Business Development Manager

Story Terrace Inc.; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Discretionary bonus

Generous pension (10%)

Payroll Giving & Matched CharitableDon

Bike to Work Scheme

Family-friendly policies

25 days annual leave

Learning & development

Refer & earn

Job summary

Oakland is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to fuel growth in its data and AI consulting practice in the UK. You will engage with prospective clients, shape bespoke consulting opportunities, and guide engagements from discovery to signed engagements, working with delivery teams and SMEs to tailor propositions.

You’ll lead consultative sales with senior stakeholders, shape objectives, and develop compelling proposals that demonstrate the value Oakland can deliver, while

Qualifications

• Proven experience selling consultancy, advisory or professional services.
• Experience managing consultative sales processes from discovery to contract signature.
• Experience facilitating workshops or discovery sessions.
• Experience owning proposals, SoWs and commercial solutions.
• Strong commercial awareness and confidence in scope, value and pricing.
• Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and help clients define requirements and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Qualify, shape and convert consulting opportunities generated through marketing activity and networks.
• Lead discovery conversations, workshops and stakeholder sessions to understand challenges and outcomes.
• Help clients define and prioritise problems where requirements are evolving.
• Work with consultants and SMEs to develop tailored service propositions and approaches.
• Own opportunities through sales lifecycle from qualification to contract signature.
• Develop proposals, SoWs and client-facing materials.
• Maintain accurate forecasting, pipeline visibility and reporting.
• Ensure a smooth transition from sales to delivery.

Skills

Consultancy sales

Stakeholder management

Workshop facilitation

Proposal ownership

Value & pricing discussion

Communication & presentation

Ambiguity navigation

Job description

About Us

At Oakland, we help businesses unlock the power of their data. Whether it's data strategy, governance, engineering, analytics, or AI, we work with our clients to turn data into real, impactful results. Our team is made up of friendly, hands-on experts who love solving problems and making a difference. We don’t just advise, we roll up our sleeves and get stuck in, working alongside our clients every step of the way.

Founded in 1986 out of our Leeds HQ, we work with a diverse range of clients across all sorts of industries, including Utilities, Telecommunications, Media, Financial Services, Public Sector, and many more! Our projects range from multi-year data transformations to specific, shorter-term assignments, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to diversify your skillset.

We meet high standards for social and environmental impact, transparency, and accountability. We believe businesses should be a force for good, so we make sure our decisions don’t just benefit the bottom line but also our people, communities, and the planet.

And it’s not just us saying we’re a great place to work... we were recently named a Top 5 Best Consultancy to work for in the UK through Best Companies! We’re all about creating an environment where people can grow, do meaningful work, and enjoy the journey.

In April 2025, Oakland was acquired by Softcat, a leading provider of IT infrastructure services to corporate and public sectors. By combining Oakland’s deep expertise in data and AI consulting with Softcat’s extensive portfolio and market presence, we can deliver unparalleled value and innovation to our clients. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our journey, and we’re looking forward to achieving great things together.

The Role

The Business Development Manager role sits at the heart of Oakland’s growth strategy.

This role is not primarily focused on lead generation or outbound sales activity. Your focus will be on engaging with prospective clients, understanding their challenges, facilititediscovery conversations and workshops, shaping consulting opportunities, and guiding them through to a signed engagement.

This is a consultative sales role focused on selling professional services rather than products or software. Many of our clients know they have a challenge to solve but may not yet know exactly what support they need. You’llhelp them define theirobjectives, explore potential approaches, and develop compelling proposals thatdemonstratethe value Oakland can deliver.

Working alongside our consultants, deliveryteamsand technical subject matter experts, you’llplay a leading role in turning opportunities into successful client engagements.

