Business Development Manager

Overview:

We are looking for a commercially minded and strategic Business Development Manager to lead the growth of our revenue and partnerships. This is a hands-on role responsible for driving new membership sales, securing sponsorships, developing partnerships and contributing to product development. Working closely across teams, the Manager will play a key role in converting leads, shaping opportunities and aligning external engagement with internal capacity and values.

Key Responsibilities:

Revenue Generation and Sales Ownership:

• Lead on the generation of new membership, sponsorship and partnership revenue
• Manage the end-to-end proposal and sales process, including lead generation, pitching, drafting, follow-ups, negotiation and closing
• Maintain accurate records of activity and outcomes in CRM and supporting systems
• Identify and engage prospective members and partners through strategic outreach and relationship building
• Lead on the development and refinement of sales messaging, materials and proposal templates

Sponsorship and Partnership Development:

• Develop sponsorship packages for events, products and services
• Identify potential sponsors and partners aligned with our mission
• Secure and manage sponsorship and partnership conversations through to sign-off, with post-sale handover to Member Success team
• Represent the organisation at key events and forums to build visibility and networks

Marketing and Communications Collaboration:

• Collaborate on marketing strategies to support sales and engagement goals
• Contribute to the creation of communications and content that align with business development goals (e.g. email campaigns, social media content, decks)

Product Development and Positioning:

• Contribute to the development of new products and services
• Support product positioning by articulating the value of our offers to different audiences

Internal Collaboration and Strategic Input:

• Work with the Member Success Director and Operations Director to align sales activity with capacity and service delivery
• Provide input on membership pricing, product-market fit and business development strategy
• Contribute to membership lifecycle and engagement planning

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Track and report on sales activity, proposal success rates and revenue targets
• Maintain a live pipeline of prospects with deal stage, value and next steps clearly recorded
• Use a mix of individual revenue targets and supporting indicators (pipeline value, proposals sent, meetings held)

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience in a business development or sales role
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Confident in drafting and customising proposals, sponsorship decks and outreach materials
• Skilled in managing the full sales cycle, from lead generation through follow-up and process coordination
• Experience using digital tools such as Shopify, Asana, Slack and Microsoft Office
• Commercial awareness and ability to link offers to market needs
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and take initiative while collaborating across teams

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in or with purpose-driven organisations, membership bodies or the social value/sustainability sector
• Familiarity with CRM systems or tools used to track sales and engagement
• Marketing and communications experience, particularly in content that supports sales

Education:

• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field such as business, communications, marketing, or public affairs

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on turning ideas into action, values integrity in sales, and wants to contribute to building a more equitable and impactful economy. You’ll join a collaborative team and play a central role in growing our community and influence.