drink, Consumer Tech, Sports & Outdoor.

• Lead, coach and inspire a team of Business Development Managers to achieve and exceed monthly new business targets.
• Drive pipeline growth by supporting prospecting, sales strategy, and deal execution across EMEA.
• Ensure full ownership of the 360° sales cycle—from qualification to close.
• Monitor KPIs and forecast performance with accuracy and insight.
• Use data to improve sales outcomes, optimise processes, and increase conversion rates.
• Promote best-practice use of CRM and sales tools to enable team efficiency.
• Contribute to incentive plans and strategic initiatives that boost motivation and regional growth.

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other activities you are required to deliver.

• Proven track record in B2B new business sales, ideally in a fast-paced, high-growth or SaaS-like environment, with consistent target overachievement.
• 3+ years experience leading sales teams across the full sales cycle—from prospecting to close—with a strong focus on pipeline development, deal strategy, and coaching for performance.
• Commercially sharp and competitively driven, with a growth mindset and a passion for winning.
• You thrive in high-performance cultures and are energised by targets, pace, and results.
• Data-first thinker with experience using CRM platforms (e.g. Salesforce), forecasting tools, and sales analytics to inform decision-making and continuously optimise outcomes.
• Confident communicator and influencer, skilled at motivating teams, navigating stakeholder dynamics, and closing complex deals.
• Agile and solutions-oriented, able to adapt quickly, work under pressure, and make smart decisions in real time.
• Experience working in multi-market/regional teams is a plus.

Our benefits and wellbeing package offers flexible benefits you can tailor to your own personal needs, including:

• 25 days of holiday per year - with an option to buy/sell up to 5 days
• Pension, Life Assurance and Income Protection
• Flexible benefits platform with options including Private Medical, Dental Insurance & Critical Illness
• Employee assistance programme, season ticket loans and cycle to work scheme
• Volunteering opportunities and charitable giving options
• Great learning and development opportunities.

WGSN is the global authority on consumer trend forecasting. We help brands around the world create the right products at the right time for tomorrow’s consumer.

• We Are Everywhere: The future is everything, it happens everywhere.
• We Are Future Focused: We utilise our global resources and intelligence to research, source and analyse quantitative and qualitative data to produce our forecasts.
• We Are Rigorous: We source, review and assess quantitative and qualitative data to produce robust, actionable forecasts.

An inclusive culture is one of our key priorities. We want our people to truly be themselves and thrive. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas, different strengths and perspectives & reflect the global audience we work with.

We are committed to supporting the environment and sustainability, including ensuring our pension plan defaults to sustainable options and striving to be net zero by 2030. Recognising great performance is a key part of our culture. Our Awards schemes recognise and reward the brilliant achievements of our people.

We offer a flexible working environment with a wide range of flexible, hybrid and agile working arrangements. Conversations about flexible working have always been—and will continue to be—actively encouraged here, but we do not offer full remote working.

If you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable during the process, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.