Key Responsibilities

• Qualify,shapeand convert consulting opportunities generated through marketing activity, partnernetworksand Oakland's wider business development efforts.
• Lead discovery conversations, workshopsand stakeholder engagement sessions to understand business challenges,objectivesand desired outcomes.
• Help clients define andprioritiseproblems where requirements may be unclear or still evolving.
• Work collaboratively withConsultants andTechnical SMEs to develop tailored service propositions and recommended approaches.
• Own opportunities throughout the sales lifecycle, from qualificationthroughto proposal, negotiationand contract signature.
• Develop high-quality proposals, Statements of Work (SoWs), presentations and other client-facing materialsthat align client needs with Oakland's consulting capabilities.
• Manage a portfolio of active opportunities, maintainingaccurateforecasting, pipelinevisibilityand reporting.
• Ensure a smooth transition from sales to delivery.

About You

We’relooking for an experienced business development professional who understands how to sell consultancy, advisoryor professional services.

You’llbe comfortable operating in situations where the clientdoesn'tyet have a clearly defined solution in mind. Rather than selling a pre-packaged product, you’llenjoy helping clients explore their challenges,facilitatingdiscussions, and working with specialists to develop the right approach.

You’llbe an excellent communicator with strong commercial instincts, capable of building credibility with senior stakeholders and guiding opportunitiesthrough tosuccessful outcomes.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience selling consultancy, advisory or professional services, rather than product-led or SaaS solutions.
• Experience managing consultative sales processes from discovery and qualificationthrough toproposal, negotiationand contract signature.
• Experiencefacilitatingworkshopsordiscovery sessions.
• Experienceof owningproposals, Statements of Work (SoWs) and commercial solutions.
• Strong commercial awareness and confidence in discussing scope,valueand pricing.
• Excellent communication,presentationand relationship-building skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and help clients define their requirements and desired outcomes.

Desirable experience:

• Experience selling Data Strategy, Data Management, Data Platform, AI, or Analytics based professional services.

Blendedworking policy:

Weoperatea blended working model, with colleagues spending at least two days per week in the office, aligned to project team requirements. Regular travel to client sites is alsoto be expectedfor this role.

This balance helps us stay connected, learn from each other, and build strong relationships - both within our team and with the businesses we support.

Benefits That Put You First:

At Oakland, we believe in taking care of our people, both inside and outside of work. Here’s what you can expect when you join us:

• Health & Wellbeing– Enjoy Private Healthcare from day one for you and your household, including dental cover, physiotherapy, mental health support, and access to a range of wellbeing services to keep you feeling your best.
• Discretionary Bonus– Your hard work won’t go unnoticed. When we do well, you’ll do well.
• Generous Pension– We invest in your future with a 10% employer contribution, plus flexible options so you can adjust to your investment preferences.
• Giving Back– Support causes you care about with our Payroll Giving Scheme and Matched Charitable Giving program.
• Bike to Work Scheme– Save money, stay active, and enjoy tax savings on a new bike.
• Family-Friendly Policies– We support all paths to parenthood with:
• Enhanced Maternity Pay – 16 weeks full pay, 10 weeks half pay.
• Enhanced Paternity Pay – 2 weeks full pay, 2 weeks half pay.
• Adoption, Surrogacy & Shared Parental Leave.
• Fertility Treatment Support – Because your family matters.
• Time to Recharge– 25 days annual leave + bank holidays (and your allowance grows the longer you’re with us!).
• Learning & Development– We invest in you with:
• Personalised development plans tailored to your goals.
• Full support for certifications.
• Access to The Oakland Academy for a suite of learning materials.
• An annual Personal Learning Budget to upskill in ways that matter to you.
• Refer & Earn– Know someone great? If they join us, you’ll get a referral bonus as a thank you.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at Oakland

At Oakland, we believe that diverse perspectives drive better outcomes - for our people, our clients, and our business. Our commitment to DEIB isn’t just about policies; it’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to thrive.

We are building a truly inclusive Oakland where you can be yourself - no matter your background, gender, age, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that makes you, you.

Fair & Inclusive Hiring– Every interviewer completes recruitment and unconscious bias training, and our hiring process is skills-based and structured to ensure fairness and consistency for all candidates.

Support Throughout the Interview Process– If you require any reasonable accommodations to make your interview experience more accessible, our Talent team is here to help - just let us know.