| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Sales and Business Development |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | Head of Business Development |
| Direct reports | Business Development Executive |
| Experience | 4 to 8 years in business development or B2B sales |
Business Development Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Business Development Manager
Department: Sales and Business Development
Reports to: Head of Business Development
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Business Development Manager wins new clients and grows revenue by finding opportunities, building relationships and closing deals, often in B2B markets. They generate and qualify leads, pitch the company's offering, negotiate and manage a pipeline to target. A strong business development manager brings in new logos, builds a healthy pipeline and turns first deals into lasting accounts. The role reports to a head of business development or sales manager and may lead business development executives.
Key responsibilities
- Generate and qualify new business leads through outreach, referrals and networking.
- Pitch the company's products or services to prospects and understand their needs.
- Prepare proposals and quotations and present them to decision makers.
- Negotiate terms and close deals to meet the new business target.
- Build and manage a pipeline in the CRM with accurate stages and next steps.
- Build relationships with prospects and nurture them until they are ready to buy.
- Hand over closed clients to delivery or account teams for smooth onboarding.
- Attend industry events and build a network of useful contacts.
- Track competitors and market needs to sharpen the pitch and offer.
- Report pipeline, wins and forecast to the reporting manager each period.
Requirements
- Graduate in business, commerce or any discipline
- MBA in sales or marketing is an advantage
- Proven record of winning new business
- 4 to 8 years in business development or B2B sales
KRAs and KPIs for a Business Development Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| New business | New client revenue meets the assigned target each quarter |
| Pipeline | Qualified pipeline held at the agreed multiple of target |
| Conversion | Lead to deal conversion kept above the agreed level |
| New logos | New clients acquired as per the monthly or quarterly plan |
| Proposal quality | Proposals sent within the agreed time and win rate on target |
| CRM hygiene | Pipeline kept accurate and up to date in the CRM |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: CRM platform, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Email outreach tools, MS Excel, Proposal tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Business Development Manager, Head of Business Development, Corporate Sales Manager
Interview questions for a Business Development Manager
- How do you generate a pipeline of new business from scratch?
- How do you qualify a lead before investing time in it?
- How do you handle a prospect who keeps delaying the decision?
- How do you structure a proposal that wins?
- How do you keep your CRM pipeline accurate and useful?
- Tell me about the biggest new client you won and how.
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What does a business development manager do?
A business development manager wins new clients and grows revenue by finding opportunities, building relationships and closing deals, often in B2B markets. They generate and qualify leads, pitch the offering, prepare proposals, negotiate and manage a pipeline to target. They hand closed clients to delivery teams and keep building a network of new prospects.
What is the difference between a BDM and a sales manager?
A business development manager focuses on winning new clients and opening opportunities, often handling the full cycle themselves. A sales manager usually leads a team that sells defined products in existing markets and is measured on the team's target. Business development leans toward hunting new business, while sales management leans toward running a team.
What skills make a good business development manager?
Strong lead generation, B2B selling and negotiation skills are essential, along with the persistence to build a pipeline from scratch. Good proposal writing, relationship building and market research help win deals. CRM discipline keeps the pipeline reliable. Above all, a BDM needs the drive to keep prospecting and the judgement to focus on deals worth pursuing.