Business Development Executive

Macfarlane Packaging; Heywood; On-site; GBP 28,800 - 35,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave (rising to 27 with service)

Contributory pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Extensive training and development opportunities

Job summary

Macfarlane Packaging is hiring a Business Development Executive in Heywood, focusing on supporting a high-growth sales team. This role involves proactive engagement with customers, managing sales pipelines, and working closely with internal departments to enhance the customer experience.

Ideal candidates will have experience in sales coordination or customer account management, strong communication skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Dynamics. Alongside a competitive salary, the position offers a flexible benefits package and opportunities for career development.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 months' experience within sales/business development.
• Experience in a proactive sales environment with outbound customer contact.
• Strong communication and telephone skills.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day sales activity and pipeline management.
• Proactively contact prospective and dormant accounts.
• Utilize CRM to manage customer records and opportunities.

Skills

Sales coordination

Customer engagement

Proactive communication

Relationship-building

Organizational skills

IT skills

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

Job description

Support a high-growth new business sales team within a market-leading packaging business

Location: Heywood Distribution Park

Salary: Up to £32,000 (depending on experience) plus bonus/OTE

Package: Flexible benefits package including up to 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays & annual leave purchase scheme)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday

Sector: Packaging Distribution & Solutions

Protecting what matters, together

We’re dedicated to protecting what matters most - our people, our customers, our communities and the environment. At Macfarlane Packaging, our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability and continual improvement creates a highly collaborative, supportive and friendly workplace where you can build a career that grows.

With over 75 years of industry expertise, we combine the stability of an established market leader with the pace and ambition of a business focused on continual growth. Our environment is fast-moving, commercially driven and highly customer-focused - offering genuine opportunities for development and progression.

If you enjoy working proactively, thrive in a sales-led environment, and want to be part of a team focused on winning and growing business, this could be an excellent opportunity for you.

The Business Development Executive Role

This is a commercially focused sales support position working closely alongside our regional Business Development Managers within our Heywood sales team.

Supporting a highly proactive new business sales function, you will play a key role in helping to drive territory growth across the Lancashire and North Manchester region. Your role will combine traditional sales coordination responsibilities with more proactive commercial activity, helping to generate opportunities, support pipeline development, reactivate dormant accounts, and maintain excellent customer engagement throughout the sales process. This will involve plenty of outbound calling and appointment setting.

Working collaboratively with internal departments including procurement, logistics and customer services, you will help ensure a seamless customer experience from initial enquiry through to order fulfilment and ongoing account development.

Alongside supporting sales administration and CRM management, you will also undertake proactive outbound contact with prospective, existing and lapsed customers - helping to maximise sales opportunities and support the wider growth strategy of the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Business Development Managers with day-to-day sales activity, pipeline management and territory planning
• Proactively contact prospective, dormant and underutilised accounts to identify sales opportunities and generate customer engagement
• Follow up quotations, enquiries, marketing leads and sales campaigns to maximise conversion opportunities
• Utilise CRM (Microsoft Dynamics) to accurately manage customer records, opportunities, pipeline activity and reporting
• Process customer orders and enquiries accurately and efficiently whilst maintaining excellent levels of customer service
• Work collaboratively with procurement and logistics teams to ensure smooth order fulfilment and customer satisfaction
• Support account development activity through proactive communication and relationship management
• Assist in identifying opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling across the wider product portfolio
• Maintain strong administrative accuracy across all aspects of the sales process

What You Will Bring

• Minimum of 12 months’ experience within a sales/business development coordination, internal sales, customer account management or sales support role
• Experience working within a proactive sales environment involving outbound customer contact and opportunity generation
• Confident telephone manner with experience handling both inbound enquiries and outbound customer calls
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with a professional and engaging approachExcellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office and CRM systems
• Positive, team-oriented approach with strong attention to detail and commercial awareness
• Previous experience supporting field-based Business Development Managers or external sales teams
• Experience working within packaging, distribution, wholesale or other fast-paced consumable product sectors
• Familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Experience supporting new business activity, account reactivation campaigns or lead generation initiatives

What You Will Get

We provide a competitive salary alongside a rewarding bonus structure and flexible benefits package which can include:

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 27 with service) plus all public/bank holidays
• Contributory pension scheme
• Employee assistance programme to support wellbeing
• Extensive training and development opportunities
• Simply Health/Dental or BUPA options (role dependent)
• Enhanced HR policies and long service awards
• Charitable giving options
• Financial support with eye tests and glasses (DSE users)

Your Future With Us

At Macfarlane Group, we actively support career progression and internal mobility. This role offers excellent long-term development opportunities within sales, account management and commercial operations.

You’ll benefit from structured training, ongoing mentoring and access to both internal and external development programmes designed to help you grow your career within a successful national business.

How to Apply/Next Steps

We are moving quickly to identify suitable applicants and expect to begin interviews shortly. Please click ‘apply’ to submit your up-to-date CV.

All applications will be acknowledged. If you have not heard from us within 2-3 weeks, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender expression, religion or sexual orientation. Should you require any support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly.