Business Development Director

Witan Search; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Witan Search seeks a Business Development Director to lead growth strategy across chemical markets, driving revenue and margin improvements. You will identify new customers, applications and partnerships while negotiating complex contracts and aligning cross-functional teams to deliver viable, compliant proposals.

You will build relationships with senior decision-makers, manage the CRM pipeline and forecast, and stay ahead of regulatory and market developments to shape strategic plans.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in business development or strategic sales leadership within chemical/B2B environments.
• Strong understanding of chemical manufacturing, distribution, and related markets.
• Proven track record of revenue growth and long-term account development.
• Experience managing complex sales cycles with multiple stakeholders.
• Degree-level qualification in chemistry/engineering; MBA advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the business development strategy for target chemical markets and sectors.
• Identify, qualify and convert new business opportunities through market analysis and strategic account planning.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with customers, distributors, and channel partners.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations including pricing and contract terms.
• Collaborate with technical, regulatory, operations, and finance teams to ensure viable proposals.
• Analyse market trends and competitor activity to inform growth plans.
• Own the sales pipeline, forecasting, and CRM reporting for senior leadership visibility.
• Develop value propositions and presentations translating capabilities into customer-focused solutions.
• Represent the company at meetings, trade shows and industry events.
• Ensure BD activities comply with health, safety, environmental, quality and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Technical credibility

Strategic thinking

Relationship building

Negotiation

Data-driven

Cross-functional leadership

Compliance awareness

Education

Degree in Chemistry/Engineering

MBA or commercial training

Tools

CRM systems

Forecasting tools

Job description

Role Purpose

The Business Development Director will lead the organisation’s growth strategy identifying new markets, customers, applications and partnerships that deliver sustainable revenue and margin growth. The role requires a commercially astute leader with strong technical awareness, sector knowledge and the ability to build long-term relationships with senior decision-makers across manufacturing, distribution, industrial, specialty chemical, agrochemical, life sciences, food, pharmaceutical or related markets.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the business development strategy for target chemical markets, sectors, territories and customer segments.

• Identify, qualify and convert new business opportunities through market analysis, networking, prospecting, tenders, referrals and strategic account planning.

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with customers, distributors, channel partners, suppliers and industry stakeholders.

• Lead complex commercial negotiations, including pricing, contract terms, supply agreements, service levels and long-term partnership arrangements.

• Work closely with technical, regulatory, operations, supply chain, finance and customer service teams to ensure proposals are commercially viable and operationally deliverable.

• Analyse market trends, customer needs, competitor activity, regulatory developments and emerging applications to inform growth plans.

• Own the sales pipeline, forecasting, CRM discipline and opportunity reporting, providing clear visibility to senior leadership.

• Develop value propositions, proposals and presentations that translate technical product or service capabilities into customer-focused commercial solutions.

• Represent the company at customer meetings, trade shows, conferences, industry forums and networking events.

• Ensure all business development activity complies with health, safety, environmental, quality, ethical and regulatory requirements relevant to the chemical sector.

Experience and Qualifications

• Significant experience in business development, strategic sales, commercial leadership or key account management within the chemical sector or a closely related technical B2B environment.

• Strong understanding of chemical manufacturing, distribution, formulation, contract manufacturing, specialty chemicals, industrial chemicals or adjacent markets.

• Proven track record of delivering revenue growth, margin improvement, new customer acquisition and long-term account development.

• Experience managing complex sales cycles involving technical, procurement, regulatory, quality and executive stakeholders.

• Degree-level qualification in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or relevant technical subject preferred

• Postgraduate qualification, MBA or professional commercial training would be advantageous.

• Experience using CRM systems, pipeline management tools and data-led forecasting methods.

• Ability to travel regularly for customer meetings, site visits, trade events and industry networking.

• Experience in both Organic and Inorganic chemical sales

• Experience in commercial leadership of R&D projects from cradle to market

• M&A commercial development experience preferred

Key Skills and Competencies

• Commercially focused, with strong judgement around profitability, pricing, risk and customer value.

• Technically credible, with the ability to engage confidently with scientific, technical and operational stakeholders.

• Strategic thinker who can translate market insight into practical growth plans.

• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and negotiation skills.

• Strong written and verbal communication, including proposal writing and executive-level presentations.

• Analytical and data-informed, with the ability to interpret market intelligence, pipeline metrics and financial performance.

• Resilient, self-motivated and comfortable operating in long-cycle, complex B2B sales environments.

• Collaborative leadership style, able to align cross-functional teams around customer and commercial priorities.

• Strong awareness of compliance, quality, health and safety, sustainability and regulatory expectations in the chemical industry.

Key Performance Indicators

• Revenue growth and gross margin contribution from new and existing customers.

• Value and quality of qualified pipeline opportunities.

• New customer acquisition, strategic account growth and retention rates.

• Conversion rate from prospect to proposal and proposal to contract.

• Delivery of agreed territory, sector or product growth plans.

• Accuracy of sales forecasts and CRM reporting.

• Strength and depth of customer, partner and stakeholder relationships.

• Contribution to market intelligence, product development insight and strategic planning.