Head of Business Development, UK

At Ant International, our mission is to become the world’s most trusted digital services connector, enabling businesses everywhere to participate and thrive in the global economy. By building technology that simplifies cross-border commerce, we help organisations of all sizes grow beyond borders and unlock sustainable global opportunities. This role sits within WorldFirst, our international payments platform dedicated to helping businesses move money around the world quickly, securely and transparently.

Since joining Ant International in 2019, WorldFirst has accelerated its ambition to build one of the world’s most powerful platforms for international trade, combining WorldFirst’s trusted cross-border payment expertise with Ant’s global technology and digital solutions. Today, WorldFirst brings together the energy and pace of a scaling fintech with the strength and backing of a global technology leader. With ambitious growth plans and continued investment in innovation, we are building the platform that will power the next generation of global commerce.

The Head of Business Development will play a pivotal role in that journey, leading the sales strategy, building and scaling a high-performing team, and driving new partnerships and revenue opportunities that accelerate WorldFirst’s growth across the UK and beyond.

About the role

We are seeking an exceptional sales leader to drive revenue growth in the UK market by growing our portfolio of ‘Key Accounts.’ As a leader, you will be accountable for growing the portfolio of our most valuable direct client relationships. This leadership role requires a seasoned sales professional who can develop commercial strategy and coach high-performing teams to effectively retain/grow existing merchants and establish the new sales skillset to rapidly add additional merchants to the portfolio.

What you will be doing

• Lead, coach and scale a high-performing Business Development team, creating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and commercial excellence.
• Define and execute the commercial strategy to deliver against ambitious revenue and growth targets.
• Grow and strengthen our channel partnership ecosystem, expanding the portfolio of strategic partners that drive scalable customer acquisition.
• Develop world‑class selling capabilities across the team, building strong product expertise, sales methodology and a best‑practice playbook.
• Design and implement pipeline generation strategies to drive consistent, high-quality lead flow and conversion.
• Establish robust pipeline management processes and forecasting discipline to improve visibility, predictability and performance.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with key clients and partners, driving long‑term retention, expansion and strategic value.
• Act as a senior ambassador for WorldFirst, representing the business at industry events, trade shows, webinars and partner engagements.
• Partner with the analytics team to segment and prioritise the customer portfolio by size, potential and lifetime value, ensuring targeted growth strategies.
• Optimise pricing and commercial structures across customer segments to maximise revenue growth, competitiveness and retention.

What we are looking for

• 7+ years’ experience in B2B sales and partnership development, ideally within payments, fintech or a high‑growth technology environment.
• Proven track record of leading and scaling high-performing sales teams, consistently delivering and exceeding ambitious revenue targets.
• Experience in consultative, solution‑led sales to mid‑market and enterprise clients (typically £10M+ revenue), particularly within ecommerce, marketplaces or international trade sectors.
• Strong network within international trade, ecommerce ecosystems, marketplaces or service providers is a significant advantage.
• Deep understanding of FX and international payments is desirable, with experience selling cross‑border financial solutions to globally trading businesses.
• A hands‑on leadership style – comfortable rolling up your sleeves in a scrappy, fast‑moving environment while also stepping back to define strategy and drive execution.
• Ability to build and sustain a high‑performance culture, setting clear expectations, coaching for excellence, and creating accountability across the team.
• Experience operating effectively within global organisations, navigating a satellite office and HQ dynamic while influencing stakeholders across regions.